Beximco Pharma eyes export market expansion

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=87858

Beximco Pharma eyes export market expansion

Sajjadur Rahman

Beximco Pharma, a leading medicine manufacturer, now targets expansion of its export markets to Australia and North American countries.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a forum of 10 Middle Eastern countries, and Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia have already accredited the company in 2008 for exports.

The combined pharmaceutical market of GCC is valued at more than $4 billion. Currently, the multinational companies in Europe and the US hold the lion’s share in the GCC market.

Beximco Pharma Director Zakaria S Chowdhury told The Daily Star, “A team from Brazil has inspected our plant recently and we hope we will be certified for export of medicines there in a month.”

“We await accreditation from the UK administration also,” he added.

Presently, the company exports to 14 Asian, five African, four Pacific and two Middle Eastern countries.

Over 200 small, medium and large local and multinational companies meet around 97 percent of the Tk 5,000 crore domestic market demand.

According to industry people, some of these companies exported medicines worth nearly Tk 300 crore in 2008, which were Tk 200 crore and Tk 150 crore in 2007 and 2006 respectively.

The country now exports a wide range of pharmaceutical products covering all major therapeutic classes and dosage forms to around 60 countries, including some developed markets. High-tech specialised products like inhalers, suppositories, nasal sprays, indictable and infusions are also in the export basket.

Novartis, Beximco, Square Pharmaceuticals, Aventis, Eskayef, Popular Pharmaceuticals, ACI and Acme are some of the leading exporters.

A World Trade Organisation facility has paved the way for Bangladeshi companies to grab the global medicine markets.

Bangladesh will be able to continue with the patented products up to December 2015 as per trade related intellectual property rights. Pharmaceutical industries are now legally allowed to manufacture and sell generic versions of on-patent pharmaceutical products for domestic consumption and exports to other LDCs.

Bangladesh is a country among 50 least developed countries that is self sufficient in pharmaceuticals, the industry people claim.

But manufacturers must strictly comply with the standards for export of medicines in respective countries.

Beximco officials said the company’s export figure would increase manifold in the years to come.

“We hope to take Beximco Pharma’s export figure to Tk 1,000 crore by 2013 from the present national figure of Tk 300 crore,” said Chowdhury.

Beximco is diversifying to parental form of dosage of ophthalmology and nebuliser, he added.

A good number of companies, including Square Pharma, Renata and Eskayef, have won accreditation from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) of the United Kingdom.

sajjad@thedailystar.net

Budget to offer incentives to affected industries

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/05/12/news0003.htm

Budget to offer incentives to affected industries

BSS, Dhaka

The forthcoming budget will have special incentive package to protect domestic industries, particularly the SMEs, from the impact of global recession.

Industries Minister Dilip Barua on Monday outlined some of the salient features of the incentive package, which will be part of the next budget and said export oriented industries will find priority to the support package.

Talking to BSS, he said ceramics, pharmaceuticals, plastic, automobiles, ship building and such other export oriented industries will be top on the beneficiaries list.

The industries minister said although the impact of the global economic recession is yet to be visible on the country’s economy, the export oriented industries are already taking some of the heat of the global meltdown.

He said the government is therefore taking protective measures to save domestic industries. He said the country has a large number of small and medium industries and many of them are leading exporters.

The government is serious to protect them from the global impact of recession. Referring to various duty regimes, Dilip Barua said it is not only the cash incentives but also the policy Supports, which the government is actively considering in the incentive package.

As part of it, he said the government is considering to reduce duty on import of industrial raw materials, besides harmonizing the overall duty structure.

The minister said the number one challenge to the country’s industries, especially to export oriented ones, is to sustain global competition. It has to, therefore, produce goods at low cost in one hand and higher quality on the other. The quality aspects need to be ensured to stay in global market.

He said, “Once we have that level, the country’s diplomatic missions abroad may take more coordinated moves to create more market and hold on the existing ones.”

The minister said the next budget would protect domestic salt producers from the imports of cheaper salt.

He said low quality domestic salt will fail to stay in business and producers must switch to production of quality salt. He said steps have already taken to popularize quality salt production with help from BSCIC.

He said at present salt producers produce it in open field without protection from sands and soil. He said the present government is taking steps to modernize the production system.

About closed and loss making public enterprises, he said the past government had the policy of selling them to private operators. But the present government is looking for ways to run those mills and factories to create job opportunities. But it is not an easy task, he said adding it not only demands resolving basic issues but also require huge amount of money to modernize the mills and factories. The government is taking a holistic views about it, he said.

