Govt plans to create industrial database for development

http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=113179

Govt plans to create industrial database for development
BSS, DHAKA

Industries Minister Dilip Barua yesterday said the present government is actively considering setting up an industrial database for achieving desired growth in the industrial sector as a top priority to ensure sustainable development.

With the establishment of industrial database, local and international entrepreneurs will get easy access to information for investing in small, medium and large-scale industries, he said.

The minister was addressing as the chief guest a seminar on “Digital Bangladesh: Web Based Salt Industries Information System” in the auditorium of CIRDAP here.

The Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorder (CIDD) project of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) and Micronutrient Initiative (MI) jointly organized the seminar to launch a website developed with the assistance of BSCIC, MI and GIS-based Salt Industries Information System (CEGIS) which will provide information on benefits and usefulness of iodized salt.

Industries Secretary Dewan Zakir Hussain spoke at the seminar as the special guest. CIDD Project Director AKM Mustafizur Rahman delivered the welcome address, while Executive Director of GESIS Giasuddin Ahmed Choudhury presented the keynote paper. Director of MI, Bangladesh Dr Zeba Mahmud also spoke.

The minister said the government would make extensive efforts for industrialization in the country upholding the interest of owners and workers as well.

“It is impossible to make Bangladesh an industrialized country by turning it into a market for foreign products,” he added.

He urged all including policy makers, planners, think tank, media, civil society actors, political leaders and donors to come forward to help the government in formulating a comprehensive, effective and dynamic industrial policy in the regard.

Elaborating the impact on the people’s health caused due to lack of iodine, Dilip Barua said a considerable number of infants in the country remain unprotected from lifelong consequences of cretins, mild intellectual deficit and brain damage due to iodine deficiency.

The government is very much concerned about it as this is a serious national issue, he said, adding that Bangladesh is facing Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) for a long time.

Sonali, Janata to introduce Islami banking in March

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Sonali, Janata to introduce Islami banking in March

Mushir Ahmed

State-owned banking giants Sonali and Janata would introduce Islamic banking in March this year, switching to dual financial system to keep pace with the fast-growing Sharia-based banks in the country, officials said Friday.

Deputy managing director of Sonali Bank Prodeep Kumar Dutta told the FE the central bank has approved introduction of Islamic banking operations in five branches each for Sonali and Janata Bank Limited.

Janata Bank chief executive officer SM Aminur Rahman also told an internal meeting Thursday that his bank — the second biggest with 848 branches and 13234 employees — would also launch Islami banking system in the country.

“We have sought to launch Islamic banking system in our 30 branches. But the Bangladesh Bank has initially approved five branches — one in Dhaka and the rest in district cities,” Dutta said.

Sonali, has already trained a group of officers on Sharia-based banking system and would constitute Sharia board in February before launching a full-fledged Islamic banking operation early March, Dutta said.

Made private limited company in late 2007 as part of IMF-prescribed reforms, Sonali is still the largest bank in the country, employing 22,181 people and operating 1,183 branches in almost every nook and corner of the country.

But the bank is fast losing its share to private banks led by the Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL). Last year its operating profit stood at Tk6.42 billion, which is 23 per cent less than that of IBBL.

Dutta said Islamic banks’ fast growth coupled with rising shares in remittance forced the Sonali management to make foray into the new financial system.

“Bangladeshi people are very religious. As a result, Islamic banks in the country are growing fast, forcing other private banks to rethink their business strategy,” Dutta said.

Launched in 1984, Islamic banking system has enjoyed a rapid growth in Bangladesh where 90 percent people are Muslim, with the private IBBL emerging as the biggest bank after Sonali and Janata.

Deposits of the Sharia-compliant banks have grown 21 per cent to 24.4 per cent of the total banking deposits, or Tk347.30 billion, in the 2007-8 financial year.

During the same period deposits in the conventional banks grew only 15 per cent, according to the figures released by Bangladesh Bank.

As of June 2008, six private banks out of the country’s 48 commercial banks operate as full-fledged Islami banks. Ten other conventional banks also have Islamic banking facilities they provide through 21 branches

The Sonali deputy chief said Islamic banks’ rising share in remittance also prompted some banks to launch Sharia-based banking.

“Islamic banks are eating into the markets that have traditionally been controlled by state-owned banks. In remittance IBBL’s share has risen tremendously in the past few years,” Dutta said.

IBBL with its 196 branches handled 23 per cent of US$8.9 billion remittance sent by Bangladeshis living and working abroad in 2008 calendar year.

