NBR falling short
December 31, 2009
Bangladesh’s tax-GDP ratio is one of the lowest in the world and at the bottom in South Asia. Only 7.5 lakh people submitted their income tax returns this year although more than 23 lakh hold taxpayers’ identification numbers.
A huge publicity and extension of time twice for paying tax have not done much in a country with 15 crore-plus people.
Propagating a cultural movement through ‘Shadhona’
December 31, 2009
Looks like there’s no stopping cultural organisation Shadhona. On the brink of 2010, its go-getting general secretary Lubna Mariam spoke to Kavita about Shadhona’s successes, obstacles it has had to confront and future directions. Here’s what she had to say:
No respite from load shedding even in off-peak winter
December 31, 2009
People in port city Chittagong are reeling under acute power crisis with around 250MW load shedding in the peak hours, even in this off-peak winter season.
The crisis persists as both the units of 420 MW Rauzan Thermal Power Plant halted power generation and three units of Shikalbaha Power Plant sees erratic power generation due to shortage of gas supply.
Tk 52cr adaptation, mitigation projects
December 31, 2009
Five projects worth Tk 52 crore were endorsed at a meeting of Climate Change Trustee Board of the ministry of environment and forests yesterday as part of the country’s internal actions on combating climate change impacts.
The ministry’s trustee board also approved instituting a climate change unit to coordinate programmes on mitigation and adaptation, said a press release.
Charge framing against 75 BDR men in Rangamati Feb 15
December 31, 2009
The BDR special court-4 on Thursday fixed February 15 for framing charges against 75 alleged mutineers of the 9 Rifle Battalion of Marishya zone in Rangamati.
The court gave 45 days to the accused BDR men for preparing their defence after prosecutor of the case Lt Col Shamimur Rahman, commanding officer of Marishya zone, read out the charges against them in their presence.
Shakib skipper for tri-nation series
December 31, 2009
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday announced the 15-member team for the tri-nation one-day series.
Shakib Al Hasan will lead the team as Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is yet to fully fit to play the competitive match.
Death warrants against Bangabandhu killers Jan 3
December 31, 2009
The District and Sessions Judge’s Court, Dhaka will issue the death warrants against the five detained convicts in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman assassination case on January 3 next year, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said.
The record and judgment of the case have already been sent to the trial court, the law minister told newsmen at his secretariat office.
Private sector weathers out shocks, so far
December 27, 2009
Unlike other countries, banks in Bangladesh have made hefty profits and exports continued to grow, while internal consumption has also been on the rise.
The economy grew by nearly 6 percent in fiscal 2008-09 and is expected to expand further this year. Exports increased by nearly 12 percent to $15.56 billion in 2008-09 compared to the previous year.
100 brick kilns in CHT harming agri lands, denuding forests
December 27, 2009
Around 100 brick kilns in Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Rangamati hill districts use 5.40 lakh tonnes of loamy soil every year, much to the harm of agricultural lands in addition to causing damage to hills, forest resources and environment.
A recent research conducted by Bandarban Soil and Water Conservation Centre run by Bangladesh Soil Research Institute revealed the alarming information.
Culture of parliament boycott threat to democracy
December 27, 2009
Two high-profile leaders of Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at a BBC dialogue yesterday said article 70 of the constitution, which is known as the ‘Anti-Defection Law’, is imperative to “ensure discipline within the party”.
Standing committee member of BNP Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and AL presidium member Matia Chowdhury, also agriculture minister, said the culture of boycotting parliamentary session should come to an end, as it is threat to democracy.