He said Chitagong Chemical Complex will reopen this year. Then initiatives would also be taken to reopen other closed mills and factories to bring them to production.

Deal on N power plant with Russia tomorrow

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Deal on N power plant with Russia tomorrow

Bangladesh and Russia might sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday on installation of a nuclear power plant, officials said on Monday.

Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina provisionally approved the draft MoU, officials said last week.

A high-powered Russian delegation is expected to arrive in Dhaka on Tuesday to sign the deal.

Science secretary Najmul Huda Khan told bdnews24.com on Monday that they made a lot of ground in the negotiations.

“We are also in favour of searching all avenues for competitive advantage for Bangladesh. Because it is a mega project,” he said.

Bangladesh and Russia finalised the draft MOU following a three-day meeting last month in Dhaka where they had agreed on installation of the plant.

Ministry officials said the capacity of the power plant would be finalised in the final deal but the government decided to set up two plants, each with 1000 megawatt capacity.

Russia did not specify the financial terms which would be settled after the final agreement, said the officials with direct knowledge of the negotiations.

Sources said Russia was interested to provide loan, probably on easy terms, rather than grant. The Economic Relation Division will settle the financial terms and conditions after the MoU is signed.

Russia supplied 10 nuclear power plants last year and has supplied as many as 65 plants to Iran, India, China, Armenia, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland, Bulgaria and Germany. Currently it is constructing 11 power plants in countries.

The first initiative to install nuclear power plant in Bangladesh in Rooppur, Pabna was taken in 1961.

Currently 439 power plants are producing 16 percent of total electricity around the world.

China and South Korea also approached Bangladesh to set up new clear power plant.

Withdrawal of Ganges water by India posing threats to BD

http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/archive/May%2009/12-5-2009.htm#back%20page

Withdrawal of Ganges water by India posing threats to BD
Staff Correspondent

India’s unilateral withdrawal of Ganges water is not only leading to the destruction of ecological and environmental system of Bangladesh but also posing a serious threat to its agriculture, industry and navigation.

The allegation was made by speakers at a roundtable discussion on ‘India’s unilateral withdrawal of Ganges water and our role’ organised by center for international studies at the National Press Club yesterday.

The speakers said India has started withdrawal of ganges water unilaterally through farakka barrage near 18 km upstream of the Bangladesh. As a result, normal flow and availability of water of country’s around 51 rivers have already been lost and the country has started to become a desert day by day.

The Indian government is constructing Tipaimukh dam and Bangladesh government is planning to construct Buriganga barrage to resolve country’s water crisis but it will be another deathtrap for this nation in the long run. As part of a to make Bangladesh a desert, India is withdrawing around eight billion cubic meters of water through constructing various barrages and dams, the speakers added.

The issue of the sharing of ganges water first came into focus on 29 October 1951. The government of Pakistan drew the attention of the Indian government to the dangers of their scheme for diverting a large amount of water from the Ganges to save their Bhagirathi River. Since then, India has been diverting flows of water through constructing various barrages at different points of Himalaya ignoring opinion from all including the United Nation, the speakers further said.

S I Khan, former environmentalist of United Nation in his keynote paper said around 1346 billion cubic meters of waters is needed to meet country’s existing water demand every year. But India diverts eight billion cubic meters of waters forcibly.

Failing to negotiation with India, Bangladesh took the issue to the United Nations on 26 November 1976. The UN General Assembly adopted a consensus statement which directed India to sit with Bangladesh urgently to negotiate a fair and expeditious settlement of the problem. Several rounds of discussions between India and Bangladesh were held and good numbers of agreements were also signed for sharing the dry season flow available at Farakka. But all terms and conditions are violated by India as  Bangladesh is unable to undertake any concrete steps for a meaningful and optimal utilisation of the Ganges water in different sectors including agriculture, industry and navigation, he said.

Around 500 barrages were constructed by India, Nepal and China at different points of the Himalaya. Of these, a total of 350 barrages were constructed by India for diverting flow of water of Himalaya to make desert areas of Hariana, Rajisthan and Gujrat a hub of their modern agriculture, he also said.

“Forming international opinion in our favour about the Farakka issue, India has to be compelled to be accountable and pay compensation to Bangladesh. Otherwise there is no alternative way to bring them under process,” Mr Asafuddawla, a former secretary for water and navigation.