Sonali with nearly six times more branches handled only 14 percent of the amount, some four per cent less than the amount it handled in 2007.

Govt set for automation of all institutes, offices

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=73720

Govt set for automation of all institutes, offices
Says commerce minister
Staff Correspondent

The government is set to go for automation of its all institutes and offices as part of its election promises, said the commerce minister yesterday.

“Automation would help ease manual operations and gain efficiency reducing corruptions and reinforcing accountability in government’s offices and institutes,” said Col (retd) Faruk Khan.

He was speaking at a seminar on ‘Chittagong Customs House Automation Project: A Walkthrough and Cookbook Presentation’ organised by Data Soft Management Services at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.

The minister said the government considers strengthening IT education in all educational institutions and extending cooperation for IT entrepreneurs to turn the country into a Digital Bangladesh by 2021.

He said parliament will also be automated soon.

Appreciating the venture of Chittagong Customs House Automation, Muhammad Abdul Mazid, chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), said local talents have made it possible.

When donor-funded projects failed to fully complete automation of Chittagong Customs House by spending over Tk 247 crore and working for around 10 years, Data Soft, a local company, successfully did the job in eight months at a minimal cost, he said.

Mahbub Zaman, CEO of DataSoft, said, “We were able to make the project run at a reduced cost mainly because it will function on build-own-operate-transfer basis,”

He said the project is a successful example of public-private partnership where all stakeholders are involved directly.

One of the reasons behind the failure of earlier projects is that their technology was not transferred to the locals properly, he added.

The main feature of the new automation project is that DataSoft has employed around 45 engineers in the project to troubleshoot any problem that the stakeholders may face.

In his keynote paper, Brigadier Hasan Nasir, project coordinator of the venture, showed the detailed planning and action of the project.

Earlier in 1999, a project titled CAM-1 (customs administration modernisation project-1) was the first step for automation.

Later in June 2001, another project titled ‘ASYCUDA++ Migration Project’ was designed to interface the ASYCUDA++ software with the computer system at five customs houses in the country.

Habibullah N Karim, president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (Basis), was also present at the seminar.

4m tonnes more rice possible by farming flood-tolerant varieties

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4m tonnes more rice possible by farming flood-tolerant varieties

RANGPUR, Bangladesh, Jan 30 (BSS) – Agri-scientists have completed necessary research, experiments and validation of new flood- tolerant varieties of Aman paddy to pave the way of producing 40 lakh tonnes additional paddy every year by large-scale farming in Bangladesh alone.

Repeated success of the scientists and farmers in getting expected production of flood-tolerant paddy in Bangladesh and India have ushered in a new era in the disaster-prone agriculture sector of the country, sub-continent and other flood- prone countries.

The success was achieved through farming Swarna Sub1 along with three new Sub1 entries of BR11 Sub1, IR64 Sub1 and Sambamasuri Sub1 flood-tolerant varieties of paddy using participatory variety selection (PVS) mother trial methods.

In Bangladesh, they successfully cultivated the paddy in on station BRRI Regional Station, Rangpur and on-farm farmers’ fields at Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Sirajganj and Nilphamari districts during the past three seasons.

Besides, the varieties were successfully cultivated in Indian states of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Bihar and Orissa, where the produced seeds are expected to be released by the concerned Indian state governments soon for large-scale farming.

Scientists of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), IRRI (Philippines), Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) and Norendra Dev University of Agriculture Technology (NDUAT) of India and University of California (UC, Davis & Riverside) developed and validated the technology.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) of the USA provided necessary financial assistances through IRRI to disseminate the technology among the farmers under its Stress Tolerant Rice for Poor Farmers in Africa & South Asia (STRASA) programme.

The scientists are now hoping to overcome colossal losses being caused by flash floods to Aman paddy in about 12 lakh hectares potential area every year in Bangladesh alone by large- scale farming of the varieties.

Besides, huge quantities of additional paddy could be produced annually by cultivating the flood-tolerant paddy in over 60 lakh hectares of potential flood- prone land area in UP, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal in India, they added.

Farmers got desired results in farming the Sub1 entries using Developed Agronomical Management Method (DAMM) in Bangladesh last year and the country could achieve complete self- reliance in food by its large-scale farming.

“Last season, we successfully cultivated these Sub 1 varieties, growing plants of which sustained strains of floodwaters for 12-16 consecutive days in northern Bangladesh, then grew well and yielded better production,” BRRI Scientific Officer Anarul Haque said.

