Japan upgrades economic outlook

JAPAN'S worst post-war recession may be almost over, the central bank said Monday, while the government upgraded its assessment of the economy for the first time in more than three years. The Japanese economy is set for a 'mild recovery' & may return to positive growth in the current quarter to June, Bank of Japan governor Masaaki Shirakawa told reporters in Kanazawa, northwest of Tokyo. It would be the first time in five quarters that the economy has expanded, marking an end to its worst recession since World War 2. "The sharp deterioration in economic & financial conditions in Japan & abroad since last autumn is starting to level out and there is a prospect of a mild recovery ahead," Shirakawa said earlier in the day ina speech. Japan announced last week that its economy suffered its sharpest contraction on record in the three months to March, shrinking 4.0 parcent quarter, but hopes are growing that the worst is over. The government on Monday upgraded its assesment of the world's second largest economy for the first time in more than three years. 'While the economy is in a difficult situation, the tempo of worsening has become moderate,' the Cabinet Office said in a monthly report. 'Exports & industrial production are nearing the bottom,' it said. At the same time corporate profits are falling sharply & business investment is declining, it said. 'The employment situation, which is worsening rapidly, is severe. Private consumption is decreasing moderately. With worsening employment situation, the economy is likely to remain severe for the time being,' it added. The government follows the central bank in upgrading its assessment of Asia's largest economy. On Friday the BoJ raised its view for the first time in almost three years, saying the recession appeared to be easing. The BoJ also painted a more positive picture of the outlook in its monthly economic report released on Monday, saying that the pace of deterioration in Japan's economic conditions was 'likely to moderate gradually.'
---NEW AGE

Tech companies look for deals on recovery hope

CHEAP valuations & glimmers of economic recovery are tempting cashrich technology companies to seek acquisitions & the second half of 2009 could see some steady deal making. Having assessed the damage to their balance sheets at least for now from the recession, tech companies from behemoths like IBM to niche players like NetSuite Inc are turning their attention to new growth opportunities. Already this year, Oracle Corp scooped up Sun Microsystems Inc for $7.1 billion. Chipmaker Broadcom Corp is in a hostile pursuit of Emulex Crop for $764 million. And NetApp Inc announced a deal this week buy Data Domain Inc for $1.5 billion. The pace of acquisitions is going to quicken in coming months but most deals will be small to medium sized, top US technology executives said at the Reuters Global Technology Summit in New York this week. They agreed that potential targets on their shoping lists were cheaper now than even a few months ago. But they were divided on whether valuations have hit rock bottom or if they could fall further, since the feeble signs of improvement in the economy could be temporary. 'Valuations could go lower' said Sybase Inc chief exucutivd John Chen. 'Somehow everybody thinks things are on the rebound. I think we are going to stay low for a while'. Sybase is on the lookout for acquisitions to help expand its mobile enterprise business. Chen said he frequently gets calls frnm venture capitalists & private equity firms wanting to sell him their start-up companies. 'Some of the start-ups are under the gun a little bit..... But we are cautious. There is no hurry' Chen said. Symantec Corp Chief Executive Enrique Salem also said he is patient about deal making because he expects valuations to fall further in the few months. 'We have $2 billion in cash, very little debt, high recurring revenue, so we have the opportunity to do M & A' salem said. He added the Symantec wants to buy companies to pad up its core security, storage & systems management businesses. But 'private companies' valuations need to be reset. 'I don't think private companies at this point have realized that there's been a change in the economy' Salem said. Other executives felt that valuations are low enough to go on buying sprees. Yahoo Inc chief technology officer Ari Balogh said it was 'amazing' how much lower valuations are compared to a few months ago. 'It's a good time to be buying now,' Balogh said, as Yahoo adds more social net-working features to its properties as part of a renewed turnaround focus. I can guarantee you there will be some acquisitions.' Mark Loughridge, chief financial officer of International Business Machines Corp, was also bullish about his company's appetite for deals. 'I go through a deal review every week,' he sahd, adding that the economic climate provided a 'fertile' hunting ground for acquisitions. Even a company like Corning Inc, which has traditionally not been an aggressive acquirer, is on the prowl. Chief Financial Officer Jim Flaws said the specialty glass maker is looking to hire to expand its mergers & acquisitions team. Companies that were too expensive to buy earlier are now available at attractive prices, Flaws said, as the recession takes it toll. 'Right now we have the money to do small acquisions... & we are actively looking,' he said. Attractive prices apart Dell Inc President Steve Shuckenbrock also suggested companies ought to act quickly or they risk losing potential targets to competitors amid a wave of consolidation in the industry.