Maritime Boundary Dispute: Dhaka set to take its case to UN

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/may/12/front.html#2

MARITIME BOUNDARY DISPUTES
Dhaka set to take its case to UN
Raheed Ejaz

Dhaka is set to raise its objection at the United Nations shortly to India and Myanmar’s claims over certain areas in the Bay of Bengal which has led to disputes over delimitation of maritime boundaries.

Bangladesh is preparing its case for extraction of marine resources, especially gas exploration, in the Bay of Bengal but has not been able to invite tenders for block bidding as its maritime boundary has not been demarcated as yet.

‘We are taking preparations to put forward our objection at the UN by June to Myanmar’s claim and by November to India’s claim in the Bay of Bengal,’ an official involved with the process told New Age on Monday.

Myanmar has already submitted its claim on maritime delimitation to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, a UN body to deal with the law of the sea, last December while India is set to submit its claim today.

According to the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, Bangladesh must demarcate its sea boundaries by July 27, 2011, India by June 29, 2009 and Myanmar by May 21, 2009.

About the latest developments over the issue, retired commodore Khorshed Alam, an additional secretary to the foreign ministry, told New Age that according to the UN provision, claims submitted by any country would not be taken for final consideration before settling the objection raised by a neighbouring country which might have overlapping claims.

The former navy official, assigned for handling the issue, said that Bangladesh was well preparing to lay its claims at the United Nations before the deadline.

Dhaka resumed negotiations with India and Myanmar last year, during the regime of the military-controlled interim government, after a lapse of almost three decades.

Dhaka opted to go for the negotiations as India and Myanmar recently opposed Bangladesh’s offshore block bidding for exploration of oil and gas even within its territorial waters as Dhaka did not have an internationally accepted exclusive economic zone.

Bangladesh has problems with India and Myanmar on the issue of ‘starting point’ on how to mark the coastlines from the exclusive economic zone that has apparently overlapped claims of the three neighbouring countries due to the funnel-like shape of the Bay of Bengal.

A country is supposed to enjoy its right to fish and extract and explore other marine resources in its exclusive economic zone, an area of 200 nautical miles into an adjacent sea, according to international maritime law.

India finalises construction of Tipaimukh Dam: Adverse impact feared on Bangladesh environment, ecology

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/05/10/news0820.htm

India finalises construction of Tipaimukh Dam: Adverse impact feared on Bangladesh environment, ecology

National Awami Party (NAP) formed a human chain at the Muktangan area in the city on Saturday demanding stoppage of the construction work of Tipaimukh Dam by India. Banglar Chokh

Ehsanul Haque Jasim

The Indian government already has completed all preparations to construct Tipaimukh dam on Borak River just a kilometer north of Zakigonj in Sylhet.

The construction work was postponed in March 2007 in the face of protests from different quarters of their own country and outside of India.

Now the Tipaimukh dam project already been verified by the environment ministry of India. The central government of India has taken new programme to implement the project.

According to the source, the design of the project has been completed. The government of Mizoram State has got approval from the central government to construct Tipaimukh dam spending 5,163.86 crore Indian Rupi cash.

At first, the people of the Mizoram State formed strong movement against the dam construction. But the Indian government was able to convince the people of the state to avoid the movement on Tipaimukh Dam.

After that, the Indian government wants to convince Bangladesh for shunning the restriction from Bangladesh to construct the dam and for this reason the Foreign Minister of India Shib Shankar Menon recently visited Bangladesh.

During the visit he met with Foreign Minister of the country Dr Dipu Moni, her deputy Hasan Mahmud and others concerned.

He discussed about the dam and proposed some facilities from India for Bangladesh if the government of Bangladesh agrees to accept the project of Tipaimukh dam. India is ready to give some facilities to Bangladesh including supplying electricity.

He told that Bangladesh should send a delegation comprising technical and political people to witness the project.

The optimism of the Indian government is that they will be able to convince Bangladesh.

The proposed Tipaimukh dam is to be located 500 metres downstream from the confluence of Barak River, and lies on the south-western corner of Manipur State.

Bangladesh gets 7 to 8 percent of its total water from the Barak in India’s north-eastern states. Millions of people are dependent on hundreds of water bodies, fed by the Barak, in the Sylhet region for fishing and agricultural activities.

The environmentalists expressed deep concern if the project is implemented it could deprive Bangladesh of its share of the international river that supplies waters to hundreds of water bodies in the region. They fear that the dam would ultimately dry up the Meghna River in the greater Sylhet region and nearely districts.

The dam will kill all common rivers of the country particularly the Meghna River, the biggest river of the country.