The Indian farmers also harvested good yield of Swarna Sub 1 paddy in Orissa even after 35 days submergence in flood waters in 3-frequencies where all other traditional varieties including mega variety Swarna were totally perished last year.

Talking to BSS today, the scientists suggested the concerned governments to approve and release the seeds for large-scale production to overcome the colossal damages being caused by flash floods to Aman paddy every year.

After conducting trials, preference analysis of Sub1 entries by the farmers, extensions providers, GOs and NGOs in the flood prone areas, the BRRI scientists are expecting now approvals of the National Seed Board for production and marketing of the seeds.

Rangpur Regional Station of BRRI in collaboration with IRRI under the Submergence and Flood Prone Environment Agriculture
Project of the Consortium for Unfavourable Rice Environment (CURE) successfully tested and validated the flood tolerant new variety paddy since 2005.

Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Agronomy, BRRI Gazipur and key-site coordinator of CURE working group-2 (BRRI-IRRI) Dr MA Mazid, who is also the team leader of the research group of BRRI scientists, termed the success as a revolutionary one.

Talking to BSS today, Regional Project Coordinator of IRRI- BMGF projects for Africa and South Asia Dr US Singh, who is now in Dhaka to finalize training module of the technology with BRRI- IRRI scientists, termed the success as epoch-making for the world agriculture.

“Rice production in the flood-prone countries can be increased substantially overcoming the negative impacts of ongoing global climate change if the concerned governments took necessary steps for large-scale farming of the newly develop varieties,” he added.

“We have achieved huge success by developing and evaluating the advanced technology and conducting research managements to produce seeds, quality seedlings and farming the paddy in submerged farm lands,” Dr Singh added.

These four varieties were invented through introducing Gene Sub 1 by marker aided selection (MAS), a molecular breeding method, at IRRI into Indian mega variety Swarna, Sambamasuri and Bangladeshi mega variety BR11 and Philippines variety IR 64.

Gene Sub1 bears the character of making paddy variety flash flood resistant for several weeks in frequencies if properly introduced after purifying the same through different process at laboratory and field levels, Dr Singh and Dr Mazid said.

“We are continuing re-examinations, research and agronomical managements of these varieties and frequencies of floods at different areas and regions for further fine tuning of the technology,” they added.

The BRRI scientists in Rangpur and Plant Breeding Division at BRRI headquarters are jointly conducting necessary research for further developing the new varieties and re-inventing next generation flood tolerant varieties of paddy.

The NDUAT has already submitted proposal for the release of Swarna Sub1 seeds to UP state government and Rajendra Agriculture University in Bihar and CRRI in Orissa would submit similar proposals to their respective state governments soon, Dr Singh said.

“Now, we have eight tonnes of nuclear seeds of Swarna with different Indian institutions and another 250 tonnes of Swarna sub1 seeds with the farmers in UP, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal,” he added.

Agri-scientists Dr David Mackill, Dr Abdelbagi Ismail, Dr Sigrid Heuer of IRRI, Prof Dr Julia Bailey, Prof Dr Pamela Ronald of University of California, Prof Dr PC Ram, Dr VN Singh, Dr JN Reddy, Dr RK Sarkar, Dr SC Patnaik of India highly lauded the success while visiting Rangpur station of BRRI recently.

A number of farmers, who successfully cultivated the paddy last season in six northern districts, told BSS that the country’s rice production could be increased if the four Sub 1 varieties were approved and released by the government soon.

SoftExpo ends today with IT boom in vision

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/jan/31/busi.html#2

SoftExpo ends today with IT boom in vision
Alpha Arzu

The country’s largest software and information technology exhibition of the year, BASIS SoftExpo 2009, concludes today, with a target to increase the income from IT-enabled services to $150 million from the present $7 million by 2011, software and information service leaders said.

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services coordinator of events Nurul Alam said the BASIS organised the event to facilitate a presentation of the country’s potentials in information and communication technology to international players in different fields, like national and international vendors and service providers, investors, development agencies, policymakers, and ICT associations.

With four foreign companies from the USA, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Saudi Arab, 93 organisations including three universities are showcasing their products and services in 122 stalls and eight pavilions at the five-day exhibition at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.

BASIS president Habibullah N Karim said the size of the present global software and IT services is $300 billion. ‘If we can take just 0.50 per cent of the service market, the country’s income from the sector will stand at $150 million by 2011, up from the present $7 million,’ he noted.

The BASIS, a platform of 281 member organisations, arranges the annual event to exhibit the software and IT services industry in Bangladesh.

