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Raw jute crisis hampers production in Khulna-Jashore region mills
Khulna, Nov 10 (UNB) – Production in nine state-owned jute mills in Khulna-Jessore region is being hampered due to crisis of raw jute while the stock of unsold jute products is increasing.
DLF Day 2: Breaking bad for a better society
Dhaka, Nov 9 (UNB) – The second day of Dhaka Literature Festival 2018 filled the premises of Bangla Academy on Friday with the same amount of enthusiasm from visitors thronging the venue and attending speakers and authors as the first.
A day at Dhaka Lit Fest 2018
Dhaka, Nov 9 (UNB) - Until recently, the Ekushey Book Fair was the only literature festival of note taking place annually in Bangladesh. With the advent of the Dhaka Literature Festival though, DLF for short, that can be said to have changed definitively.
How much the election going to cost the nation? Let’s see what EC says
Dhaka, Nov 7 (UNB) – The Election Commission (EC), now awfully busy to hold the 11th national election, says it will require an amount of Tk 700 crore to arrange polls, which is more than double than that of the 10th general election.
A beacon of hope for the visually impaired at DU
Dhaka, Nov 6 (UNB) - The Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired Students of Dhaka University is a study centre for the blind students of the university. Located on the ground floor of the administrative building of the university’s Central Library, it was established in 2007 through a joint initiative by the DU authority and Sight Savers International; an NGO that works for visually impaired students worldwide.
The story of a self-made man
Naogaon, Nov 6 (UNB) – Sohel Rana completed his graduation and started an integrated farm in his village Rupgram, located in Dibor union under Patnitola upazila of Naogaon, that has become a source of encouragement for the unemployed graduates in his locality.
Bangladeshi products likely to get duty-free access to EAEU countries
Dhaka, Nov 6 (UNB) – Bangladeshi products are likely to get duty-free access to the five member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Dhaka received such indication at the recently held maiden meeting of the Bangladesh-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on trade and other issues in Moscow.
Bangladeshi officials who attended the meeting said Moscow has showed a positive attitude towards a proposal placed by Dhaka to increase its export to Russia and other EAEU member countries. “But all depends on its persuasion and improvement of the quality of goods,” said an official who attended the meeting.
Official sources said during discussion on trade cooperation, the Bangladesh side proposed including goods from Chapters 30, 61, 62, 63 and 64 of Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System in the list of goods originating from least developed countries which are eligible for tariff preferences during its importation into the territories of the EAEU countries.
In response to the proposal, Russia suggested that Bangladesh send its official request to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to increase its export to the member countries of the economic bloc.
A 16-member delegation from Bangladesh, headed by the Economic Relations Division secretary, attended the meeting held on October 22-24 in Moscow to discuss various issues, including boosting trade and cooperation in different sectors between the two nations.
The EAEU, officially launched in 2015, is a political and economic union of states located in central and northern Eurasia and its member countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
During the meeting, the Russian side informed the Bangladesh delegation that amendments to the list should be approved by the Council of the Eurasian Economic Council, which is possible only with the support of all member states of EAEU, said the sources.
The officials at the ERD said if Dhaka gets the approval, it will facilitate Bangladesh’s main export items like readymade garments, leather and ceramics to get duty-free access to the five EAEU member countries.
Since the establishment of the Eurasian Customs Union in 2010, trade between the EAEU member states rose sharply.
The available statistics show mutual trade was $ 63.1 billion in 2011, 33.9 percent more than in 2010. In 2012, mutual trade was $67.9 billion and combined exports reached $593.7 billion, while imports were $340.9 billion.
Officials said if Bangladesh gets the opportunity to export its goods to the EAEU countries, it will tremendously boost its export.
According to official sources, the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation was formed in 2017 with the signing of a deal between Dhaka and Moscow on March 1 in 2017.
As per the deal, the Intergovernmental Commission was formed comprising 20 members from each nation.
Two members from the private sector also joined the recent meeting of the commission. They are Habib Ullah Dawn from FBCCI and Aniruddha Kumar Roy, managing director of RMM Group, who represents Russian company Gazprom in Bangladesh.
Manikganj farmers feeling optimistic, thanks to fair price
Manikganj, Nov 5 (UNB) – Farmers in different upazilas of Mainikganj are mostly satisfied with the prices they have received so far for their produce in the early part of the winter. High demand for a variety of winter vegetables grown by the farmers has helped them earn healthy profits.
Authorities plan 3-month ban on tourism in Sundarbans
Khulna, Nov 4 (UNB) –The Forest Department has taken a move to impose a ban on tourism in the Sundabans from June to August considering the three months as a breeding period of wild animals.
A proposal in this regard has already been sent to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for its approval.
Md Bashirul AL Mamun, divisional forest officer of West Sundarbans division, said Sundarbans Eco Tourism Extension and Development project has been sent to the ministry. “Once approved by Ecnec after scrutiny, the Forest Department will take steps to implement it,” he added.
However, environmentalists, experts and different tour associations are opposing the plan of the Forest Department saying that the move was taken without any consultation with experts and conducting any research.
Sources at the Forest Department said there 3,180 square kilometers of areas in the Sundarbans have already been declared sanctuary as the areas are the habitats of Bengal tigers.
The number of tiger is decreasing in the areas of Shibsa and Pashur rivers and their movement in Arua, Shibsa, Dobeki, Kochikata and Sheula rivers have also declined. Besides, the movement of hundreds of vessels every day has become a threat to free movement of tigers.
Contacted, Prof Dr Md Wasiul Islam of Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline of Khulna University, said the breeding of wild animals is a sensitive matter. “So, it won’t be wise to take any decision without correct information and data,” he said.
Prof Wasiul Islam said based on what they are taking steps to ban tourism for three months if there is no research assessing the impacts of tourists on breeding of wild animals.
“Besides, the breeding time of all the animals is not the same. The ban will be effective for three months. What type of steps they will take in the rest of the year for smooth breeding of animals?” he questioned.
Prof Nazmus Sadat of the same department of Khulna University said the Forest Department is taking steps to ban tourism due to sound pollution caused by the presence of tourists. But they could not take any step against the plying of commercial vessels in the rivers of the Sundarbans which is causing huge sound pollution, he added.
He said the department should think about an alternative instead of banning tourism.
Prof Dr Salma Begum, of the Environment Science Department of the university, said snails, oysters and crabs are very important for the existence of thee Sundarbans as they play a vital role in ecosystem. “Winter is the breeding time for crabs, but the Sunbarbans authorities give permission to collect crabs during this season,” she said.
Environment activist Shah Mamunur Rahman said monsoon is the breeding time of a very few animals among 375 species of the Sundarbans. “Smugglers find monsoon as a suitable time for wildlife smuggling.”
President of Tourist Guide Association MM Islam Bulu and Director of Tour Operators’ Association of Bangladesh Taslim Islam Shovon said it will be imprudent to ban tourism instead of stopping plying of vessels through the forest round the year.
General Secretary of Tour Operators Association of Sundarbans Md Rafiqul Islam said the decision of tourism ban for three months will hamper the potential of tourism growth in the mangrove forest.
According to information provided by its president Kochi Jamaddar, the highest number of tourists visited the world’s largest mangrove forest in 2017-18 since the permission of tourism in the Sundarbans in 1987.
No option left other than street showdown, says BNP
Dhaka, Nov 4 (UNB) – Unhappy with the outcome of the dialogue between their Jatiya Oikayfront and the 14-party ruling alliance, BNP policymakers now have made up their minds to launch a ‘non-stop’ street agitation together with its two coalitions after the announcement of the election schedule.