The construction of the dam when completed in 2012 would bring about a major disaster for Bangladesh, virtually drying up the Surma and the Kushiara rivers in winter season, which water most of the north-eastern regions of Bangladesh.

The Tipaimukh dam would seriously affect not only agriculture, particularly in winter, but is also going to bring about negative ecological and environmental changes in vast areas in both Bangladesh and India.

Among the common rivers, the most rivers affected by Indian barrages and their networks of canals, reservoirs and irrigation schemes are the Ganges, the Meghna and the Teesta.

Although India and Bangladesh have water-sharing agreement for the Ganges, there are none for the other 53 common rivers. With the Tipaimukh dam now underway, India would be diverting river waters from its north to its south and east, thereby putting Bangladesh under serious stress.

The environmentalists in Bangladesh have held many talks on the adverse impact of the proposed dam. They say the dam would dry up the river and the water bodies in the downstream, leaving millions jobless.

It may be mentioned that Water Resource Ministry knows nothing in advance about the construction of the dam and the Minister is also unaware of the dam.

There is no information in the ministry about the dam except for some cutting of newspapers.

Footwear exports buoyant

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=87563

Footwear exports buoyant
Industry leaders say growth may not sustain in recession

Sayeda Akter

Footwear exports have marked a 20 percent rise during July-March this fiscal year, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) statistics show.

The country fetched $144.69 million from exports of the item in nine months, a sharp rise from $131.52 million in the July-February period.

However, the industry leaders warned that this growth in value added leather products might not sustain, as the global financial meltdown has affected the demand for leather and leather goods in international markets.

The July-March leather exports dropped 34.57 percent to $139.21 million. Earlier EPB data showed around 22 percent drop in footwear and a 72 percent decline in bag exports up to February in the current financial year.

Leather footwear and bag makers hope to overcome losses from the decline in leather exports in recent months.

Tipu Sultan, director of Bengal Leather Complex Ltd, said declining finished leather exports had fuelled the export growth in value added leather products.

“The export growth in value added leather products is fuelled by the declining demand and consumption of finished leather in international markets, due to the global financial crisis,” said Sultan, also former chairman of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association. “We produce high quality finished and crushed leather, which is used to produce footwear, bags and purses.”

“Simultaneously, we have offered competitive prices, which has increased demand for our products in global market,” he said.

“The cost of producing leather shoes is lower in Bangladesh than in China and India and this is the main reason why we are receiving orders from European countries,” said Sultan.

“Another major reason behind this growth is the Italian technology we are using, which builds a level of trust among buyers,” he added.

Nowadays many countries like China and India are failing to produce high quality but low-cost leather items due to the WTO anti-dumping rules. So, orders from Germany, Italy, France, Japan and Canada are shifting to the local manufacturers. Crushed leather is the main raw material for locally produced footwear.

Earlier, China, India and Vietnam were the largest leather shoe exporters in the world.

The demand for fashionable and high end leather shoes has declined in international markets because of the recession. But, it has also given rise to an opportunity for the country to produce shoes that are ordinary but essential.

The country started exporting leather footwear in 1994 on a small scale to neighboring countries, including India and Nepal. The footwear business grew in recent years.

Currently, the total market size of Bangladesh made leather footwear stands at around Tk 1,700 crore, of which about 45 percent is exported. The country exports around six million pairs of leather footwear a year.

Apex-Adelchi Footwear Ltd is the country’s leading footwear exporter, claiming more than half of the total exports. The company earned Tk 450 crore last year.

Bangladesh mainly exports men’s footwear, lady’s sandals and shoes and sports shoes to European nations, China, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Iraq, Jordan, India and Nepal.

Syed Nasim Manzur, managing director of Apex-Adelchi Footwear Ltd, said footwear exports may decline in the next quarter of the current FY, as recession strikes consumer expenditure on fashion accessories.

“Export earning have increased in recent months as we produce finished products and many countries like Italy have stopped producing high quality shoes,” he said. “But the recession has taken a toll on the demand for luxury fashion accessories.”

“Our present growth figures are resultant of the orders we received at least 6 to 8 months back. The country’s present work orders have slowed by 50 percent,” Manzur said.

Appreciating the government’s move to increase cash incentive for the leather and leather goods exports by 2.5 percentage points to 17.5 percent from the previous 15 percent, he said the government needs to immediately implement the package, to safeguard the industry.

“Another problem we face is the government’s lack of initiative to devaluate our local currency against the US dollar,” he said. “High interest rates have also slowed our present growth.”

