GW Desk: Despite enormous geopolitical, political and socio-economic problems Bangladesh has been able to make some extraordinary achievements during the last couple of decades. Since the 1990s, when democracy was reinstated and some major economic reforms were made, the economy of…
Category: Development
A new breed of business for the SDGs
Imogen Mathers Global leaders from business, civil society and universities meet in New York, United States, in late June for the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit. They will debate what the organisers call the “tremendous market opportunity for businesses ……
Connectivity indices ignore globalisation damage
Indices that seek to measure international connectivity and rank the most connected countries often fail to capture the damage caused by globalisation, a report argues. “Connectivity comes with many negative impacts often neglected in indices,” says the first chapter of…
Girls in rural Bangladesh take back their futures
By Naimul Haq BHOLA, Bangladesh, Jul 9 2016 (IPS) – Four years ago, Farzana Aktar Ruma, now 18, was almost married off without her consent. Her parents had settled on someone they considered a reasonably wealthy young man with a…
The shift from social development to infrastructure
By Vinod Thomas Manila, (IPS) – Across the world, the pendulum has swung from a focus on social development to infrastructure development. Recognizing that infrastructure is only one variable in the development equation, we must try to get the most…
JICA firmly with BD, says its President
Dhaka – Laying emphasis on extra safety of its personnel, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has said it remains “firmly committed” to contributing to the development of Bangladesh, UNB news agency reported Tuesday.
PM opens metro rail, bus rapid transit projects
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday inaugurated the construction works on the much-hyped first-ever metro rail service in the capital and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) from Shahjalal International Airport to Gazipur. Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the construction works on…
Power generation hits 8942 MW setting new record
The country made a record by producing 8942 MW of electricity on Saturday evening.
Bangladesh close to be graduated in development
Dhaka-Out of 48 Least Developed Countries, a total of 10 countries including Nepal and Bhutan have fulfilled the entire three criterion for graduation in the last five years while Bangladesh is closed to be graduated.
Proposal for developing Rampal land by Army
Dhaka – The Cabinet Purchase Committee on Wednesday approved a Power Division proposal to appoint Bangladesh Army’s commercial wing, Bangladesh Diesel Plant Ltd (BDP), to develop the land of the second phase of Rampal Power Plant, unb news agency.
Telecomm services reach 84 pc, says Tarana
Noting that the rate of people using the telecommunication services in the country has reached 84 percent, Tarana Halim on Tuesday said they want to build an inclusive society with the use of telecommunication and information technology. The State Minister…
BD, Sahel countries share experience on population policy
Dhaka – A High-level South-South Exchange on Population Policy and Reproductive health between Bangladesh and Sahel countries in Francophone Africa kicked off on Saturday afternoon at the Lake Shore Hotel, Dhaka. The week-long international knowledge sharing conference will end on…
Yunus links rule of law and poverty eradication, joins EDLO
Rome – “The underlying issues that the poor face in the finance sector can teach us valuable lessons for the justice sector: in many places, the law serves only the people who can afford it,” said Professor Muhammad Yunus, who…
Terror, pol instability, energy crisis barriers to foreign investment: EU
Dhaka – Bangladesh is now most attractive and safe place for investment Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said Thursday. The government has offered several special motivation packages for foreign investors to invest in Bangladesh, the minister said at a meeting with…
Khokon coming good on free Wifi promise for DSCC
Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon has formally inaugurated the first of 50 promised ‘hotspots’ – limited zones offering free WiFi internet paid for by the city corporation – in the areas covered by DSCC. Dhaka, UNB News Agency…
Dhaka, Kuwait agree on economic cooperation?
Dhaka – Bangladesh and Kuwait on Wednesday pledged to work together against the twin dangers presented by terrorism and extreme violence to the Muslim community worldwide, besides reaching agreement over a wide-ranging agenda of economic cooperation. The two countries also…
Denmark okays 5-year dev partnership with Bangladesh
Dhaka – Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Kristian Jensen has approved a five-year programme for Denmark’s development partnership with Bangladesh, unb news agency reported. The programme is aligned to the Bangladeshi government’s 7th Five Year Plan that sets out the…
Burj Khalifa builder plans taller viewing tower
Dubai – Dubai is reaching for the sky once again, with the developer of the world’s tallest building vowing Sunday to build an even taller tower bedecked with rotating balconies and elevated landscaping inspired by the mythical hanging gardens of…
GDP growth set to hit seven percent: Minister
Dhaka – Bangladesh is set to overcome its six percent GDP growth ‘trap’ as its economy will grow by 7.05 percent at the end of the current fiscal year as per a provisional estimate. “This is a matter of pride…
PM opens part of Dhaka Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover
Dhaka – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inaugurated of the first part of the ongoing Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover Project from Satrasta to Ramna thana point. She opened the 2.11-km part of the 8.7-km flyover to traffic through unveiling a plaque.
Chinese President for further synergizing Dhaka-Beijing ties
Dhaka – Chinese President Xi Jinping has said his country wants to further ‘synergize’ Bangladesh-China’s development strategies under the framework of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, UNB News Agency reported. “I attach great importance to China-Bangladesh relations. I’m willing to…
SDG indicators challenged by many UN member states
By Bhumika Muchhala UN Member States voice serious concerns at the Statistical Commission’s adoption of the global indicator framework for the Sustainable Development Goals While the “global indicator framework” for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was adopted by the…
Ensuring Africa’s continued rise
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Lagos – Africa’s rise is in danger of faltering. After years during which the continent’s economy grew at an average annual rate of 5%, global uncertainty, depressed commodity prices, and jittery external conditions are threatening to undermine decades…
Nepal president wants self-reliant economy for sustainable dev
Kathmandu – President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has stressed on the need for a self-reliant economy for sustainable development considering the adverse impacts of natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and landslides on businesses and thereby on the country’s economy as a…
BD projects funded by Queen’s Young Leaders Programme
Three projects from Bangladesh are among a unique set of organisations to receive a Queen’s Young Leaders Programme Grant to support their work transforming the lives of young people. Grants have been awarded to ActionAid’s Firestarter Initiative, JAAGO and Bangladesh…
Nick Ishmael Perkins Science and technology underpin the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and without a pragmatic approach to fostering research and implementing new technologies, the goals will remain aspirations.
BD needs to formulate Deltaplan for sustainable development:Experts
As the country is already facing adverse impact of climate change, Bangladesh Delta Plan should be prepared incorporating science-based knowledge and authentic data to ensure sustainable development, water and development experts told a roundtable here today.
Anything but bitter truth: Structural crisis of capitalism
By Jon Kofas In so far as capital markets predict economic trends, the downturn in global markets during December 2015-January 2016 indicate the kind of contraction that IMF economists are also predicting after revising earlier estimate downward for GDP of…
‘Higher investments in agriculture must to achieve New Global Goals’
Rome – Development leaders, heads of state and government representatives gathered for the opening of the 39th Session of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to explore ways of boosting investments in smallholder agriculture that…
Sustainable dev impossible in Asia-Pacific without better data
Shamshad Akhtar As governments embark on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the first thing they must do is identify and plug gaps in data availability and quality, says UN ESCAP Under-Secretary-General Shamshad Akhtar. 2016 marks the start of the…