The New Nation - Internet Edition

100 development schemes implemented in Pirojpur

UNB, Pirojpur

A total of 100 development schemes were implemented in seven upazilas of the district involving Tk 65.81 lakh in fiscal 2007-08. Zila parishad implemented the works. Of the total schemes, 19 were implemented in Sadar, 26 in Mothbaria, 12 in Bhandaria, 14 in Nesarabad, eight in Kaukhali, 12 in Nazirpuir and nine in Zianagar upazilas. The schemes included road and bridge construction, renovation of educational institutions, mosques and madrassahs and installation of deep tube wells.

UNCTAD stresses individual aid policy for LDCs

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh should have a policy of its own to use foreign aid effectively, says a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report on least developed countries.

The 'Least Developed Countries Report 2008' was launched worldwide Thursday. Private research organisation Centre for Policy Dialogue released the report in Dhaka. Despite rapid growth, the number of poor was still rising in the LDCs, the report warned, adding that increased income inequality in Bangladesh was hindering poverty reduction. CPD executive director Mustafizur Rahman briefed the press on the key findings of the report and where Bangladesh stands. On LDC export driven growth, the report says it veils real vulnerability as global outlook worsens. It also recommended that poorest nations design and 'own' policies to use foreign aid effectively saying that rules and policies attached to these aids were so stringent that governments were hindered from tailoring development plans to meet local and national conditions.

Identifying aid as a tool to mobilise domestic resources to spur economic progress, the study says such aid cannot be 'an engine for long-term development'.

According to the document, ongoing aid delivery system continued to undermine effective country ownership due to lack of transparency, coordination between aid and government plans and poor alignment between donors and recipients.

UNCTAD suggests a new tool, Aid Management Policy, stressing mutual accountability of donors and recipient governments and aims at reducing transaction costs. It also provides framework to strengthen state capacities for effective use of foreign aid.

The study shows aid inflows are mainly directed towards improving social services and infrastructure including governance mechanism rather than increasing productive capacities and promoting structural change and economic diversification.

Taiwanese co to invest $8.316m at KEPZ

Messrs Sheng Tseng Enterprises Company Limited, a Taiwanese company will set up a shoe accessories and plastic products manufacturing industry in the extension area (CSD) of Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone.

This 100 per cent foreign-owned company will invest about Taka 58 crore in setting up its plant and will produce to export annually 4,000,000 pairs of shoe accessories, outsole and plastic products. The company will also create employment opportunity for 548 Bangladeshi and nine foreign nationals. An agreement to this effect was signed between Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and Messrs Sheng Tseng Enterprises Company Limited at BEPZA Complex, Dhaka recently. Prasanta Bhushan Barua, Member (Investment Promotion) of BEPZA and Chen Yu Chuan, Director of Messrs Sheng Tseng Enterprises Company Limited signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

Officials of BEPZA and the company were present on the occasion.

Best Air to start Dhaka-Colombo route ahead of SAARC summit

Best Air, the country's third private airliner, would starts its direct Dhaka-Colombo route from July 28 ahead of SAARC summit to carry passengers from Bangladesh.

"Yes, we have got the permission of Sri Lankan Civil Aviation

Authority this afternoon and we will start our operation from July 28," Best Air spokesperson Tito Siddique told UNB on Thursday.

Initially the lone Boeing 737-200, already in operation on

Dhaka-Bangkok route, will be pressed on Dhaka to Colombo route.

"As two of our leased aircrafts are in the pipeline, we have to use our Boeing aircraft for this route also," he said.

The airliner got the permission to operate seven flights a week, but it has not decided how many they will operate at the initial stage.

Two aircraft, MD-83 and ERJ-145, are going to be added to the fleet of Best Airto to fly on Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur, Dhaka-Dubai and Dhaka-Kolkata routes.

The 162-seat MD-83 will fly to Kuala Lumpur and Dubai routes while the 50-seat ERJ-145 will fly on Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Kolkata and Dhaka-Bangkok routes. Both the aircraft will be brought under dry lease system.

Best Air has already got permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh to operate four flights a week on Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur route.

Negotiations are on with Malaysian Civil Aviation Authority, which are in the final stage.

