Mon, 13 May 24
Politics and Bureaucracy
Mon, 13 May 24
Article
Sun, 12 May 24
Sports
Mon, 13 May 24
Editorial Views
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to extend the time of visa approval for hajj pilgrims so all of them could perform the hajj.
Historians often argue that no dynasty can endure for more than a century with supreme majesty. The dynasty must face challenges within this time. This belief applies not only to the ruling families but also to individuals and normal households. The trajectory of wealth and influence follows a similar pattern, where what is prestigious today may falter tomorrow. This principle is evident in rural economies and family dynamics, where inheritance is seldom equal, and prosperity can swiftly shift. Once affluent families may find themselves impoverished over time, reflecting the ongoing flux characteristic of rural life.
In the context of a dollar crisis continuing in the country for a long time, the Bangladesh Bank has fixed the official price of the dollar at Tk 117 per dollar in order to fulfill the loan conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to central bank circular issued on Wednesday (May 8).
Bangladesh is a strange country indeed. Whenever there's an opportunity, a cycle increases the price of essential food items several times over. Before Ramadan, the price of food for people rises, and before Eid-ul-Adha, the price of adulterated livestock feed increases. Items like wheat bran, rice husk, soybean meal, D-oil rice polish, lentil husk, mustard oil cake, maize, bran, chickpea husk, Mung husk, husked rice, and straw aren't spared from the syndicate's grip. The Integrated Dairy Research Network (IDRN) reports that the price of animal feed has increased by 54% in just one year, while globally, it has risen by 20.6%.
In the span of a week, the incidents of two patients experiencing tragic deaths at the same hospital in Gazipur have deeply concerned the general public. On May 12th, a patient died after being stuck in the hospital elevator for nearly 45 minutes. Prior to this, on May 4th, a patient in the same hospital died after falling into a gap between two buildings from the 10th floor. In both incidents, the hospital administration has announced the formation of investigation committees. However, these events have painted a terrifying picture of mismanagement within the hospital administration.
Road accidents have evolved into a national crisis, and it's crucial to recognise that the malaise on the roads isn't solely a technical issue; it's deeply intertwined with politics. Given the close ties between many leaders in the transport sector and the government, there's a widespread belief that controlling transport syndicates is nearly impossible. However, if the government genuinely aims to curb accidents, it has the power to rein in these syndicates through effective measures.
China has also backed Iran's endeavours to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement. In 2018, the US administration under then-President Donald Trump exited the deal. Despite both China and Iran facing US sanctions, they inked a 25-year agreement in March 2021, with Beijing integrating Tehran into its Belt and Road Initiative.
The first phase of the Upazila Election held recently once again reflected the basic weakness of our local government system. Despite having all the built-in distortion in the overall governance system, we do have a local government structure which remains hobbled by a plethora of challenges. Over-centralisation, inadequate financial resources, weak institutional capacities and limited citizen participation, have plagued this tier of government for a long time.
The Upazila Parishad is significantly important considering the governance of the country. There are three levels of local government system in the country: Zilla Parishad, Upazila Parishad and Union Parishad. The city corporation is a municipality or a large city. Although the Upazila Parishad Law was enacted in 1985, with the growth of the country’s economy, the Upazila Parishad has become very important at present.
A new city named PurbaChal is being developed by acquiring 6,150 acres of land in Rupganj of Narayanganj and Kaliganj of Gazipur, right next to Dhaka. Plans for PurbaChal include the construction of 26,000 plots, 62,000 apartments, a modern stadium, playgrounds, educational institutions, hospitals, and tall iconic towers. The PurbaChal New Town Project, initiated in 1995, has yet to become fully habitable even after almost 30 years. However, the Jalshiri housing project taken in 2010 in Rupganj next to Purbachal has already become busy. Primarily constructed for military personnel housing, this project has already gained recognition as one of Dhaka's most planned and livable residential areas. Side by side, the juxtaposition of these two residential projects forms a small picture in the overall landscape of Bangladesh.
