LATEST NEWS
30/03
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It might feel surprising — or perhaps foreboding — that a rich country like the UK is so unready for the challenge.
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Poorer nations, which regularly meet harder times, have had a much clearer focus on adaptation for longer. In response to Germany’s catastrophic floods in 2021, which killed 196 people, Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh, wrote an op-ed explaining how rich nations could learn from his home country. Though regularly struck by cyclones and floods, Bangladesh invested in minimizing the loss of human lives when disasters strike and now boasts “one of the best disaster warning systems, with evacuation plans and shelters.”
The World Bank: Toward a digital Bangladesh: Enabling remote supervision with on-the-ground insights
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Bangladesh is the first country in the South Asia region to implement the Geo-Enabling initiative for Monitoring and Supervision (GEMS) initiative of the World Bank.
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The GEMS initiative is helping the Bangladesh government to address knowledge gaps in operations and challenges to collecting data for its active development projects.
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Under the GEMS initiative, 117 government staff from 20 projects have been trained to use digital platforms for data collection, analysis, and management, which have already started to yield results.
The Daily Star: UN hails Bangladesh's extraordinary economic development
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Congratulating Bangladesh, the United Nations today said Bangladesh has many accomplishments - extraordinary economic development, a significant cultural legacy, leadership on a global stage for climate vulnerable countries, and immense generosity in welcoming and hosting nearly a million Rohingya refugees.
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Over the last 52 years, Bangladesh has made impressive and remarkable achievements: evolving from a war-torn country to one of the leading economic powers in South Asia, standing at the threshold of upcoming graduation from least developed countries (LDCs) in 2026, and planned achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDG) by 2030, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis said in a press statement on the occasion of the country's Independence Day.
The Economic Times: Japan to connect landlocked North East with Bangladesh
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Landlocked Northeast India may soon get a trade gateway through Matarbari deep sea port in Bangladesh being constructed by Japan, thanks to Tokyo's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy as outlined by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
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"Viewing Bangladesh and other areas to the south as a single economic zone, we will promote the Bay of Bengal-Northeast India industrial value chain concept in cooperation with India and Bangladesh to foster the growth of the entire region," Kishida said.
Reuters: Bangladesh to allow Bhutan access to its ports for trade
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Bangladesh will open up three of its ports for Bhutan to facilitate trade with other countries, the Bhutanese government said on Thursday, a step that is expected to help the landlocked Himalayan nation reduce its dependence on India for transit.
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A similar treaty between Bhutan and Bangladesh expired in 2000. At present, Bhutan conducts its third country trade mostly from eastern and southern Indian ports.
Reuters: Bangladesh must work with neighbours to cut pollution, says World Bank
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DHAKA, March 28 (Reuters) - Bangladesh needs better coordination with neighbouring South Asian countries in its quest for cleaner air, a World Bank report said on Tuesday.
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Air pollution, which can comprise a mixture of solid particles, liquid droplets and gases, is causing about 20% of the total number of premature deaths in Bangladesh, the World Bank said in the report.
Bloomberg: Bangladesh Leader Bets IMF-Mandated Rigor Will Pay Off in Polls
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Sheikh Hasina needs to push more reforms to recieve all funds
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She is expected to win a fourth straight term in the elections
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Government leaders across the world have often balked at implementing reforms agreed with the International Monetary Fund for fear of being penalized at the ballot box. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina isn’t one of them.
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Her quick execution of IMF mandates have stood out in South Asia where Pakistan is still fiddling with fuel subsidies just as it inches closer to reviving a bailout. Sri Lanka has delayed local municipal polls as it raised taxes and interest rates to clinch IMF funds last week.
The Daily Star: Smart Bangladesh can be attained before 2041
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It is possible to become Smart Bangladesh ahead of the targeted 2041 if the industry gets conducive policies and regulations, said two iconic tech industry leaders.
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"The faster we can create the environment, the sooner our 2041 dream will be realised," said Yasir Azman, chief executive officer of Grameenphone in a freewheeling discussion with Tanvir Ahmed Mishuk, founder and managing director of Nagad, to mark the two companies' anniversaries.
World Economic Forum: Just-in-time cash transfers make vulnerable communities resilient to climate shocks
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Pre-emptive cash measures in Bangladesh
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In July 2020, data-driven forecasts in parts of Bangladesh showed that many households were about to experience severe flooding. As an adaptation response, the World Food Programme sent more than 23,000 households around $53 each a few days before and during the floods.