He said Indian entrepreneurs are enjoying credit facilities at a 5.5 percent rate of interest, while in contrast, Bangladesh government lowered bank interest to 13 percent last month.

He urged the government to ensure an uninterrupted supply of power that would help increase the sector’s competitiveness and ensure higher productivity.

sayeda@thedailystar.net

New avenue emerges to boost plastic-ware export

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/may/10/busi.html#1

New avenue emerges to boost plastic-ware export
Kazi Azizul Islam

When the country’s major export earning sectors are showing downward trend owing to the impact of the current global financial crisis, plastic sector shows a significant export potential.

The sector sets on the 12th row of the country’s export earners’ listing with an earning of Tk 1,200 crore annually, is going to get a boost as two global superstores are eyeing Bangladesh market for importing plastic products.

Paris-based Carrefour, world’s second largest supermarket chain after Wal-Mart, has started negotiation with Bangladesh’s top plastic goods manufacturer, Bengal Group, to source plastic house wares.

And IKEA, the Stockholm-based global home furnishing leader, has also showed its intention to source house wares of easily shippable plastic goods from several Bangladeshi manufacturers.

‘We are in negotiation with the Carrefour on bulk sourcing of house wares,’ admitted Bengal Group vice-chairman Jashim Uddin while talking to New Age on Thursday.

Bengal Group, the licensee of the A&E, world’s number one US brand for apparel hangers, also serves the local export-oriented garment manufacturers.

After developing its base on manufacturing plastic accessories, Bengal, few years ago started manufacturing plastic furniture for domestic market under the brand name Bengal Wares. Some consignments of furniture had also been exported to Canada, UK and India.

Bengal has recently started production of house wares including baskets, buckets and treys – eying the growing local market.

`Several billion dollars worth plastic goods export is possible if the government supports the industry to feed required demands in foreign market,’ said Jashim, also the president of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

He cited that China’s earning by exporting plastics goods including toys and house wares is not much less than her export earning from textiles or garments sectors.

He points out that the Chinese manufacturers have lost their competitive edge in many ways in recent times so there is a huge scope for Bangladesh to grab significant share in global plastic goods market.

Many global superstore chains including Wal-Mart, TESCO import apparels from Bangladesh and they would procure plastic goods too if dependable capacity on souring is developed here.

The BGGMEA a couple of weeks ago submitted a detailed proposal to the commerce ministry to take some policy measures in the upcoming export policy. The suggestions include allowing duty-free import of raw materials for plastic industry, establishing plastic testing laboratory, accelerating the implementation of proposed plastic industry estate and easing duty draw back procedures for small exporters.

Govt setting up rural industries to sustain growth : Barua

http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=125260

Govt setting up rural industries to sustain growth : Barua
bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The industries minister said yesterday the government putting in efforts to set up rural industries to sustain development and ease poverty.

“We will have to manufacture import alternative goods by setting up labour-based industries using local raw materials,” Dilip Barua said at a roundtable on World Fair Trade Day-2009 at the IDB Bhaban in the capital.

He also emphasised the boosting export trade alongside enhancement of local market to sustain economic growth.

“We have taken initiatives to establish small and medium industries across the country” said Barua.

He also said the government was giving importance to the development of children and women and stressed the need for developing public-private partnership.

The former chairperson of the organiser Ekata Fair Trade Forum, Abdul Awal, presented the key-note paper.

BB Governor’s robust optimism: Growth rate to be 6 pc, forex reserve enough

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/05/10/news0815.htm

BB Governor’s robust optimism: Growth rate to be 6 pc, forex reserve enough

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman yesterday had forecast the economy would achieve a miraculous growth rate of around 6 per cent in the current fiscal year (2008-09).

“Bangladesh will be hitting near 6 percent economic growth, which will be a miracle at the time of global meltdown when many countries are going to achieve almost zero or minus growth,” he said.

Dr Atiur was addressing the National Conference of Chartered Accountants – 2009 at Hotel Sheraton in the city as the keynote speaker where Commerce Minister Faruq Khan MP was the chief guest.

“Bangladesh will come out as an exemplary player in the entire gamut of the world’s effort of coping with the crisis,” the governor said forecasting the economy to grow by 5.9 percent in the current fiscal year.

The forecast growth is below an earlier government estimate of 6.5 percent but higher than the 4.5 percent projected by the World Bank.

Bangladesh’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 6.2 percent in the fiscal year to June 2008. The economy grew by an average of over six percent annually for the past 10 years, marking the strongest growth spell since independence in 1971.

