Cotton consumption will increase by 10-15 percent in 2013 on the back of higher ready-made garment exports, industry insiders said yesterday. “RMG exports are displaying a distinct upward trend, which will increase demand for cotton,” said Jahangir Alamin, president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association
Month: January 2013
Import slump sends reserve to record $13b
The country’s foreign exchange reserve on Monday crossed $13-billion mark for the first time due mainly to a slump in imports in the last few months, Bangladesh Bank’s dollar buying spree and increasing remittance inflow. A BB official told New Age on Monday that the forex reserve had reached $13.05 billion
Turnover hits six-month low on liquidity crunch
The dearth of liquidity took a toll on the premier bourse’s turnover, which was the lowest in six months yesterday. Turnover stood at Tk 121 crore, down 16.39 percent from the previous day’s Tk 145 crore. DGEN, the benchmark general index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, lost 0.88 percent or 36.81 points to end the day at ... Read more
Bangladesh may get $1b Belarusian investment
The Belarus government may invest $1 billion in different sectors of Bangladesh, including agriculture, livestock, finished products, food and drugs industry. A delegation of Belarus yesterday expressed their interest to utilise the country’s potential in production and preservation of milk and milk
Young entrepreneurs from US meet Yunus
A team of 16 young entrepreneurs from the US called on Professor Muhammad Yunus at Yunus Centre in Dhaka on Saturday. Professor Yunus elaborated on his renowned microcredit programmes, and stressed that entrepreneurship was at the heart of all positive human
Vivek Sood joins as GP CEO
Vivek Sood on Monday took charge as the chief executive officer of Grameenphone. Sood, an Indian national, replaced former CEO Tore Johnsen after the GP board of directors approved the appointment on December 19. He is the first non-Norwegian CEO of the GP where the Norwegian operator Telenor
Novoair to debut flights on domestic routes tomorrow
Novoair, a new private airline, is set to spread its wings tomorrow on domestic routes with promises of better services and competitive fares. Staring from Dhaka, the carrier will initially operate four flights to Chittagong, one flight to Cox’s Bazar and one to Jessore
Regent looks overseas with two Boeing aircraft
Regent Airways, a private airline in Bangladesh, is set to expand its fleet with two Boeing Next Generation 737-700 aircraft as it prepares to start international operations in May. The airplanes will join Regent’s fleet of two Bombardier Dash-8-Q300 aircraft in April and May under a six-year lease from International Lease Finance Corporation
DU students charged extra fees
The authorities of newly constructed Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall and Santosh Chandra Bhaban of Jagannath Hall are charging extra fees from the students attached to the dormitories, students have alleged. The students said the authorities Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall were realising Tk 4,000 while the authorities of Santosh Chandra Bhaban Tk 1,700 as ‘caution
Mainstreaming nutrition programmes still a far cry: experts
Senior paediatrician and adviser of Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation MQK Talukder on Monday criticised the government as he said there was no visible activities even one year after mainstreaming the nutrition programmes nationally. He was addressing a programme organised by the Alive and Thrives at BRAC Centre Inn
Kenny Rogers Roasters launched
The Capita Food and Beverage Limited on Sunday launched a restaurant of International Food Franchise ‘Kenny Rogers Roasters’ at Gulshan in the capital, said a press release. The restaurant was inaugurated by Dato Francis Lee, president of Kenny Rogers Roasters International, and Mukarram Husain Khan, chairman of Capita Food and Beverage
Dutch coaches promise high
Bangladesh’s proposed Dutch national coach Lodewijk de Kruif promised to take Bangladesh to 100 to 120 in the FIFA rankings if he is given the job as planned for one year. Lodewijk and his assistant Rene Koster arrived in Dhaka on Monday to asses the facilities and are expected to sign a one-year contract if ... Read more
Ctg Kings, Duranto at loggerheads over Tait
Two franchises – Chittagong Kings and Duranto Rajshahi – are at loggerheads as both the sides claim to avail the services of Australian pace bowler Shaun Tait in the upcoming edition of the Bangladesh Premier League. Under the BPL rule a franchise can avail the services of any player through applying to the
Jamal leave it late
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club regained solo lead in the Grameen-phone Bangladesh Premier League when they beat Feni Soccer Club by the odd goal in three at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Nigerian striker Mike Otojareri put the new leviathans ahead in the 78th minute before his compatriot Victory Antoni levelled the margin for Feni in ... Read more
BPL schedule announced
Defending champions Dhaka Gladiators will take on Khulna Royal Bengals at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on January 18 in the first game of the second edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20. Apart from Miprur, matches will also take place at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna and the MA Aziz ... Read more
MRA moves to cut further microcredit interest rate
The Microcredit Regulatory Authority has taken further move to trim down the rate of interest at which the micro finance institutions are lending money to their clients who are mostly poor. Currently no MFI is allowed to provide loans at more than 27 per cent rate of interest to their clients. ‘Now, we are working ... Read more
Stray incidents mark shutdown
The countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal enforced on Sunday by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance in protest at the price hike of fuel oils partially disrupted life and businesses in the capital and other cities and towns. Police in riot gear used tear gas and rubber bullets to break up stray processions in the
Wasfia conquers highest point of Antarctica
Bangladeshi mountaineer Wasfia Nazreen conquered Mount Vinson, the highest point of Antarctica, on Saturday as part of her ongoing quest to climb the seven highest mountains of the world’s seven continents. Wasfia, who was the second Bangladeshi woman to climb Mount Everest, set off for the frozen continent from Chile on December 29 after partaking ... Read more
Buet team wins Saarc programming contest
The students of Buet bagged the winning trophy at the Third Quazi Azher Ali SAARC Programming Contest-2012 held in the capital on Saturday. Buet’s “Choker” became the champion team while Dhaka University’s “Angry Birds” and Buet’s “Merry Enzam” became the runner-up and second runner-up teams respectively in
Samina talks about music industry revival
She created a buzz in her schooldays winning the First Prize for Patriotic Songs in the Reality Show—‘Notun Kuri’ in 1977. Under the proper guidance from her father, renowned singer Mahmudun Nabi, she developed as a quality playback contemporary singer. The melodious singer made a brilliant beginning her professional musical career in 1981 with the