The theme of this year’s expo is ‘Linking People with Technology’.

ICT companies, international ICT associations, local software development companies, successful ICT projects initiated by multinational and local companies, government departments and agencies implementing e-governance projects, ICT training institutes and universities dominate the participants of the expo.

Genuity System LTD is exhibiting its unique gPlex Softswitch Call Centre Solution, Grameen Phone showing its facilities — like BillPay, Cell Bazar, CIC Heathline, Data Service and Basic GSM — offered to customers, and Desktop Computer Connection Ltd displaying the Desktop e-Banking system ClickBD Ltd.

Winux Soft Ltd, US Software Ltd, Roots Information Technology, Moon Networks, Agree Ya Solutions from the USA, Mi3 Inc as well as TechnoVista Ltd have focused on e-governance solutions, e-Government and Dohatec displayed its Voter Registration Enrolment and Multi Biometric Duplicate Detection System.

The participating universities are the American International University of Bangladesh, Daffodil University, and United International University.

Besides displaying products, a number of seminars, workshops and roundtables on the contemporary issues have been organised by the host at the fair venue.

On an average, 600 visitors visit the exhibition between 9:00am and 8:00pm, said the BASIS.

Local government and rural development minister Syed Ashraful Islam is expected to take part as the chief guest at the exposition concluding ceremony, slated for 2:30pm today. But the exhibition will continue till 8:00pm as usual, Nurul Alam said.

Two new EPZs as investment flows increase

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Two new EPZs as investment flows increase
Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) is expecting to attract more investments in the country’s Export Processing Zones (EPZs) as it has received positive signals from the newly elected Awami League (AL) government to go for expansion, officials said.

They said the government has already approved one of their two proposals for setting up EPZs and they have already received approval for Feni EPZ, but the approval of Meghna EPZ is under process.

When Feni and Meghna are set up, the total number of such zones will reach 10. Now the country has eight EPZs in Uttara (Nilphamari), Ishwardi, Adamjee, Mongla, Dhaka, Comilla, Chittagong and Karnaphuli.

“We have received approval from the government for establishing the Feni EPZ, but no decisions have yet been taken about the Meghna EPZ. Hopefully, we will receive it soon.” said a high official.

Officials said the BEPZA is looking to go for extension as there is positive mood among both local and foreign investors and the demand for such zones is increasing day by day.

They said better law and order situation, good infrastructure, reduction of lead time, less cost of doing business, friendly policy of the government, attractive incentives and success story are all contributing to such eagerness.

Bangladesh is known to be Asia’s most competitive production base due to its cheap and large labour-force, they said. Currently 2 28,932 labourers are working in the EPZs, of them 82,416 are male and the rest are female. Officials said decision of expansion was mainly based on high demand and flow of investment.

In the fiscal year 2007-2008, total investment was $302.19 million, almost double than that of fiscal year 2006-2007 when it was $152.37 million, official data showed. During the first six months of the current fiscal year, the BEPZA saw an investment of $74.70 million and at the end of the current fiscal year it will, the officials hope, be at least equal to that of last fiscal.

Prasanta Bhusan Barua, member (Investment Promotion) of BEPZA said that BEPZA last year signed agreements with a number of investors worth $1.4 billion. “The investors will implement their projects phase by phase in around three years. A lot of money is involved here” Barua said.

Data showed the contribution of BEPZA to national export is increasing gradually. In the fiscal year 2007-2008, total export of EPZs was worth $2.40 billion which was $2.06 billion in the fiscal year 2006-2007. In the first half of the current fiscal, export earnings stood at $1.26 billion.

A total of 292 enterprises are operating in eight EPZs and there are 125 plants in the process of implementation, officials said. Of the 292 industrial plants, 173 are totally foreign-owned, 48 are joint ventures and the rest 71 are owned by local investors.

Plans underway to reclaim land in coastal areas: PM

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Plans underway to reclaim land in coastal areas: PM
BSS, DHAKA

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said plans are underway to reclaim land along the coastal belt.

Besides, we would carry out capital dredging in the major rivers so that we can utilise every inch of land.

“We are planning to reclaim land at the coast and carry out capital dredging to overcome the scarcity of land,” she said at the Jatiya Sangsad while responding to a question from Mainuddin Khan Badal, a JSD lawmaker from Chittagong.

Sheikh Hasina, during the Prime Minister’s question-answer hour, said the scarcity of land has an impact on food production and the government has been planning to promote new variety of rice tolerant to salinity in the coastal areas.