While talking to the New Nation, noted economists Prof Mozaffer Ahmed and Prof Mustafizur Rahman also expressed the same view about this year’s growth prospect, due mainly to a robust growth in agriculture.

“Prices of commodities increased. Many people have lost job. In this situation, farmers deserve credit for the growth prospect. Contribution of industry in the growth rate will not be remarkable,” said Prof Mozaffer.

CPD executive director Mustafizur Rahman said, “The economy is witnessing slight slowdown in industry, export and service sectors in the recent few months. Growth rates in these sectors did not fall in the first-half of the current fiscal. The slight slowdown in these sectors may be covered by the robust growth in agriculture without making serious impact in the average annual growth rate. So around 6 per cent GDP growth is possible this year.”

Elaborating the latest economic position, Governor Atiur earlier said, “Our economy has done relatively well despite the global meltdown. Remittance inflows have been robust and agriculture also did better.”

“Exports have been hit by the global economic recession but still performed better than many other countries in Asia and across the world,” he added.

Foreign exchange reserve is remaining stable to over 6 billion dollar even after making export payments to Asian Clearing Union (ACU) this month, the governor revealed.

Inflation has also come down to nearly 5 per cent, he added.

In the first 10 months of the fiscal year to April, Bangladeshis working abroad sent home 7.9 billion dollars — 1.5 billion dollars, or 23 percent, more than during the same period in the last fiscal year, official statistics show.

The country’s exports also expanded by 14.5 percent to 11.63 billion dollars between July and March but the strongest growth came before October when the global downturn started hammering the country’s main Western export markets.

Govt firm on building N-plant to end electricity crisis

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Nuke answer to power
Govt firm on building N-plant to end electricity crisis, minister tells roundtable

Staff Correspondent

Previous governments may not have kept the promise to build a nuclear power plant for the last 40 years but this Awami League government is committed to make it happen during its tenure, said State Minister for Science and ICT Yeafesh Osman yesterday.

“We mean business,” he said at a discussion titled “Prospects of nuclear power in Bangladesh”, adding, “The Awami League has pledged to build the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. We are clear about this. We have no option but to go for nuclear power for future energy security.”

The discussion, jointly organised by Buet Alumni Association (Buetaa) and The Daily Star at The Daily Star conference room, overwhelmingly advocated immediate steps to build a 1,000-megawatt (MW) nuclear power plant at a staggered cost of $2 billion.

The discussants felt that the country’s gas and coal resources are simply not enough to meet the future demands while nuclear power provides emission-free energy.

President of Buetaa Jamilur Reza Chowdhury moderated the discussion in which Energy Adviser to the Prime Minister Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and former adviser to a caretaker government CS Karim also participated.

While Yeafesh Osman did not shed light on the expected memorandum of understanding with Russia later this month for two 1,000MW power plants, he said, “Whomever we sign our deals with, it will be win-win for both. We do not want charity. We want to win and we want the other country to win as well.”

Such a plant can be built over a period of five years to 14 years at most with a life cycle of 40 to 50 years. Such plants are costly mainly because safety needs to be ensured.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Project was conceived in early 60s and 260 acres of land was acquired for it close to the Padma since nuclear plants need huge amount of water for its cooling system. Experts reviewed the site in 2001 for a 600MW plant and had certified it as suitable.

The nation should prepare its manpower to run such plants, introduce education to create such manpower in the future and set up a new body to implement and run the project, said speakers who represented Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), the private sector and International Finance Corporation (IFC).

A plant cannot be so large that it generates more than 10 percent of the total peak supply to the national grid. Otherwise, such a plant may cause the whole grid to fail. It means that the national grid should have a peak supply of 10,000MW to have a single unit 1,000MW nuclear plant. The speakers said if the country goes for nuclear power now, the national demand would hit around 10,000MW anyway by 2016.

Towfiq-e-Elahi picked a suggestion from another discussant to address this issue. “If our grid is connected to the regional [India or Myanmar] grid, then the 10 percent issue can be addressed. We would like to extend our grid to the regional network during our government’s tenure.”

He pointed out that even if the country had enough gas, the energy sources should be diversified. Nuclear power should be one of the choices.

“We are open to new ideas. We are committed to nuclear power. It is sad that our engineers went to other countries to build nuclear power plants while we sat for decades. But let us start now,” Towfiq-e-Elahi said.

In addition to ensuring highest level of safety, the government needs to address one of the main impediments to nuclear power, ensuring purchase of nuclear fuel. This can be a geopolitical issue as only a few countries produce and sell uranium, the fuel that needs to be replenished every 18 to 24 months.