---REUTERS

Tigers targets India in T20 World Cup

Bangladesh national cricket team have targetted beating India in their first match of the ICC World Twenty20s in England & are all set to depart amidst some modest but important concerns from coach Jamie Siddons. Siddons's biggest worry is the lack of international exposure that the Tigers have had ahead of the tournament & he believes that it is a worrying factor as the player have not faced quality bowling attacks in the recent past. "Definitely it's a causd for concern for us since we haven't faced world class opponents for some time now. The boys have played plenty of domestic cricket & in chittagong but they haven't faced good fast bowlers & the practice matches we have played are good but not realy world class" said Siddons. Tigers fly out for London 24 may morning. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have scheduled a seven day trining camp at Wormsley, which includes three unofficial practrice matches against New Zealand on may 26, Netherlands on may 28 & against Scotland on may 29. Tigers captain & vice-captain join in team may be 23 may from South Africa. Bangladesh's official practice matches are against Australia on june 1 & Sri Lanka on june 4 at Trent Bridge. Bangladesh is in group A along with defending champions India & ICC associate member Ireland in the second version of the ICC World Twenty20s which will begin on june 5. Tigers face India on june 6 & Ireland on june 8 at Trent Bridge. Siddons is happy with his schedule of practice matches but felt that it would have been better if the side were pitted against more quality bowling line-ups. "I hope the five practice matches will help us recover all that we have missed but again, we are facing the likes of Scotland who also don't have fast bowlers to push us. So I hope we pick up the pace sooner so that we are ready for the challenge ahead" added the coach. Siddons didn't just point out India as an early kill but also explained that reaching the second round & living up to the Tiger's name of giant killers were equally important. "Anyone can win in a Twenty20 game & anyone can get knocked over. But we are hoping to beat India in our first game & we aren't too worried about our second game against Ireland. Realistically we want to get to the Super Eights & once we are there we want to be the giant killers that people think we are. But we don't want any games to be a fluke; I'd rather want them to be genuine victories for us. It's bit of a cliche but we are trying to beat India first, that's our main target" said Siddons. On the issue of whether captain Ashraful & his depuy Mashrafe have missed out on some valuable preparation ahead of the competition, the coach kept his fingers crossed & considered the practice matches will be good enough for them to turn in some good performances. I pushed for Mashrafe & Ashraful to join the squad early as it's important to get together as a team. It's a big sacrifice on their part as they are going to come here & just a day later they will fly out to England. "They aren't getting the match practice they need at the moment so its important for them to join us for the practice games in England. If they have some success they will be ready. Ashraful holds the key for us to wim games as he is the number three batter & it's important for him to fire early on if we wamt to win games" added the Australian coach. The new face in the team Shamsur Rahman & Mohammad Mithun look forward to making the playing eleven in their debut season but the shaven-headed coach thinks they need to work on a few things before they can sustain their careers at the international stage. "I haven't seen too much of the two new boys although we have been working with them. They have got issues as most of the guys who have gone through our system have had like backlift & stuff but I'm not toying too much with them & just letting then play their instinctive game. But for them to be long term players a changes need to be made & then there's the added pressure of facing the media & meet the board members & cameras in their faces; its all so nerve wracking. We just need to give them some time & they'll be okay" said Siddons. Beside when 24th may the Tigers leaving for London, captain Ashraful & his deputy Mashrafi said to defete will India anyway. That's the question how will Tiger defete them? There is many world class player in India, but Bangladesh have some only. It will very tidy to win. Beside don't forget Bangladesh is a giant killer. Hope Bangladesh will play realy well in the T20 world cup.