She said the Awami League government had spent Tk 12 crore to develop new variety of saline tolerant rice, but the achievement was jeopardised due to negligence by the past government.

“Steps would be taken again to develop such varieties of rice through research to use every inch of land for food production,” the Prime Minister said adding khas lands would also be distributed among the landless people to promote food production.

She said the pragmatic policies of the Awami League government between 1996 and 2001 had led the country towards self sufficiency, which marked a sharp rise of cereal production 2.7 crore metric tonnes from only 1.9 crore MT.

The distribution of khas lands among 1.5 lakh landless has contributed positively to the food production, she said adding the landless this time would not only be given lands, but also be inspired with fertiliser and seeds in subsidised rates along with soft loans.

Draft shrimp policy will be placed before cabinet soon

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Draft shrimp policy will be placed before cabinet soon

FE Report

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will send the draft proposal of the National Shrimp Policy (NSP) to the cabinet for approval very soon to boost shrimp production and expand the country’s shrimp industry.

Earlier, the ministry sent the draft NSP to the council of advisers on November 18 for their approval. But the proposed NSP was returned as it did not contain the recommendations from the environment and agriculture ministry.

“We’re expecting to send the NSP to the cabinet for approval very shortly as we have completed it,” said a senior official of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock on condition of anonymity.

“The NSP would be a milestone for the country and it will open a new window of opportunity for the shrimp farmers and the shrimp industry,” the official added.

“The main objective of the NSP is to ensure environment-friendly integrated shrimp farming in the country and to improve the growth of the country’s shrimp industry,” said another official of the Department of Fisheries (DoF).

Last year, the DoF prepared the NSP with guidelines on shrimp farming with a view to resolving the misunderstanding between landowners and leaseholders.

The DoF took the initiative to ease the contradictions between landowners and leaseholders involved in the country’s 14 southwestern districts, where shrimp farming is very dominant.

“We hope the policy will give the farmers a clear guideline on shrimp and paddy cultivation on their lands,” the official of DoF added.

According to the DoF, the policy will ensure that the shrimp farmers enjoy their legal rights to farm.

The policy will also have a guideline on loans to be provided to shrimp farmers by banks and NGOs on easy terms and conditions.

The draft policy includes a plan for setting up a training centre to create skilled manpower for the shrimp industry and a Shrimp Resource Centre (SRC), the official said.

The policy will also focus on shrimp production and marketing, export, shrimp hatchery and development strategies. Shrimp, the country’s 2nd largest foreign currency earner, is exported to the USA, Japan and the UK, he also informed.

The DoF has set a target to earn Tk 42 billion (4,200 crore) in the current production year by producing around 85,000 tonnes of shrimp. According to the DoF, the department produced around 74,000 tonnes of shrimp in last year.

More than 2.0 million people are directly and indirectly involved in the shrimp cultivation on around 1.72 million hectares of land.

Long-term project for river dredging

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Long-term project for river dredging
STAFF REPORTER

Shipping Minister Dr Afsarul Amin said yesterday that the government has taken up a long-term project for dredging through the riverbeds procurement of three dredgers and one booster pump and other equipment for maintaining navigability of the river routes across the country.

Responding to a question by Iqbalur Rahim from Dinajpur-3 constituency during the question-answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad, the minister said that some 5.97 lakh cubic metres of silt would be dredged under the project in the 2008-2009 financial year and that 1.53 lakh cubic metres of silt from the river-beds had already been removed.

He informed the House that there was a plan for removal of 25.40 lakh cubic metres of silt under the maintenance programme in the ferry and river routes in the current fiscal year while 15. 65 lakh cubic metres of silt had already been removed for maintaining navigability of these routes.

Dr Amin also told the House that the government had taken up a plan for dredging four lakh cubic metres of silt from the rivers Sitalakkha and Balu under the Circular River Route Project (Phase-2) surrounding the capital city and 1.58 lakh cubic metres of silt had already been removed for operation of river vessels.

On a supplementary raised by Shahjahan Khan from Madaripur, the minister informed that there was 30 per cent progress on a project for dredging of the ferry channel of the river Padma between Mawa and Charjanazat and after completion of the project, it would take only 45 minutes to cross the mighty Padma through this channel that would also benefit people of 22 south-western districts in terms of money, time and energy.

Replying to another supplementary from Meher Afroze Chumki from Gazipur-5 constituency, Dr Afsarul Amin said the government had approved at the meeting of the ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) for procurement of dredgers and other equipment for dredging the river beds including the river Sitalakkha for maintaining navigability and smooth transportation of goods through river routes.

