Parliament passes Tk 132,170cr budget
June 30, 2010
Parliament on Wednesday passed Tk 132,170 crore budget for 2010-11 fiscal in absence of the opposition.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith moved the Appropriations Bill seeking budgetary allocations of Tk 1998,73,65,38,000, which was passed by voice vote.
‘Shadow budget indicates conspiracy’
June 28, 2010
Senior Awami League MP Suranjit Sengupta Sunday alleged in parliament that Khaleda Zia’s presentation of the shadow budget in a five-star hotel indicates another military-backed unconstitutional government.
He made the statement while delivering his speech on the proposed national budget in parliament.
37 killed, 500 hurt in Kyrgyz unrest
June 12, 2010
Kyrgyzstan’s interim government declared a state of emergency and slapped a curfew on southern parts of the country yesterday as ethnic clashes left at least 37 people dead and more than 500 wounded.
Interim President Roza Otunbayeva, whose government has struggled to assert its rule over the ex-Soviet Central Asian state since taking power amid unrest in April, backed off earlier statements that authorities had regained control.
“The situation remains tense. Similar conflicts occurred in the month of May. Then we were able to bring the situation under control by imposing a state of emergency,” she said in a statement.
“Now again we are forced to impose a curfew.”
Otunbayeva warned the situation was likely to deteriorate further throughout the night as government forces attempted to regain control over the southern capital of Osh.
Witnesses reached in Kyrgyzstan’s second largest city by telephone described chaotic scenes, with gunfire ringing out throughout the day and heavily armed helicopters swooping low over the centre of Osh.
“I can’t leave the city. There are no flights, no cars, no public transport whatsoever,” Andrea Berg, Central Asia researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch, told AFP by phone from a guest house where she remained trapped.
“There is still shooting going on. While I’m talking to you I hear shooting and it’s really not far away,” she said.
Brawls had broken out overnight between ethnic Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbek groups in Osh, once the stronghold of former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who was overthrown in April, witnesses said.
Buildings and cars were set alight and shop windows smashed across the city, as groups of men battled in the streets with guns and improvised weapons.
Troops in armoured personnel carriers blocked off the ethnic Uzbek neighbourhood of Cheryomushki, which one resident reached there by telephone said had fallen into the hands of gangs armed with automatic weapons.
“We are all just panicking. We do not know what to do and how to save our families,” said local resident Yelena, who declined to give her last name out of fear of reprisals.
“Who knows what will happen tomorrow,” she asked.
The authorities had sent armoured vehicles to Osh in a bid to restore order, government spokesman Farid Niyazov told AFP.
The leaders of Russia and China called for calm as the unrest topped talks at a regional security summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in neighbouring Uzbekistan.
“We sincerely hope that this phase of internal turmoil is overcome as soon as possible,” Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at the meeting of the group.
“China and other neighbours will continue to offer Kyrgyzstan all possible help,” Chinese President Hu Jintao said through a Russian translator, calling for “a swift stabilisation of the situation.”
The United States, which maintains an airbase outside the capital Bishkek seen as vital to coalition military operations in Afghanistan, also appealed for stability, as did the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The US embassy in Bishkek said it “is deeply saddened about the reports of injuries and loss of life due to violence in Osh. We urge everyone to resolve differences peacefully.”
The embassy added it was “in contact with the government to discuss the importance of a quick return to peace in Osh.”
The US base at Manas is a key hub for US air refueling tankers and the giant transport planes that ferry US troops and supplies to and from Afghanistan.
NATO has increasingly relied on the base as 30,000 additional US forces deploy to Afghanistan.
OSCE acting president Kanat Saudabayev, who is foreign minister of neighbouring Kazakhstan, said, “I call on all parties to refrain from violence and to resolve the existing problems through dialogue and compromise.”
The OSCE, which has offices in both Bishkek and Osh, is “ready to continue to help in resolving the current situation in Kyrgyzstan”, the statement said.
Since last April’s uprising, which ousted Bakiyev and left 87 people dead, foreign and international leaders have warned of the danger of civil war in this strategically important country.
The latest clashes came just days after the government lifted a state of emergency in the neighbouring district of Suzak.
The interim authorities had imposed restrictions there from May 19 to June 1 following violent demonstrations. They also cancelled presidential elections, which had been scheduled for this autumn.
Dhaka, Seoul agree to strengthen economic cooperation
May 18, 2010
Bangladesh and South Korea on Tuesday agreed to intensify cooperation in trade, investment, transfer of technology, energy and infrastructure development for mutual benefit.
This was announced in a joint communiqué issued at the end of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s three-day official visit to Seoul from May 16-18.
Muhith hospitalised after suffering mild stroke
May 11, 2010
Finance Minister AMA Muhith was admitted to Square Hospital in the capital after suffering a mild stroke Tuesday morning.
Muhith wants review of tax-free status of key economic drivers
May 10, 2010
The country must review the tax-free status of fast booming capital market, apparel industry and wages earned by migrants if it wants to scale up the government’s dismal revenue earning, the Finance Minister said Sunday.
Market capitalisation of the Dhaka Stock Exchange has shot up to $34 billion dollars from $3.2 billion six years back, apparel industry is now worth $12.3 billion and migrants’ remittance stood $10.5 in the last fiscal year.
Budget to be announced June 10
April 20, 2010
The upcoming budget for 2010-2011 fiscal year will be announced on June 10.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith disclosed it to reporters after a pre-budget meeting with the Non-Medium Term Budgetary Framework ministries at the Finance Division on Tuesday.
Some relevant reflections on economic policy-making
April 18, 2010
Invitation to the inauguration of SANEI gave me an opportunity to listen to very eminent economists, which I would have missed otherwise. I was not good enough to enroll in their class; there would not be enough time for me to derive adequate return from enrolling in continuing education courses which some of them may be teaching.
I feel happy that SANEI relocated here. I hope SANEI does not remain permanently peripatetic and makes Dhaka its permanent abode.
Telemarketing: Irritation for customers
April 17, 2010
In a market economy, a business may be expected to act in what it believes to be its own best interest. The purpose of marketing is to create a brand image, competitive advantage through reaching the possible customers. Communicating through Cell telephone is much easier and less costly. The direct contact with an individual is extremely powerful, especially when coupled with its immediacy and has the scope therefore for delivering very timely and contextually relevant messages.
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BB pins much hope on global economic recovery
January 25, 2010
The central bank has found strong link between the performance of the Bangladesh economy in the current fiscal and the pace of recovery of the global economy from deep recession.
In its annual report (for fiscal 2008-09) released Sunday, the Bangladesh Bank expressed the fear that Bangladesh might have to make some downward revision in its medium-term economic forecasts in the event of the third wave of recession.
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