The other constraint is dumping the radioactive nuclear waste, which is still a globally debated issue. While it does not emit harmful gases, nuclear waste is an environmental issue. Most plants preserve the nuclear waste at the plant site, while some waste is dumped underground in deserts. A speaker suggested that Bangladesh should strike a deal with the fuel supplier to take back the waste.

A 1,000MW nuclear plant running at 80 percent factor for one year generates waste of 78 cubic feet, the roundtable was told.

Presenting a paper, Abdul Matin, former chief nuclear engineer of BAEC, said currently there are 436 nuclear reactors in the world generating 372,000MW power. Forty-four reactors with 38,848MW capacity are under construction. By 2030 there will be 862 reactors in the world generating more than 800,000MW.

He said nuclear electricity generation cost is cheaper than coal or gas fired power in most countries. The cost of power from nuclear energy in France is 3.93 cents per kilowatt while it is 4.42 cents for coal power and 4.30 cents for gas power. In Japan the cost of nuclear-, coal- and gas-generated electricity are 6.86 cents, 6.91 cents and 6.38 cents respectively. In the USA nuclear power costs 4.65 cents, coal 3.65 and gas 4.90 cents.

Matin explained why there was a renewed interest in nuclear power worldwide. “World’s fossil fuel reserves are limited and depleting fast. There is growing concern about emission of greenhouse gases from the combustion of fossil fuels and the consequent global warming and climate change. At the same time, nuclear power provides a safe, environmentally clean and economically viable alternative source of power generation,” he said.

He noted that if 50 percent of our 13.5 trillion cubic feet of gas is dedicated to electricity, it will provide 3200MW for 30 years. If 90 percent of 1,000 million tonnes of the country’s coal is dedicated to power generation, it will produce 15,750MW power for 30 years.

The country’s power demand will shoot to 5,720MW next year, 9,211MW in 2015, 14,172MW in 2020 and 20,823MW in 2025. Presently the country can supply up to 4,162MW of power.

In the short term, Bangladesh may import electricity from neighbouring countries, improve plant efficiency, import Liquefied Natural Gas and take up conservation measures. In medium term, the country may go for coal and gas exploration, interconnect the national grid with neighbouring countries, go for two 1,000MW nuclear power plants in Rooppur, to be in commission in 2016 and 17.

In the long term, the country should use coal on a large scale for power and take up four 1,000MW nuclear plants for base load in Chittagong and Khulna to be in commission between 2022 and 2026.

Lone drug packaging plant eyes slice of global market

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/05/10/66042.html

Lone drug packaging plant eyes slice of global market

FHM Humayan Kabir

The country’s lone drug packaging company would spread its wings within months to grab lucrative foreign market after successfully meeting a big chunk of local demands, company chief executive said Saturday.

Shurwid Industries (Pvt) Limited last year became the first company in the country to start producing medicine packaging products when its Tk 120 million PVC blister film plant went into operation.

Company managing director Zahedul Haque said the company has now captured some 15 per cent of the domestic market and is ramping up production this year to grab a slice abroad.

“We are now producing 50 tonnes of the film a month to supply to the domestic drug companies. Our products have impressed both local pharmaceutical giants and some overseas companies,” he said.

“We have already received export orders from companies as far as United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and India. We will expand our facilities very soon to meet this growing demand,” he added.

Prior to the launching of Shurwid Industries at Gazipur Bangladeshi drug manufacturers and some specialized garment producers used to import PVC blister film to pack their products.

The country has an annual demand of about 5,000 tonnes of PVC blister film worth around eight million US dollars with about 20 per cent consumed by the apparel manufacturers.

“At present, I am supplying my products to 53 local drug companies including Beximco, Eskayef and Incepta and a specialised ready-made garment (RMG) manufacturer,” Hoque said.

“We are now negotiating with the UK, Dubai and Indian buyers. If we are successful, it will almost double our sales,” he added.

The company imports the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved raw materials from the United States and Thailand to produce world-standard blister film.

“There is huge demand of PVC blister film in the local market. I will expand my production capacity. But an unfair duty structure on the raw materials and finished products is impeding me,” Mr. Hoque said.

Moong cultivation breaks all previous records

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/05/10/66065.html

Moong cultivation breaks all previous records

JHALAKATI, May 9 (UNB): Farmers of the district have brought 1,442 hectares under moong cultivation breaking all the previous records in the district this season.