Digital Bangladesh-HABIBULLAH N KARIM

Bangladesh has grown in various dimensions since independence its population doubled, its grain production tripled, its economy multiplied 10-fold but there is one valuable resource that has not grown at all because it cannot grow on its own our landmass. Bangladesh has a land mass of 144,000 sp km, which is more or less static overtime (despite hopes of gaining land from coastal siltation). As the number of people is rising & our per capita income is also growing, the demands on the fixed landmas is escalating faster & faster making this scarce resource all the more scarce. No wonder we are seeing land prices skyrocketing like at no other time recent memory. Measure for measure, a strip of land on Gulshan Avenue is more expensive than a parcel of land on the Las Vegas Strip, presumably one of the choicest places on the earth for commercial property. Despite the high cost of land & its relative paucity compared to our large population (we are already one of the most densely populated countries in the world) it's nothing less than amazing that a complete inventory of our land resources is still not done. Our land ownership records are still maintained in the archaic way handed down to us from more than a century ago. The age old system of land record keeping & its management is so faulty that fraudsters & tricksters are having a field day in this country for a long time. I previously wrote about how the land transfer records, ownership records & taxation records & maintained by three separate govt agencies without any mutual accountability among them. As a result land ownership disputes have grown exponentially over the years, so much so that legal experts estimate that a staggering four-fifths of all litigations are land ownership related. Now keeping land ownership records is that so difficult a tast one may wonder. The simple answer is no. Throughout the world computer-based record keeping has greatly facilitated land records management in the last 30 years. Within our vicinity, India, Sri Lanka & Thailand have already achieved simplicity & efficiency in land records management. There is no rhyme or reason why we should not be abld to emulate our neighbours on this. In fact, we should have been ahead of our neighbours in this area since land records computerisation pilots were undertaken in our country since the mid-eighties. Do we ever wonder why in so many places we never seem to graduate out of the pilot phase even though the benefits are so obvious? There have been some progress though the developments are far to slow & to little compared to what is needed to root out the evils in land-records management. These days, if you need a land-ownership record (called a 'porcha') the Department of Land Records & Survey (DLRS) office gives you a computer generated printout in place of the hand written 'porchas' of the past. This has reduced the time from more than a week in the past to a couple of days at present. The process can be further expedited by automating the acual 'porcha' application process, which remains manual. The immediate past DG OF DLRS (the current executive director of Bangladesh Computer Council) took up a project to publish the 'porchas' online through their website http://www.dgdlrs.gov.bd/ . DLRS sources say more than 40000 porchas of Dhaka City are already uploaded on this site. There have also been a number of proof-of concept computerisation projects as well as land ownership records & maps management in the last five years. The DLRS management appears convinced of the merit of computerisation & committed to mainstreaming the adoption of information technology in their operations immediately. They have proposed a tk 3000 core plan to computerise all land records of the country in the next five year. On the other hand, the registration processes of land title transfer deeds under the Inspector General of Registration (IGR) are being amended to require more definitive proofs of land ownership & possession. In the past the requirements were very lax in this regard. The Law Ministry (the line ministry of IGR) is known to be considering computerised archiving of registered deeds for faster retrieval & cross checking, where necessary. For an effective land administration system, however a seamless computer-based land information system will be required that interconnects the computer systems of the DLRS, IGR & district administration offices. This way, when a land ownership transfer deed is registered on the computer system at the subregistry office, the ownership record at the district revenue administration office (owership title changes called 'mutation' are done here) & at the DLRS office (for issuing up-to-date 'porcha') will be updated contemporaneously. In Kolkata these days, this whole process takes less than an hour. In Dhaka it can take years. It can however be done here in a few minutes also provided the govt & the ruling party & fully committed to making this happen. And by the way, it can all be done without large sums of money from the exchequer. The computer-based land administration system can generate more than enough revenue from the expedited & hasslefree services to pay for itself through build-operate-and-transfer (BOT) financing schemes in pertnership with the private sector. With the current finance minister contemplating a public-private-partnership (PPP) allocation in the ensuing budget, may be this is the route 'Digital Bangladesh' will take in modernising its land administration system.

Business leaders favour PPP funds

Chamber leaders & businessmen think the concept of a public private pertnership (PPP) budget in encouraging, as the local investors would have opportunities to participate in the development of infrastructures for smooth running of businesses. Finance Minister AMA Muhith in his pre-budget parleys with different stakeholders, including FBCCI & MCCI, made an assurance that a substantial amount of fund would be earmarked for PPP in the upcoming budget to execut power & other uplift projects. Complaints over the nagging power & gas crisis from the industrial sector ar piling up at different ministries & govt agencies. Thriving industries, especially the readymade garments (RMG) sector, are suffering due to the absence of such facilities. "In fact we placed the proposal to execute projects on PPP basis to ensure better management" said Annisul Huq, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry, pointing to the present weak state of infrastructure, a major impediment to industrial growth. "We can at least start a few projects under the PPP fund to see whether the option is feasible or not" he said. "In some cases, the government can also be a partner by providing fallow land for development. But the govt must give a very viable policy framework for making the PPP concept effective " the FBCCI chief added. Welcoming the idea Abdul Hafiz Chaudhury president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) said the govt should formulate a guideline in this connection first. The PPP fund could pay dividends in several ways, as the total fund is an internal resource, he said. "The govt should come up with such proposals as many local investors have idle money to spare" Mr Chaudhury added. Welcoming a PPP budget, Abdus Salam Murshedy president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA) said "The govt should go for short, mid & long term solutions to power crisis". MA Awal chairman of Prime Group of Industries, one of the leading textile & RMG manufacturers said the govt can buy 500 Mega Watt of power within a year from the industry owners' captive power plants by using such funds. Fazlul Hoque, president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BKMEA) said the govt can at least start some pilot projects under the PPP fund, & if it work, major projects can then be undertaken. "Of course the concept is encouraging as the involvement of the local investors in development process is ensured" Mr Hoque said.
---REFAYET ULLAH MIRDHA