Best Aviation started its journey in 1999 as helicopter operator and then started its operation as a Freighter Airline in 2000. It

obtained license in 2006 from the Civil Aviation Authority to operate Passenger Service in the international and domestic sectors. The company launched its passenger fleet with Boeing 737-200, which was the first in Bangladesh.

The airliner started its operation on the country's busiest Dhaka-Chittagong route on January 14 this year with a single Boeing 737-200. It operates flight to Bangkok four days a week with the same Boeing.

The aviation industry in Bangladesh has marked a boom with the launch of three private airlines in the last one year. Yet another is set to start commercial flights next month.

The industry is growing 7.5 to 8 percent a year, while the market size of passengers is worth around Tk 3,500 crore, according to private operators.

Shahjalal Islami Bank opens its 27th Branch at Bijoynagar

BUSINESS REPORT

Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited (SJIBL) opened its 27th Branch (Bijoynagar Branch) at 40, Bijoynagar Road, Dhaka on 16 July 2008. The Chairman of the Board of Directors Alhaj Akkasuddin Mollah formally inaugurated the Branch as Chief Guest.

Alhaj Akkasuddin Mollah said Shahjalal Islami Bank is committed to serve the clients through providing state-of-the-art technology. The Bank is being operated by an expert team or professionals with the international standard. He said the Bank staffs remains vigilant to reach the quality service of the bank to the clients.

Managing Director Mohammad Ali said the Bank has become one of the best banks within a short period due to proper guidelines set by the board of directors and also because of dedication and sincerity of the Bank staffs. He said the new schemes have become popular among the general masses. He said the Bank has strengthened the remittance sending procedure to facilitate the inflow of remittance.

Among others, Founder Chairman of the Bank Alhaj Sajjatuz Jumma, Vice Chairmen of the Board Alhaj Mohammad Farooq and Alhaj Syed Nurul Arefeen, Chairman of Executive Committee Alhaj Engr. Md. Towhidur Rahman & Vice-Chairman Alhaj Abdul Halim, Chairman of Audit Committee Alhaj Md. Solaiman, Directors Alhaj Abdul Barek, Alhaj Rukun Uddin Khan, Khandoker Sakib Ahmed, Sponsor Shareholders Alhaj Anwer Hossain Khan, Alhaj Mohiddin Ahmed, Alhaj Tofazzal Hossain, Mohammed Masud, Managing Director Muhammad Ali, Deputy Managing Directors Md. Jillur Rahman and Md. Mukhter Hossain and Former Managing Director of the Bank M. Kamaluddin Chowdhury were present in the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony included reciting from the Holy Quran, Milad Mahfil and Dua was held at the branch premises.

FMS awards 7 Bangladeshi community leaders in NY

First Multipurpose Services (FMS), a Bangladeshi business establishment in New York, has awarded seven Bangladeshi community leaders for their contributions to the community.

M Shamsul Haque, Consul General of Bangladesh consulate office in New York, handed over the awards among the recipients as chief guest at a simple ceremony at the FMS office at Astoria, New York, on Wednesday evening, according to a message received here Thursday.

The awardees are M Shamsul Haque, Nargis Ahmed, Zakaria Masud Ziko, Akhtar Hossain Badal, M Hossain Khan, Tajul Islam, Haji Obaidul Haque.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Consul General said that the government of Bangladesh through its embassies and consulate offices allover the world has been trying to create community diplomacy among the migrated Bangladeshis, which could be helpful for the development of the country.

He praised the role of Bangladeshis in USA in the development process of Bangladesh through their foreign currency sent to Bangladesh.

During the programme, FMS President Hossain Zubayer Shaibal announced that his organisation along with some mainstream business establishments in USA is going to organize a trade fair titled `Made in Bangladesh' between October 16 and 19.

DAE implements agri rehab programme in Pirojpur

UNB, Dhaka

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has implemented its agriculture rehabilitation programme in seven upazilas of the Sidr-hit district at a cost of Tk 6.34 crore.