Of the total, 650 hectares were cultivated in Sadar Upazila, 350 hectares in Nalchhiti, 160 hectares in Rajapur and 282 hectares in Kathalia Upazila.

Local sources said most of the farmers preferred moong cultivation rather than aman paddy this season as it needs a very small quantity of urea.

Officials of Department of Agriculture Extension said they have ensured supply of quality seeds and fertiliser at fair prices and provided technical assistances to the farmers to help achieve good production.

The farmers have produced about 1.25 metric tonnes of moong from per hectare. They said that they were also earning handsome profit.

Moong cultivator Razzak Ali said he received quality seeds, fertiliser and technical assistances from the DAE and also achieved good harvest.

Agriculture officer Feroz Ahmad Khan said that the farmers were interested in moong cultivation as they don’t need urea for cultivating paddy on the lands used for moong cultivation.

Ananda to export its eighth ship

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=87243

Ananda to export its eighth ship

The Stella Moon built by Ananda Shipbuilding, Bangladesh. Photo: STAR

Star Business Report

Ananda Shipyard and Slipways Ltd, one of the leading local shipbuilders, is going to sell its eighth ship to a Danish buyer at $7.5 million, marking an important milestone in the country’s emerging shipbuilding industry, said a senior official of the company yesterday.

Ananda will formally hand over the ‘Stella Moon’ to Denmark-based Stella Shipping P/S on Sunday at the company’s office at Meghnaghat in Narayanganj, said Managing Director of the company Afruja Bari at a press conference in the capital.

Afruja said Industries Minister Dilip Barua is expected to handover the ship to its buyer at a function at Meghnaghat as the chief guest.

Earlier Ananda exported its first ship Stella Maris to another Danish company at $6 million on May 5 last year and six others to the Mozambique government at $6.2 million on November 13, said the company officials.

Talking to The Daily Star, the officials of the company also said they are now building 10 ships of which six have been ordered by Komorowski and four others by Wessell, two German companies.

“We hope to deliver the ships within the next three years as the construction works are going on in full swing,” said a company official.

He said Ananda Shipyard is receiving a good number of orders from Denmark, China and Vietnam as they consider Bangladesh as a cost-effective destination for shipbuilding for its cheaper labour and lower production costs.

Afruja said Stella Moon has 64 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) container carrying capacity with 2,950 deadweight tonnages.

Deadweight tonnage, also known as deadweight (DWT), is a measure of how much mass or weight of cargo or burden a ship can carry safely.

Afruja urged the government to give a 30 percent cash incentive to the shipbuilding industry, scrap the bank guarantee system for importing raw materials, exempt L/C (letter of credit) confirmation costs and give working loan as working capital at seven percent interest rate.

Bangladesh joins multipurpose ship exporters May 10

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/05/08/news0664.htm

Bangladesh joins multipurpose ship exporters May 10

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh, for the first time, is going to join multipurpose ship exporting countries by handing over a ship named ‘Stella Moon’ to the Danish government on May 10.

Ananda Shipyard and Shipways Ltd (ASSL), one of the premier shipbuilding companies of the country, has built the Stella Moon at a cost of 7.5 million US dollar.

Speaking at a press conference, Afruza Bari, managing director of the ASSL said that Stella Moon is the eighth oceangoing ship to be exported to Denmark.

Chairman of the ASSL Dr Abdullahel Bari, director Naval architect engineer Tariqul Islam and engineer Nazma Nowroz responded to the queries raised by the journalists at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) here.

He said, Industries Minister Dilip Barua will inaugurate the handing over ceremony as the chief guest on the premises of the shipyard at Meghnaghat under Sonargaon upazila in Narayanganj district.

Within a short span of time, he said, Bangladesh will be recognized as a destination of shipbuilding in South Asia encouraged by the government’s patronization of announcing green channel facility allowing the industry a priority sector.

As a result of the green channel facility, a number of companies have expressed their keen interest in investing in the sector, he said and expressed hope that the country can earn 20 billion US dollar annually if the government provide the shipbuilding sector with 30 percent cash incentive for next five years.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s recent call to the engineers to build dredger equipped with local technologies, Nazma Nowroz said the country could save huge amount of foreign currency if the country’s shipbuilding companies get the chance to build dredgers.

They demanded the government to allow bank guarantee at 1.5 percent rate like neighboring countries, reducing opening cost of letter of credit (L/C) and announcing working capital at seven percent interest rate.

The Stella Moon has the capacity of 3,000 dead weight tonnage (dwt) and some other ships being built containing up to 6,600 dwt, said Dr Bari.