Banks lending to womem entrepreneurs to

Bangladesh Bank plans to offer special incentives for private banks that would disburse large sums of loans to the agriculture sector & women entrepreneurs, the Bangladesh Bank governor said in Dhaka. Additionally, banks that would not disburse adequate loans to those sectors, as instructed by the Bangladesh Bank, would be discredited, Dr Atiur Rahman told a seminar on "Budget Aspiration For Women Entrepreneurs 2009-10". Mr. Rahman said, "We want to disburse loans to women entrepreneurs & some other areas as tools for the CAMEL (capital, asset, management, earning & liquidity) rating for banks. So the banks that would not follow instructions would have poor rating scores". Bangladesh Bank will increase its vigilance on the poor performers in the CAMAL rating, he added. To increase the share of women in the upcoming budget for 2009-10, he also suggested women entrepreneurs persuade the government to creat scopes for them in the budget, especially in Public Private Partnerships. In the discussion, the Bangladesh Women's Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BWCCI) urged the government to make a special allocation of Tk 100 core for women entrepreneurs to facilitate them. BWCCI organised the seminar. "A country can't develop if 25% of its entrepreneurs aren't women. As women entrepreneurs lack adequate liquidity & banking support, it's vital to allocate separate funds for them" said Selima Ahmed president of BWCCI. Sharing her experience on obtaining a bank loan, Rahela Pervin Shishir an entrepreneur in the printing sector said, "When I approached a bank after the Bangladesh Bank instruction on funding women entrepreneurs, the bank officials told me that a bank would not be regulate by the central bank, but rather by its board of directors". Speaking at the function, Tarana Ahmed proprietor of CNG World, urged the government to provide loans to women entrepreneurs against work orders.
---DAILY STAR

Call to raise domestic demand

Althrough the performance of the country's external sectors including remittance & export is still strong, exporters & economists have warned that the sectors will soon feel the negative impacts of the global financial meltdown. The economists said to turn away the recession fallout, measures should be incorporated in the next budget for increasing domestic demand to creat employment. Current account balance in the first eight months (july-february) of this fiscal year increased by 172 percent & stood at $816 million against $299 million in the same period of the previous fiscal year. A central bank high official said although growth fell in the recent months, the overall remittance & export performance is still satisfactory, leading, leading to an improved current account balance. The foreign currency reserve has crossed $6 billion, & on middle of the may it stood at $6.29 billion. But warning bells have begun to ring from different corners that the external sector may face setback. The World Bank in its recent report released last month said "there are a number of worrying signs." Export volatility appears to have increased with growth rates fluctuating widely, buyers are pressing for higher discounts, orders are being deferred & the threat from competitors to Bangladesh in traditional apparel markers has become stronger, the World Bank said. Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Zaid Bakht said if the export on remittance drops, employment has to be created for the expatriates who would lose job owing to slow down in exports. He also said the government is probably going for an aggressive expansionary fiscal policy. A big size budget is going to be presented. It would increase government expenditure, which in turn will increase domestic demand, he added. However, Bakht said there is a risk factor. If the revenue earning doesn't increase, govt borrowing will go up & so will inflation. He suggested that revenue earning should be increased & emphasis should be given to quality expenditure. Trade deficit was 60% last fiscal year over the previous year but in july-february period of the current fiscal year it went up by 15%. In the eight month period the amount of trade imbalance was $3560 million against $3087 million in the same period of the last fiscal year. In the first eight months of the current fiscal year export grew by 15.90 %, which was 11.10 percent in the same period last fiscal year. However, in the same period import grew by 15.55% against 21.02% in the corresponding period of last fiscal year. Another major cause of a healthy current account balance is strong remittance growth. In the last ten months of the current fiscal year, remittance growth was 22.70%. In the period remittance inflow was $7890 million against $6430 million last year. Around 63% remittance come from the Middle Eastern countries. Industry insiders anticipate that the impact of global financial crisis in Saudi Arabia & Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will lead to restrictions on foreign workers & visas. Banladeshi think tank Refugee & Migratory Movement Researen unit fore casts that the country may also face decline in remittance inflows from the UK & US. Recent World Bank projection paints a grim picture for Bangladesh's exports, while Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association said export orders of RMG products declined. However, both the price & volume of non RMG products are falling, said Export Promotion Bureau. In the july-march period of the current fiscal year export of pharmaceutical products fell by 15.92%, raw jute 19.62%, jute goods 17.98% & electronics by 56.90%.
---Collected By The DAILY STAR