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Here, timing matters the most and receiving cash - even a day before experiencing a climate-induced disaster - significantly boosts resilience. This pre-emptive initiative turned out to be a great move – even though the floods were the worst faced in a decade. The floods of 2020 caused unprecedented damage as a third of Bangladesh was under water. Households that got a cash transfer in time were 36% less likely to go a day without eating than those that hadn't received one. In the past, when floods hit Bangladesh, millions faced starvation and long-term malnutrition complications for indefinite periods.
The Geopolitics: Can Bangladesh Surpass China in Apparel Exports?
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In the last couple of decades, Bangladesh and China formed an exemplary alliance defined by mutual trust, respect, and affinity. Cooperation between China and Bangladesh are also rising exponentially day by day. Amid this friendly relationship, Bangladesh now considers China as a competitor.
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In the apparel export ranking, China always comes first. It was considered next to impossible for any other country to surpass China in the apparel export sector. But in 2022, Bangladesh has surpassed China in the growth of garment exports to the European Union. Analysts believe that it is possible to grasp the top position from China permanently.
Asia Times: Bangladesh’s remarkable journey and hard road ahead
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Weak institutions, rampant corruption and complicated bureaucracy slow realisation of nation’s ‘tiger’ economy potential
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In the early post-colonial era, the early dreamers of Bangladesh shared a vision of independence, economic development and an equal society.
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As it celebrates 52 years of independence this week, Bangladesh cherishes the same vision and has achieved remarkable successes. However, many short and long-term challenges have also emerged, especially in the last two years.
The World Bank: Bangladesh Needs Urgent Actions to Curb Air Pollution
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South Asia is home to 9 of the world’s 10 cities with the worst air pollution, and Dhaka is one of them. Air pollution is responsible for about 20 percent of the total premature deaths in Bangladesh. A new World Bank report shows that there are economically feasible, cost-effective solutions to achieve clean air in the region, but this requires countries to coordinate policies and investments.
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Bangladesh and a few other South Asian countries have adopted policies to help improve air quality. But, along with taking action at the district and country level, it is also urgent that coordinated transboundary actions are taken with the neighboring countries. The report shows that current policy measures focused on powerplants, large factories and transportation will only be partially successful in reducing PM2.5 concentrations across South Asia even if fully implemented.
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To achieve greater progress, the focus of policymakers should expand into other sectors, particularly small manufacturing, agriculture, residential cooking, and waste management.
Bloomberg: Air Pollution Casts a Pall Over Booming Bangladesh Megacity
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Dhaka’s air quality is among the world’s worst, due to traffic, construction, and industrial pollution. For its 20 million residents, solutions are desperately needed.
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Rush hour along Dhaka’s Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, a serpentine road that bisects the Bangladeshi capital, resembles a chaotic citywide evacuation.
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Thousands of cars, motorbikes, auto-rickshaws, vans and double-decker buses, all vying for an inch of space, crawl forward like an urban glacier, spewing out great clouds of sulfurous exhaust.
BBC: 'Can't afford rice' quote lands journalist in jail
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A journalist at a leading Bangladeshi newspaper has been jailed on charges of publishing "false" news after his report on high food prices went viral. Samsuzzaman Shams of Prothom Alo daily appeared in court and was denied bail, a day after he was arrested.
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His story - which ran on 26 March, the country's Independence Day - is alleged to have "smeared the government".
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Rights activists have denounced the arrest and accused the government of stifling press freedom. The government denies the allegation but media rights groups have warned of a steady erosion in freedoms under the governing Awami League, in power since 2009.
Dhaka Tribune: World Bank: Air pollution responsible for 20% of premature deaths in Bangladesh
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South Asia is home to nine of the world's 10 cities with the worst air pollution, and Dhaka is one of them, according to a report
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In South Asia, it causes an estimated two million premature deaths each year and incurs significant economic costs.
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The report titled "Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia," presented in Dhaka on Tuesday, says concentrations of fine particulate matter such as soot and small dust (PM2.5) in some of the region's most densely populated and poor areas are up to 20 times higher than WHO standard
The Financial Express: Domestic prices high despite global price downturn
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Prevailing inflationary pressure in Bangladesh seems largely to be a domestic phenomenon of market anomalies rather than stemming from price escalation of essential commodities on the international market, says CPD while presenting its budget recommendations.
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As such, average monthly food expenses for a household increased 25 per cent in a year for a four-member family in the capital city, Dhaka, it said at a pre-budget press meet Monday.
Credendo: BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT RISK: A WAVE OF GRADUAL UPGRADES, MAINLY IN EUROPE
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Bangladesh: downgrade from category E/G to F/G
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The country continues to face depreciating pressures on the taka amid a deep current account deficit. Commodity imports remain expensive and weigh on the country’s external accounts and foreign exchange reserves. Since the central bank let the taka float in September 2022 to save foreign exchange reserves and boost exports, the taka has lost 12% against the US dollar.