In this upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the majority of our politicians are speaking in a language that is not only indecent or unpleasent, but also extremely awful and disrespectful. Many years ago, I purchased a book from Delhi's Khan Market titled "Dictionary of Slang". The dictionary of abuses. Our leaders' harsh words are not found in that dictionary. Because as much as the yardstick of profanity measures, our policymakers surpass it by a significant margin. "Gutter language" can be found in the dictionary, the ingenious minds innovating new ideas and implementing them are using expressions not found in conventional dictionaries. These respected individuals, who are adept politicians, may use language that could perhaps be found in a slang dictionary if they were to utter profanity. However, they are all skilled politicians. Consequently, I can't recall hearing of a cocktail of profanity mixed with bigotry and sectarianism in any previous election.
The price of solar photovoltaic panels has decreased to 11 cents per watt in the global market. Adding incidental costs for inverters and infrastructure brings the cost to 14 cents per watt. Without any additional expenses for land acquisition and management, Bangladesh is seeing the potential for renewable energy production through solar power. Bangladesh is seeking to import electricity generated from renewable sources like Nepal, Bhutan, and India. But why? So, is Bangladesh paying more attention to buying electricity produced by renewable energy from its neighbors? It is not unusual to ask such a question.
Titas Gas Distribution Company at a press conference recently claimed that it has brought down the system loss from 23 percent to 8 percent. As such, the company has reduced the system loss by 14 percent. That is, 14 percent gas has been saved.
In China, with a population of 1.41 billion, it is mandatory to close shops and markets during the evening hours, which is strictly adhered to by everyone. Evening here refers to either 5 or 6 o'clock. Similar rules are followed in Europe and America as well. No transactions are allowed after evening hours, and shops must remain closed. Therefore, no industrialized country keeps markets open after evening. Then why can't we close shops at 8 PM? If shops close at 8 PM, the government has to intervene in a structured manner. When power distribution companies conduct campaigns, shops close at 8 PM. If the campaign stops, no one closes shops before 10 PM. On the other hand, the government only imposes restrictions on shop closure to increase load shedding.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken the initiative to remove his long-time ally Sergei Shoigu from the post of Defense Minister. Putin proposed the name of acting First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov in the post, reports BBC today (May 13).
The fourth phase of voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections began today in 96 Lok Sabha constituencies across 10 states and Union Territories. Voting started at 7.00am on Monday and will continue till 7.00pm, reports Al Jazeera and NDTV.
The first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died about two months later, with the hospital that performed the surgery saying it did not have any indication the transplant was the cause.
Israeli strikes on Saturday hit parts of Gaza including Rafah where Israel expanded an evacuation order and the UN warned of an "epic" disaster if an outright invasion of the crowded city goes ahead.
In the span of a week, the incidents of two patients experiencing tragic deaths at the same hospital in Gazipur have deeply concerned the general public. On May 12th, a patient died after being stuck in the hospital elevator for nearly 45 minutes. Prior to this, on May 4th, a patient in the same hospital died after falling into a gap between two buildings from the 10th floor. In both incidents, the hospital administration has announced the formation of investigation committees. However, these events have painted a terrifying picture of mismanagement within the hospital administration.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to extend the time of visa approval for hajj pilgrims so all of them could perform the hajj.
Historians often argue that no dynasty can endure for more than a century with supreme majesty. The dynasty must face challenges within this time. This belief applies not only to the ruling families but also to individuals and normal households. The trajectory of wealth and influence follows a similar pattern, where what is prestigious today may falter tomorrow. This principle is evident in rural economies and family dynamics, where inheritance is seldom equal, and prosperity can swiftly shift. Once affluent families may find themselves impoverished over time, reflecting the ongoing flux characteristic of rural life.
Banglalink became the first mobile network operator in the country to phase out 3G services nationwide on May 6.
Fiber@Home, one of the top Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) operators of the country's telecom sector, has been awarded a renewed NTTN license for a period of 15 years.