Bad times for flute makers

Flute makers in the northdrn districts including Dinajpur, Rangpur, & Nilphamari are facing harsh times, as the demand for their products has waned. There has been no govt initiative to create national & international market for their craft, according to the flute makers & traders. Lack of bamboo, required for making the musical instrument, has also added to the crisis. "There have been isolated efforts by the govt to improve the trade & products" said Narayan Chandra Roy, a flute maker from Taraganj, Rangpur sadar upazila, who was vending his products hdre in Dinajpur recently. He added that about ten year back, his products were exported to India & England but now even the number of domestic to be a big challenge for flutes. A cultural activist of Dinajpur also suggested that the govt should promote & encourage small businesses & handicrafts by exporting the products to other countries. Harpal Biswas a local trader sells around 10/15 flutes per day at present, but claims to have sold 100/150 ten years back. "I've been in this trade forever. My father used to make flutes too. Currently buyers of our products are mostly local musicians & children & that doesn't cut it" he added. Many of the families who had been flute makers for generations, have moved on to other others professions. The number of crafts men has been declining sincd the mid '80. Over the last three decades, the number of these families in the region has decreased from 150 to 20. Many have migrated to india as well. Talking to this correspondent recently, the flute makers disappointedly said that the urban populace is now opting for electronic musical instruments, as a result traditional handmade instruments like flutes are losing market.
---Collected from DAILY STAR

Switzerland keen to invest more in pharm

Outgoing Swiss Ambassador Dora Raplod said Switzerland is keen to make more investments in the pharmaceutical sector in Bangladesh. She said this during a meeting with State Minister for Foregin Affairs Dr. Hasan Mahmud at his Office. The envoy also assured the state minister of increased support for development activities in Bangladesh. Welcoming the foreign investments, State Minister Hasan Mahmud said the government will extent full cooperation in this regard. During the meeting, Dora Rapold thanked the govt for its cooperation extended to her during her tenure in Bangladesh. Dr Hasan Mahmud requested the outgoing ambassador to play the role of an envoy on behalf of Bangladesh in her country. Dora Rapold also assured Dr Mahmud of playing a strong role in favour of Bangladesh so that Switzerland provides more assistance, said a press release of the ministry.

Climate is changing

Bangladesh should develop expertise both at public & private sectors for strong negotiations at international forums to face the challenges of climate change, said the experts & academics yesterday. They said designing appropriate adaptation technologies for agriculture as well as for victims of climate change is imperative to make sure the money received for these purposes is not misused. This was observed at a panel discussion on 'Climate change & Bangladesh's diplomacy' organised by Bangladesh Institute of International & Strategic Studies (BIISS) at its auditorium in the city. "The country's diplomacy should have three wings environmental, economic& conventional to give inputs on what is happening around climate change in the world" said Dr Atiq Rahman, executive director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS). Before joining any international negotiation, the Bangladesh delegation must do homework in consultations with these wings, he added. The negotiators should come from the high level of the govt, he said, adding that it is not apprnmpiate to demand money forom here & there. "We should think of sustainable solution" he said. Dr Atiq a winner of 'UN Champions of the Earth Award 2008' said there will be displacement of people & change in food system & these issues must be dealt with utmost priority. Dr Ainun Nishat, contry representative of international Union fnr Conservation of Nature, said there are a lot of gaps among various ministries & these need to be bridged. "Let us have a strong team. Whoever represents the country in global forums must have full insights on climate changd" he said. As international negotiations are very tough & intensive, the cotinuity of the personnel im the government should be maintained to get to the right track of the negotiations & gain benefit from them, said Ainun Nishat, a water expert. "In any negotiations we have to include several types of expertise. There should be economists, sociologists & obligatorily an international legal expert" said Research Director of Bangladesh Institute of Development studies (BIDS) Dr M Asaduzzamam. Stating that Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, he said the polluters must pay for the cleanest technologies to be set up in this country. "If a coal based power plant usually requries $50 million, the cleanest technology will require $30 million more. The polluters should provide this extra money as grants" he said. Asaduzzaman said the govt must be very cautious about how the developed countries provide the money through multilateral organistions like World Bank or some other means. "We must find the best way to get it & spend it" he added. Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad Chairman Prof Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad & BIISS Director General Maj Gen (retd) Sheikh Md Monirul Islam spoke on the occasion.