DAE sources said some 23,000 packets vegetable seeds each containing 135 grams, 93,750 kgs seeds of local variety boro, 44,000 kgs of hybrid boro, 8,000 kgs of Aus and 1.25 lakh kgs seeds of transplanted Aman and 800 mts of urea and 389 mts of MOP fertilizer were distributed among the farmers free of cost under the programme.

Besides, the Sidr-affected farmers also received 482 mts urea, 187 mts TSP and 214 mts MOP fertilizer for cultivating Aus and transplanted Aman free of cost.

With the government assistance some 57,360 affected farmers were able to cultivate different varieties of crops in the district.

Tk 55.45 crore collected as VAT in Sylhet division

UNB, Sylhet

Divisional Customs, Excise and VAT Commissionerate reaslised Tk 55.45 crore as VAT in fiscal 2007-08 surpassing all previous records.

Sources said the amount was collected against the target of Tk 47.26 crore. In 2006-07 fiscal Tk 38.18 crore was collected against the target of Tk 47.14 crore.

District Excise and VAT circle sources said the VAT was realised in different rates from retail and wholesale traders in two phases.

The sources said private clinics and hospitals paid 2.25%, construction companies 4.5%, transport contractors 4.5%, lease holders 15% and suppliers 2.5% VAT during the last fiscal year.

Customs, Excise and VAT commissioner Shahabuddin Nagari said the success was achieved as various fruitful measures were taken in this regard.

He said the four VAT circles in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar and Habiganj under the Divisional Excise and VAT Department collected the VAT.

Enough measures not available in garments factories to face disasters

Though the major amount of our national income is earned from the garments sector, arrangement is absent to face the urgencies caused by earthquake. lire or building slide. To face such disasters, a workshop was arranged by the Action Aid Bangladesh participated by the high officials of various Garments Industries. The workshop was arranged by OIPICO project at the hotel civic Inn at Gulshan in cooperation with the European Commission on 14th July 2008. The project Manager Charles Enzao, Thin leader Wahida Bashar, Director of Ritzi Apparells Mirza Akbar, Sector head of Action Aid Bangladesh Azgar Ali Sabri and G.M. of Mega Star Industry, Shajahan Ali were present in the workshop. Ferjana Ferdous. Rczaul Karim and Sonjoy Biswas Sanjib directed the workshop. The speakers advised what the workers of the Garments should do during such disaster to lessen the loss of life and wealth and no influence is occurred over the national economy.

The speakers opined that this workshop will act as a mile stone to lessen the risk . during any disaster. At the same time the owners will build their factory fore seeing these aspects from 2004 Action Aid Bangladesh is organizing such workshop to lessen risk with the assistance of European Commission.

Siddique Food and Agrobase Industries opts for GP Business Solutions

Grameenphone Ltd. has signed an agreement with Siddique Food and Agrobase Industries Ltd. recently to provide complete communication facilities under its Business Solutions package. Grameenphone Business Solutions is an integrated telecommunications service specially designed for the business entities of Bangladesh, providing customized telecommunications solutions through a consultative approach, tailored to the needs of individual businesses or organisation. Siddique Food and Agrobase Industries Ltd. is a rapidly growing market player in the food industry. It was established with the objective of producing high-quality local and export-oriented agrobase food products in an international standard production environment, equipped with modern and sophisticated machinery. Siddique Food currently produces 52 food products and distributes it across Bangladesh through distribution channels. Grameenphone Business Solutions, comprising of modern mobile telecommunications services for any business needs, provides voice, text messaging and mobile data and internet services. Also an offer is a complete Mobile-Office solution, including mobile email, mobile high-speed data access, internet access, mobile fax and more, providing the freedom to work from anywhere within Grameenphone's wide network coverage. According to the agreement, Siddique Food and Agrobase Industries Ltd. is being provided complete communications solutions tailored to the needs of its members, including voice, data and other services. Siddique Food and Agrobase Industries Ltd. will use the services to further improve communication amongst its different offices, at an affordable cost. The agreement was signed by Md. Razibul Alam, Managing Director of Siddique Food and Agrobase Industries Ltd., and Ishtiaq Hussen Chowdhury, General Manager and Head of Direct Sales of Grameenphone, on behalf of their respective organisations.