Fifteen Bangladeshis, most of whom were working in the construction industry, have been repatriated from Singapore for social media postings in the wake of recent developments in France, the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs disclosed on Tuesday.
Category: Economy
Multi-lingual awareness-raising videos on Qatar labour laws
As we all know, Qatar has introduced landmark labour reforms that set non-discriminatory minimum wage and allow workers to change jobs without the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from their previous employers.
Bangladesh HC calls money launderers ‘enemies of state’
Dhaka, Nov 22 – The High Court on Sunday sought information on money launderers it termed “national traitors” and “enemies of the state” who should be brought to book.
How Climate Targets Can Help Economic Recovery
by Francisca Tondreau SANTIAGO – With the world gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers have turned their attention to economic stimulus and financial support of households and firms. As a result, many countries have been delaying the preparation and submission…
Dhaka inks $100 mn grant deal with WB to support Rohingys
The government of Bangladesh has signed a $100 million grant financing agreement with the World Bank to scale up access to energy, water, sanitation services and disaster-resilient infrastructures for the Rohingya and the surrounding host communities.
COVID-19 compounding inequalities
Kuala Lumpur/Sydney, 18 Nov (IPS/Jomo Kwame Sundaram and Anis Chowdhury) — The United Nations’ renamed World Social Report 2020 (WSR 2020) argued that income inequality is rising in most developed countries, and some middle-income countries, including China, the world’s fastest…
Working Class Bears Disproportionate COVID-19 Fallout Burden
DELHI, India, Nov 16 2020 (IPS) – Back in May 2019, we were visiting a large garment factory in Arsikere, Karnataka, when we asked some of the workers, “What would you do if you got Saturdays off?” Their responses to…
Call to Promote, Protect the Rights of Workers in South Asia
A Charter of Demands written by the South Asian Regional Trade Union Council (SARTUC) has been issued. The Charter of Demands aims to show support to the 12 Indian Trade Unions and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – Asia-…
Collect revenues from Google, Facebook, their ilk: BD HC
The High Court on Sunday issued a 5-point directive to collect all kinds of due revenues, including value added tax (VAT) and tax, from internet based companies including Facebook, Google.
Bangladesh 3rd worst performer in greenfield FDI index
Bangladesh has hit the rock bottom in attracting greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI).It ranked as the third worst-performing country in the Greenfield FDI Performance Index 2020.
Cooperatives can help remove rural poverty: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said there will be no poverty in Bangladesh if multidimensional rural cooperatives can be established.
Govt stimulus packages fail to address jobs crisis: experts
With the Covid-19 pandemic morphing into a major jobs crisis in Bangladesh, experts have claimed that the various stimulus packages offered by the government lack incentives for employers to sustain employment.
BD Forex reserves to reach $50 billion by Dec 2021: Minister
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has said Bangladesh’s foreign currency reserves will reach $50 billion by December 2021.
About one-third BD youths leave studies to support family
Dhaka, Nov 01 – Some 28 percent youths aged above 18 left studies to support their families amid the Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, according to an online survey conducted by Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh.
High-speed railway, telecom, BD blue economy attract China
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming on Thursday expressed optimism over more investment cooperation with Bangladesh in high-tech fields such as 5G telecommunications, high-speed railway, aerospace, and blue economy.
How Corporate Tyranny Works
By Chris Hedges Those, like environmental lawyer Steven Donziger, who fight the corporate control of our society on behalf of the vulnerable, find that the institutions of power unite to crucify them.
Covid-19: 500,000 girls globally at risk of early marriage
An estimated 500,000 more girls are at the risk of being forced into child marriage globally and as many as one million more are expected to become pregnant in 2020 as a result of the economic impacts of the COVID-19…
Global Poverty Soars, Incomes of Billionaires Hit New Highs
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS, Oct 15 2020 (IPS) – The phenomenal rise in extreme poverty -– for the first time in 20 years — has been accompanied by an upsurge in the incomes of the world’s billionaires and the…
Why We Need Trees to End Poverty – Landmark Report
By Alison Kentish NEW YORK, United States, Oct 15 2020 (IPS) – With extreme poverty (living on $1.90 a day) projected to rise for the first time in over 20 years, a new study has concluded that global poverty eradication…
Revive the Role of Trust in Economy and Politics
By Bhabani Shankar Nayak The pandemic driven lockdowns have triggered worldwide growth of unemployment, hunger, homelessness and poverty. The speed of economic descent in the world economy is extraordinary. The world is sleep walking into a greater economic depression of…
Bangladesh overtakes India in per capita GDP, as per IMF
Bangladesh has overtaken its much-larger neighbour India in terms of per capita GDP in 2020, owing to a respectable performance on the economic front despite slowing growth coupled with a steep contraction in the India economy as a result of…
IMF predicts ‘Less severe’ but ‘still deep’ recession
October 13 – In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic and its continuing impact, the global economy could see a “somewhat less severe, though still deep” recession through 2020, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected in its latest global…
Covid to reshape BD economic policies in medium term
Covid-19 has had a major impact on the global economy. And Bangladesh is no exception. An official document now suggests that the pandemic is going to have a massive influence on Dhaka’s economic policies in the medium term, as the…
Sold baby gets back mom, thanks to Aditmari UNO
A physically-challenged woman, who had to sell her newborn due to poverty, got back the baby with the help of the Aditmari Upazial Nirbahi Officer (UNO) on Friday.
Dhaka ranks 113 on Commitment to Reducing Inequality index
Bangladesh has ranked 113 on the Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRII) Index 2020.
Household incomes in BD fell by 20pc due to Covid-19: BBS
Although the average household income declined by 20 percent due to Covid-19 fallout, the resumption of economic activities helped bring down the unemployment rate, according to a survey of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
Tk 1.23 bn BD project to create self-employment avenues
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday cleared a new project involving Tk 123 crore to create self-employment opportunities and alleviate poverty by expanding the activities of Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (BITAC), giving importance to…
Timely stimulus packages helped economy rebound: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the national economy has made a turnaround with its desired pace due to the government’s timely decision to give stimulus packages to various sectors and groups during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tk 338-cr Bangladesh project for digital land zoning
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved four projects involving Tk 796 crore, including a Tk 338-crore scheme, to make mouza and plot-based national digital land zoning.
No More Excuses – Time for Global Economic Solutions
By Tove Maria Ryding, Pooja Rangaprasad and Emilia Reyes NEW YORK, Sep 28 2020 (IPS) – On 29 September, the world’s heads of state will come together (virtually) at an extraordinary meeting to discuss financing for development during the 75th…