PM said govt high school to be set up at

PM Sheikh Hasina announced that text books will now be printed at district level & distributed among the students by local authorities, as the present book supply procedure creates perennial problems. Under another major step in the education sector, govt high schools will be established in every upazila of the country & quality education will be ensured in these schools. The PM disclosed the plans when a six-member delegation of the University Grant Commission (UGC) led by its chairman Prof Nazrul Islam called on her at the PM's office yeasterday morning. Hasina expressed disappointments over the degrading standard of education from primary to university level. "The fall of the standard of education is alarming" she told the executives of the UGC. About the book publication affairs Hasina further observed that many students have to suffer for delays in receiving textbooks as all books are printed certainlly in the capital city. PM's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed the newsmen after the meeting, explaining the new measures being taken to resolve the problems in the education sector. Azad said the CD's of the books will be sent to the district authorities & the textbooks will be printed at a time to rid the students of long wait for textbooks while time of the academic year passes by. The premier said the quality of education at the university level fell to an alarming level as permission was given to set up many private universities without maintaining proper rules & regulations during the last government. She emphatically said her government would not compromise anyway on the questions of restoring the lost standards of education in the universities as the government attaches the highest priority to the education sector. The PM informed the UGC delegation that the authorities concerned are working to update the existing education policy in line with modern science & technology. Hasina also felt that country's educational institutions are suffering from a lack of qualified & well trained teachers. "Scarcity of well trained teachers will be removed" she assured. The UGC chairman apprised the PM of the overall situation of private & public universities of the country & demanded government steps to give the UGC more freedom for conducting it's activities smoothly. The premier assured the UGC members of government's earnestness in solving every problem facing the UGC in conducting its activities effectively for the sake of educational development. As the role of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in spreading education came up during the discussion, Hasina deplored that some 300 students of various levels who depend on financial assistance of BANGABANDHU memorial trust had to stop their studies as the immediate past caretaker government take the possession of the trust's bank account. She said these dropout students will be brought in the a globe of education again by the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust which bears education expenditures of some 1000 poor & physically challenged studentr of various levels. The UGC chairman gave special thanks to the prime minister as her govt has decided to set up Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur to give a boost to the educational arena in the backwater northern region of the country. Prof Nazrul presented the PM a set of books, including 'Education in Science & Education in Bangladesh' published by the UGC. The UGC chairman also expressed deep shock at the death of noted nuclear scientist & PM's husband Dr. MA Wazed Miah & prayed for salvation of his departed soul. Adviser to the PM for education, social development & political affairs Dr. Alauddin Ahmed & PM's office secretary Mollah Waheeduzzaman were present.
---UNB

To save te labour cost farmers use their

In many northern districts farmers are using their family members for harvesting paddy to save the labour cost. As the production cost has already exceeded the market price in this season. They give up loss of tk 100 to tk 150 for a maund means 40 kg in paddy. They selling them for tk 400 to tk 450 but there is the avarage production cost is tk 550. Under the government's current paddy & rice procurement drive, the price of a kg of Boro paddy has been fixed at tk 14. Accordingly, a farmar is supposed to get around tk 560 for one mound of paddy. But the government's drive seems to work little as the drive is going on at a snail's pace. Middlemans are taking advantage to the situation, they buy the paddy at the low cost. To save tk 600 to tk 700 as havesting cost per bigha, especially small & medium farmers are now cutting, carrying & thrashing paddy with family labour. Even women members of a farmer's family including his wife, daughters & daughters-in-law are going to paddy field for the purpose. Beside many farmars are now hiring woman day labourers for lower pay. Meanwhile, like other monga-prone areas, the day labourers of Nilphamari & Lalmonirhat districts are now going to distant areas to work in the Boro harvesting season for higher pay. Day labourers are often seen waiting at rail stations or bus stands with small bundles on their heads to go to distant districts for Boro harvesting. This paying is vary area to area.
---collected from DAILY STAR

For saving rivers GOVT lounge a notice

BANGLADESH govt has been lounge a legal notice to take immediate steps to stop intrusion, earth filling & construction of illegal structures on Bariganga & Turag rivers around the Dhaka & Shitalakkhya river in Narayanganj. Human Rights & peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) tendered the notice demanding that the authorities concerned take initiatives to remove all illegal temporary & permanent structures built on the river. The notice said Buriganga, Turag & Shitalakkhya rivers have been the main source of water for millions of people residing in Dhaka & Narayanganj. Although rivers are very important for our transport sector. It's costs half than the road when we carry goods out the river. But encroachment, earth filling & setting up of illegal structures continue on the river in violation of the provisions of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995 leaving negative impacts on the environment, it said. The secretaries of the planning, environment & forest, land, finance, shipping & water resources ministries & the chairman of BIWTA, the director genaral of the Department of Environment, the deputy commissioner of Dhaka & the police commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan police have been made respondents. Advocate Manzil Murshid served the demand of justice notice on behalf of the HRPB asking the respondents to initiate steps within four days for removing the unauthorised constructions. Otherwise, legal steps will be taken against them.
---collected from the DAILY STAR