Digital Bangladesh beckons, e-governance in offing

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Digital Bangladesh pledge rings again
Govt purchases may go online

Commerce Minister Faruk Khan visits a stall after the launch of 'BASIS Softexpo-2009' yesterday at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.Photo: STAR

Star Business Report

Stakeholders of the ICT industry breathed a sigh of relief, as government high-ups yesterday reiterated their commitment to do whatever needed for the development of the sector.

Two ministers and one state minister promised before the sector people to develop the industry by any means and execute their election pledge of creating a ‘Digital Bangladesh’. The guests, attending the inauguration of the BASIS Softexpo-2009, lauded the announcement.

The major promises made by the ministers included introduction of the e-payment system, e-governance, along with introducing the ICT curriculum at the secondary level of education.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith said all government purchases should go through online payment or e-commerce to ensure transparency.

Speaking as the chief guest at the launch of the five-day exposition, he said: “I think all government purchases should go through the online system so that transparency can be ensured and corruption be checked.”

Bangladesh has huge legal and infrastructure hurdles to pass before an e-payment system can be introduced. The ICT sector’s pleas to set up an e-payment network and introduce digital signatures were not translated into reality.

‘Softexpo’ is a yearly event of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) that aims to showcase products and services by local and foreign software developers. The US, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Russia are also showcasing their products and IT enabled services at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre.

The finance minister hinted at introducing e-governance soon, saying the administration system should be automated and the government should utilise the innovations of the local software industry.

He advised the industry people to go for ICT (information and communication technology) product manufacturing. “We have the talent. What prevents us from producing micro-processors?” Muhith asked.

Bangladesh’s software industry has a less than 1 percent market share in the $300 billion global market. The country exported software and IT enabled services worth $25 million in 2008.

The export target of IT-enabled services of $30 million by 2009 did not satisfy Commerce Minister Faruk Khan. He said the export target could not be set higher due to a lack of government support.

In line with government plans, ICT will be introduced in the educational curriculum at the secondary level by 2013 and primary level by 2021.

“The government must value the commitments made, especially to the country’s 32 percent youth, during the election campaign to create a Digital Bangladesh by 2021,” he said.

“We are working to identify the sector’s problems and how to overcome these at the same time,” said Yeafesh Osman, state minister for the science and ICT ministry.

BASIS President Habibullah N Karim said Nepal and Bhutan have already introduced e-commerce while Bangladesh lags behind.

He urged the government to allocate 5 percent of the total annual development programme towards the ICT sector, if the government intends to achieve the target of making a digital Bangladesh.

The BASIS Softexpo remains open from 10am to 8pm every day. The fair is free for students, but an entry fee for others is Tk 20.

New policy soon to revitalize rural, agro economy

http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/archive/January%2009/28-1-2009.htm#lead-h

New policy soon to revitalize rural, agro economy

Staff Correspondent
The government is going to initiate a new agricultural policy with a view to ensuring food sufficiency and revitalizing rural and agricultural economy.

According to sources, concerned officials at the Ministry of Agriculture are working on preparation of a comprehensive agro policy in order to make the country food sufficient and eliminate poverty of the gross-roots people.

Talking to The Bangladesh Today, expressing anonymity a high-up at the ministry said the detailed specifications of the new policy have not been finalised yet but they will include policies for producing fertiliser locally, reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers, enhancing use of decomposed organic fertilisers, adequate supply of electricity and diesel, promoting irrigation system, inventing hybrid seeds, giving subsidy in fertiliser and diesel.

“We have sent a different kind of fertiliser Urea Deep Placement (UDP) to 230 upazilas to be used instead of powdered urea. 80 percent UDP works as 100 percent urea saving 20 percent but increases 30 percent agricultural products. GoB and USAID are jointly working to introduce this fertiliser in all parts of the country,” he said.

He said as every year demand for organic fertilisers is increasing, 10 tons of decomposed fertilisers made of human waste, rotten trees and herbs to be used as experiment under the demonstration projects.

To promote rural economy specially in the “monga” stricken areas of northern districts, the government is going to implement ‘100 A Employment Formula’ project under which every poor person will get Tk 100 in exchange for a day’s work. Besides, a new kind of rice will be planted in those areas and this can be harvested earlier than the usual season so that people of monga areas will not be unemployed in the month of Kartik, he said.

