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Books on Bangladesh
REPUBLICAN REFERENCE
Area (sq.km)
144,000
Population
144,319,628
Capital
Dhaka
Currency
taka (BDT)
President
Iajuddin Ahmed
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Update No: 006 - (29/06/06)
POLITICS
Last month, the Chief Election Commission opted to make a fresh electoral
roll ignoring a High Court verdict which sparked much criticism and has created
a negative image for the CEC just before the next general election, to the
extent of jeopardizing its image. The demand for resignation of the chief
election commissioner (CEC) has now become the primary subject in Bangladesh's
politics with the opposition parties pledging to step up a stronger movement in
coming weeks. People are disgruntled because even when the Supreme Court ordered
the EC to cancel the new voters' list and revise the old one (prepared in 2000),
the Chief Election Commissioner procrastinated and failed to comply with the
order. Moreover, the EC's latest decision to revise the electoral roll without
making door to door visits to enlist voter support was the cause for final
outrage as it asked the people who were left out, to come to the local election
offices to enlist their names. Legal experts and former election commissioners
have been extremely critical of the latest decision by the EC calling it
illegal. Those on the political side of the spectrum argue that the EC's
decision is a ploy to delay the next parliamentary election that would
indirectly benefit the ruling four-party coalition government which is currently
facing hardships and public protests due to the increase in prices of
commodities, shortage of electricity and a hike in fuel prices. The opposition
has demanded the immediate resignation of the CEC and two election
commissioners. There are also rumours alleging that the government is using the
supposedly independent CEC as a body to serve its own interests.
BANGLADESH AND INDIA
Sheikh Hasina, leader of the Bangladeshi opposition met with India's
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi
to discuss a set of wide-ranging issues extending from regional security,
terrorism and furthering relations between Awami League (AL) and India's ruling
party Congress. The minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed told
reporters that India enjoys very good relations with Bangladesh. Hasina's
Political Secretary, Saber Hossain Chowdhury said she had 'substantive'
discussions with Sonia Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee in a 'cordial and friendly
atmosphere'. In addition to the issues mentioned above, measures to facilitate
people-to-people contacts were also the focus of talks as a reflection of
Hasina's commitment to free South Asia from the problems of poverty. During her
interaction with Sonia Gandhi, traditional ties between Awami League and
Congress and Indo-Bangladesh relationship dominated the discussions. The two
leaders also talked about democracy in countries of the region and agreed that
democracy is the best counter to all forms of extremism. Senior Congress leader
Karan Singh was also present at the meeting Hasina had with Gandhi.
BANGLADESH AND THE UNITED KINGDOM
The Department for International Development (DFID), of the Government of
the United Kingdom, signed an agreement with the Economic Relations Division (ERD)
of the Government of Bangladesh to help the improvement of transport networks in
rural areas. A sum of seven million pounds sterling equivalent to eighty crore
Taka will be given to Bangladesh in the coming fiscal year. The money will be
used to purchase four thousand meters of equipment for one hundred bridges in
rural areas selected on a priority basis. The Portable Steel Bridging Project is
being implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). The
Bangladesh government will also add a sum of twenty crore taka from its own
internal fund to the project. This project was mainly conceived to ease the
pressure caused by the burgeoning movement of goods and people between rural and
urban areas. The farming community needs an efficient transportation network to
reach perishable produces to markets in cities and towns. As a wide array of
road networks are being used for such purposes, the demand for constructing
bridges has also gained importance. Most roads have to be connected across small
rivers which require adequate infrastructure and the wherewithal to maintain the
bridges. The use of steel bridges will accelerate the process and business
community by allowing easy access through roads and bridges, thereby promoting
and expanding economic activity. The major challenge that lies in the successful
implementation of this project is the frequent delays in executing development
projects. This problem must be avoided in order to increase efficiency and make
the resources available to rural farmers at the earliest.
ECONOMY AND BUSINESS
Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone maker intends to strengthen its
network business in Bangladesh which is a great sign for business in Bangladesh.
Rajeev Suri, Nokia's Senior Vice President for Asia Pacific Networks told a news
conference in Dhaka that the company was strongly committed to the fast growing
Bangladesh market. The major goal for Suri and his company is to make mobile
communications affordable and accessible to the country's people. Nokia has also
set up a headquarters in Bangladesh to oversee its mobile handset business in
emerging Asian markets, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and
Maldives. Bangladesh introduced cell phones in 1992 and mobile connections
outstrip fixed lines in Bangladesh. The number of current users has rose to 11
million in early 2006 from 200,000 in 2001, and analysts predict it will rise to
over 20 million by 2007. There are only a million fixed-line phones provided by
state-owned Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board. According to Suri, Nokia
seeks to ensure that the number of mobile subscribers globally, grows from 2
billion in September 2005 to 3 billion (half the worlds current population) by
2008, of which around 80 per cent will come from new growth markets.
Bangladeshi companies and organisations have received 12.00 billion taka (1200
crore) spot orders in the recently-concluded Bangladesh single country trade
fair in Riyadh of Saudi Arabia. The Bangladesh Business Community which
organized the fair, made the revelation on the basis of information gathered
from participating banks, insurance companies, real estate companies,
pharmaceuticals, handicrafts, electrical cable manufacturers and food product
companies. However, the Bangladeshi companies could not sign any memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with any Saudi entrepreneur for investment, as there is no
bilateral trade agreement at the government level. The fair was held from May
24th to 27th last at Riyadh Palace Hotel and 46 Bangladeshi companies and
organizations participated in the fair. Another fair, of a similar kind, is
scheduled to be organized in September this year in Jeddah.
The Union commerce ministry in India plans to request the finance ministry to
lift the ban on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Bangladesh. The Union
Minister of State for Commerce in India, Mr Jairam Ramesh said that he would ask
the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) to take up the issue
with the finance ministry. Ramesh supports FDI from Bangladesh on the grounds
that if India wants to invest in Bangladesh, then it should support FDI from
Bangladesh. The Indo-Bangladesh Task Force was set up on June 4th, 2006 and now
India has eased the entry of 16 duty free categories into the country which
include iron ore, paper pulp, limestone, plastic and fruit pulp.
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