Many industries casuses destroy TURAG

Indiscriminate release of liquid waste by the factories in & around of Konabari industrial zone has destroyed a large part of Turag river & Baimail Jheel, causes great problem to the villagers who lived the bank of the river. Factories liquid waste materials & black smog what's contains carbon-di-oxaide created by brick fields, it's like double suffering to the villagers. Local people things these industrials activities unfertile their land, unproductive there trees, river have no fishes & birth house of mosquitoes. The govt established the konabari Bangladesh Small & Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) industrial area in early 1980 to promote & expand small & cottage industries. Since then the industries are polluting surrounding environment despite getting different facility packages from the government. Recently BSCIC listed 152 polluter industries. About them 56 dyeing & textile industries, 50 chemicals & pharmaceuticals, nine food processing & 37 other engineering industries. These industries have no waste management plant like ETP. Bscic officials are know that but they don't take the necessary steps. Bscic provided the industrialist with land in a subsidised price along with many facilities. But most of the industries are paying back by indiscriminately polluting the environmemt. Since the beginning the govt was providing tax holiday for five years & no import duty & vat for capital machinery for these polluters. Turag rivers are very much polluted with waste matarials why it's water colour turn in to deep black. That water not useable for drinking & washing. Massive suffering of the people was witnessed during journalist visits to the surrounding villages including Baimail, Kodda, Kashimpur & Konabari. Beside brick fields creat many problems. Inhabitants of these areas said to the journalist they can't use the river's water anyway. Even they can't take bath there. Brick field's dust suffer them must. They also said at lest 20 Baimail villagers have left the village & settled in Gazipur town or nearby due to the environment pollution. One return his childhood he said 12 years ago the Turag & Baimail Jheel had a various fish. Now any fish yet to servive there. They aren't move because they are afordless to move. They collected useble water from tubewells. They aren't getting fruits from past few years. Villagers things that govt need to take great stapes to save the TURAG river & the pollution to the villagers.
---collected from DAILY STAR

World economy could still worsen: IMF

The global economy could still worsen & consumer demand is unlikely to recover as strongly as it has in the past, a senior IMF official said tuesday. The International Monetary Fund is concerned about "downside risks" to the economy, said the fund's first deputy managing director John Lipsky. "This is absolutely not the time for complacency" he told reporters here. Japan's recovery prospects hinge on the health of foreign markets given the country's heavy dependence on exports, he said. Emerging nations would be at the vanguard of a recovery from the current "Great Recession" followed by advanced economics, which should return to positive growth in 2010, Lipsky said. While that would be good news for japan, the fallout from the credit crounch means that people may not be rushing back to the shops as quickly as they did during previous recoveries, he said. "Consumer demand in some of the advanced economics such as the US may not recover as strongly as it did in past" Lipsky said. The IMF last month projected the global economy would shrink 1.3 percent in 2009 but grow 1.9 percent in 2010.
---AFP

Thai auto sales fall 27.4pc

Thai vehicle sales in april fell for an 11th consecutive month, industry figures showed tuesday, plummeting 27.4 percent year-on-year after further domestic political upheaval. Toyota Motor Thailand, which complies the industrywide figures, said domestic vehicle fell to 39713 units. Sales of passenger cars rose 4.2% year on year, but the commercial segment continued to suffer for a 12th month running & fell by 39.7%. "It's the lowest drop in four months but it fell becasuse of the economic slowdown & low consumer confidence due to the political incidents in mid-april" Toyota Motor Thailand said in its monthly release. Anti-government protesters loyal to fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra stormed regional summit on the coast of Thailand on april 11, forcing its closure before further demonstrations erupted in Bangkok. The latest round of political unrest only ended after a state of emergency was called across the capital & rioting protesters were threatened with a military crackdown.
---AFP

Oil above $59

Oil prices rose above 59 dollars in asian trade tuesday on hopes for a relatively quick rebound in the US economy & the escalating unrest in african crude producer Nigeria. NewYork's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in june, reversed earlier losses & was trading 62 cents higher at 59.65 dollars per barrel in the afternoon. Brent North Sea crude foq july was up 67 cents to 59.14. US stocks soared monday after better than expected earnings from home improuement retailer Lowe's helped reinforce hopes for a recovery in tahe US. A strong US economy is a key growth engine for the world because it is a major export market for many countries. "Oil seems to stay resilent in spite of ample suply as it contries to focus on the prospects of economic recovery & the rising risk of commodity price inflation" said Phil Flynn at Alaron Trading. A rebound from the global downturn will boost oil demand & lift prices higher.
---AFP