Apart from these, a new project named National Agricultural Technology Policy (NATP) is going to be implemented under the financial assistance of USAID and just one week ago expert Dr Abdur Razzak was appointed as project head to start functioning.

Monoj Kumar Roy, Deputy Secretary of Agricultural Ministry, said “BADC under projects has been digging canals across the country to promote irrigation system. Deep tube wells are also being distributed under Barendra Multi-purpose Development Authority (BMDA).”

He said the government is also going to fix charge for irrigation to be paid by the farmers to the owners of deep tube wells for watering their lands and such decision will facilitate the cultivators to water their lands at low cost. The government also specified the distance between deep tube wells in each upazila to avoid quarrel and make it scientific.

“Whatever the plan is, now the government is attentive to adequate supply of power and fertiliser for a bumper production in coming Boro season after that it will adopt long-term policies for economic emancipation of the rural people,” he added.

He said recently China gave us 5000 metric tons of fertiliser as donation and the whole volume of fertiliser has been distributed among the farmers of the 59 Sidr affected areas free of cost. Totally 2.50 lac tons of fertiliser have been allocated while 50, 000 tons arrived at district and UZ level dealers for distribution.

Invite Japanese investors now: Japan envoy

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/jan/28/busi.html#2

Invite Japanese investors now: Japan envoy
Staff Correspondent

The Japanese envoy, Masayuki Inoue, on Tuesday said it was ‘very right time’ for Bangladesh to invite the investors of his country as Bangladesh’s transition to democracy will inspire the Japanese.

So far, Bangladesh could not fully harness business opportunities offered by Japan for various reasons, observed the Japanese envoy requesting both public and private sectors [in Bangladesh] to successfully explore the business relations with Japanese companies.

‘More and more Japanese businessmen are recently asking me how the environment here [Bangladesh] is…..I think it is time to come to Bangladesh for business,’ said Inoue addressing a seminar on export diversification held at BRAC Inn in the city.

‘Time is money and timing is also money,’ the envoy said categorically alerting the Bangladesh authorities to remain cautious about right timing for inviting Japanese investors who are rich in capital and technology.

The seminar, organised by the Export Promotion Bureau and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, was also addressed by commerce secretary Feroz Ahmed, EPB vice-executive chairman Mohammed Shahabullah and JICA chief representative Nobuko Suzuki Kayashima.

JICA team leader Shozo Inakazu presented a study on two sub-sectors which are potential for export diversifications in Bangladesh. It detailed the potentials of jute and IT sectors in Bangladesh.

Commerce secretariat Feroz Ahmed said the government would continue its efforts in developing capacity of the diversification of export markets and products.

He said Bangladesh produces the highest quality raw jute and so production of high-value jute products is possible here.

JICA also found that Bangladesh has high quality and low-cost workforce for developing IT services and software and new government’s ‘digital Bangladesh’ policy is also a supporting issue.

JICA recommended that Bangladesh should introduce IT skills standard and arrange placement service and practical training for university graduates.

US fund invests $67m in BD drugmaker

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20091\28\story_28-1-2009_pg5_34

US fund invests $67m in BD drugmaker

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s second-biggest drugmaker has received a $67 million investment from a US equity fund to boost production and exports, a statement said Tuesday.

The investment is the largest by a foreign company in Bangladesh’s fast-growing pharmaceutical sector, according to data supplied by the country’s investment promotion agency. The New York-based GEM Global Yield Fund Ltd will invest the money in exchange for Beximco Pharmaceutical shares valued at 90 percent of the average market value, the company said in a statement.

“The investment by a US fund reflects the tremendous confidence shown by foreign investors in the Bangladesh market,” company vice-chairman said. afp

ICT will be second largest thrust sector

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/01/28/news0791.htm

ICT will be second largest thrust sector

Staff Reporter

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will be the second largest thrust sector of Bangladesh by 2021, hoped Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith.

Addressing as Chief Guest the inaugural ceremony of BASIS SoftExpo09 Muhith also pleaded the stakeholders to work together for the development of the ICT sector.

Commerce Minister Lt Col (Retd) M Faruk Khan and State Minister for the Ministry of Science and ICT Architect Yafesh Osman also addressed the ceremony, held at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre (BSFCC) yesterday.

Muhith said that he dreamt of a country by 2021 when ICT would be the second largest moneymaking industry. “ICT will also be the second largest job providing industry where a huge number of people will make their fortune” he said.

To make the dream come true he called upon all the stakeholders and young generation to cooperate to draw a effective roadmap for the government.

If all the activities of the government can be computerized, transparency will be ensured and corruption will be reduced largely, he said.

Addressing the officials of Bangladesh Software and Information Service (BASIS), organiser of the exposition, he called upon to develop software. “No improvement is possible unless we engage in more software developing activities.”

Finance Minister also called upon the stakeholders to engage in hardware manufacturing business. “In this era of globalization, nothing is manufactured by one country. Different parts of a product are manufactured in the different countries. We can participate in the hardware production market” said Muhith.

Referring to the three ministers including himself on the dais Faruk Khan said that his government was committed to fulfill the pledge “Digital Bangladesh by 2021″ of manifesto.

Earlier the BASIS President emphasised on four pillars- marketing, infrastructure facilities, skill manpower development and banking support for the development of the ICT sector.

Mentioning that Commerce Minister said all the four pillars were included in the election manifesto of Awami League.

Yafesh Osman said ICT had become essential for the modernization of the country.

BASIS honoured Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury, Vice Chancellor of Brac University and Sohel Ahmed Choudhury, Founding Chairman of ICT Business Promotion Council as ICT champion on the occasion.

Ninetythree local and international companies including software firms from USA, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Russia are displaying their products in the fair at 156 stalls in 9 pavilions this year. The expo will also include seminars, workshops, roundtable conference where eminent experts, political leaders, policy makers will participate in this five day long fair.

The fair is opened from 10 am to 8 pm for the visitors. The ticket price is fixed at Tk 20. Student will get free access.

The fair is divided into some zones- business software, outsourcing, multimedia, animation and games, mobile and wireless technology, Bengali software and service, e-commerce, e-governance, hardware technology, telecommunication and networking, ITS and BPO, IT education and ICT development.

BASIS President Habibullah N Karim, said as a platform of interaction between different groups including software providers, buyers, IT users, professionals, media, policy makers, development partners and students BASIS SoftExpo09 would showcase the huge potentials in resources and skills available in Bangladesh.

Among others, Oddvar Hesjedal, CEO of Grameenphone Limited, MA Mubin Khan, Director and A Towhid Chairman of Standing Committee on National Events of BASIS were also addressed the ceremony.

SME entrepreneurs’ forum soon

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/search_index.php?page=detail_news&news_id=57212

SME entrepreneurs’ forum soon

FE Report

Small and Medium Enterprises Foundation (SMEF) has agreed to form a ‘SME entrepreneurs national forum’ for the first time in the country to accelerate the development of SMEs.

The decision came up at a view-exchange meeting between 18 trade bodies and SMEF held in the city Monday, said a press release issued by SME Foundation.

The meeting further decided that a working group would be formed soon to implement the activities of the proposed forum.

Leaders of the trade bodies also discussed to establish a cluster-based industrial park, introducing sales center and display of SME products, SME advisory service center and help line center, business manual, product directory, credit wholesaling, web portal, SME convention and a fair for SME products.

Managing director and CEO of SMEF Dr. Mohammad Ayub Miah presided over the meeting where SMEF directors Mirza Gani Shuvan, Nasrin Awal Minto and Abdur Razzak, president of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Selina Ahmed, president of Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Monoara Hakim Ali, director of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries Shamim Ahmed were, among others, present.

Besides, top representatives of National Association of Small and Cottage Industries, Bangladesh Electrical Merchandise Manufacturers Association, Engineering Industries Owners Association, Leather Goods and Footwear Manufacturers Association, Agro Processors Manufacturers Association, Furniture Industries Association, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), Shoe, Embroidery, Handicrafts and Giftwear Manufacturers’ Association, and Bread and Biscuit Confectionary Association also attended.

The speakers underscored that development of SMEs is an important component of overall economic policy of Developing Economy for promoting employment, reducing poverty, and accelerating overall growth. The SME sector contribution varies by country and depends on the stage of economic development, country institutions, nature and extent of domestic entrepreneurship and innovation, extent of market opening and competitiveness, access to technology, access to finance, development of human resources, access to market information, ability to exploit export opportunities and market-friendly and supportive government policies.

The sustainability of SMEs depends on flexible and credible policy environment, political and economic stability, cost-efficient labour, availability of raw materials, good infrastructure, investment incentives, and positive social attitude towards entrepreneurship, technology transfer and management know-how, they pointed out.

Increasing access for finance to SMEs in emerging markets are due to sales and profitability, employment, higher incomes, increased exports/reduced imports, increased competitiveness, bigger tax base, decreased poverty, reduced social inequalities, innovation and increased income for the banks.