EU suspended shrimp exports for 6 months

Exports of fresh water shirmp had been suspended in EU for 6 month. It's a second biggest foreign money earnar. This suspension order for next 6 month it has been cancel more than 50 consignments. It is basicaly cancelled due to health hazardous antibioticnitrofuran since january this year officials said yeasterday. "It's a voluntary retraint by the exporters who have agreed not to export fresh water shrimp until resolution of the problem" said a top government officials who attended an inter-ministerial meeting on the issue yesterday. The meeting, also attented by stakeholders of the shrimp industry, was held after buyers from the EU area detected presence of mitrofuran antibiotic in more than 50 consignments of fresh water shrimp export from BANGLADESH. The total value of the consignments stands around more than tk 60 core, exporters said. "We have taken decision of not exporting fresh warter shrimp to EU for the next six months. But we'll continue exporting other shrimps to this region," said Kazi Shahnewaz, acting president of BANGLADESH FROZEN FOODS EXPORTERS ASSOCIATION told to press. Shahnewaz said the halt to galda exports to the EU will be effective from june 1. Officials at the Ministry said the decision will be effective with immediate effect & no new application for export of fresh water shrimp to the EU will be accepted. Other shrimps are permited to export official said. The latest move of halting exports came as a pre-emptive measure to avoid any sanction by the EU authority. After registering a growth of 3.64 parcent in the fiscal year 2007-2008, exports of frozen foods, mainly shrimp, now faces a slack period as the global financial meltdown bites demand. Export from this sector fell by 13.01 percent to $355.67 million during july-murch of the current fiscal year from $408.87 million a year ago. Stakeholders said the health hazardous element comes fom feeds, although the use of nitrofuran is prohibited in BANGLADESH, with some suspecting that the element is coming through illegal channel of trade. "We have agreed in principle to suspends export of fresh water shrimp for the next six months," said Maqsudur Rahman, the BFFEA vice president. Maqsudur said exporters will strengthen their monitoring activities as well as initiating awarness campaign among farmers to encourage them to avoid using feeds having nitrofuran. A foreign consultant is expected to be assigned for investigation in to the source of contamination. Steps will also be taken to examine the water & soil of the shrimp farming areas, officials said.
---Courtesy of The DAILY STAR.

Mashrafi Bin Mortaza in DLF IPL

At last Kolkata Knight Riders squde choose Mashrafi Bin Mortaza yesterday their a match with Decan Chargers. His performance was not so good not so bad. He might be perform better in that match. He went to bat at number six after 19 over completed. He scored 2 out of 2. In bowling 4 over no maiden no wicket 58 runs. We BANGLADESHIS are lot expect from his. He gave in 20th over 26 run so opposition had a comfortable win. But he could got the titel of hero if he bowled in right length & could win the match. In 18 over he bowled right & tight lenth, got a beautiful runout of Andrue Symonds, we all thought they back in their business. But it is realy upsating Overall it is a matter of great sorrow he not show his 100% in that game. He seen to be some nurvousness. He'll try his best to cut the nurvousness.

The condition of our tea garden of Bangladesh (part-1)

For the change of weather our country's one of the economical crop tea industry after 3 years later face natural disaster. Restless cuttimg down of trees, destroy of hill, tree garden's shed tree stoling, SRIMANGAL'S small river's are fillup with hill & they have no water, these are main cause. For this reason our mainly winter & rainay seasonal area srimangal change it's weather. And tea production's many of the matarials are slowly destroed. So country's one of the greateast economical crop grow in srimangal it couldn't see the face of success. Beside this area's another crop products lemon, pineapple, pan etc's productions are day by day falling down. Our country's hilly & deep forest are has heavy rainy & winter area, srimangal is like that. And for tea cultivationble other raw matarials in moulavibazar build many tea garden. Our Country has about 163 tea garden, but in moulauibazar has 91 tea garden. So sylhet's weather is very parfect for tea gardening. Tea production is mainly dependable to sylhet. But one class bad garden administator garden's old tree cut down for selling or own use. Many people cut the hill for the level ground. For tree cutting by the robbers & hill cutting it happens natural change to weather rapidly. For that reason previous few years those area passing less winter & rain fall.

A egg which collected by CHARLES DARWIN

In the time of sea travel DARWIN collected a rare kind of egg. This thing happened between 1831 & 1836 AD. After 175 years later in CAMBRIDGE university's collection house invented DARWIN'S rare egg. Collection house's one volantiar LIZ WELTON had invent the egg. When he arranged the box of birds egg & listed them, then he invented the egg. But he write in the note, the body of egg contains the name of C. DARWIN. Collection house's incharge MATHUE LOE when examin this note, then bird spesalist MIKE BROKE'S hepled him to find out the egg's source. MATHUE said "DARWINS 200 birthday will definetly colourful with this invention". He also said "DARWIN kept the egg a small box, so it has some fracture".

OBAMA see hope in world economics

When US economy in pressure but Mr. OBAMA see the light of hope in Us economy. He also hope he'll take come stapes in future to prevent economic cricis. His economic & economy fund team & fedarel reserve's chairman Mr. BEN BARNAKI has a meeting. After the meetimg Mr. OBAMA said to jurnalist, "in mean time we have to do lot of things". He also said "we has been seen some prosper". WHITE HOUSE'S economic advisor LORENCE SAMARS said "in middle of this year US economy cricis may be finised.