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Beggars passing days in increased hardship during lockdown
Kabir Ahmed Miazi, 65, was begging at Jatrabari area of the city amid the lockdown. He earned Tk80 from morning to afternoon on Friday. Earlier, he used to earn Tk300-500 on a normal day there. But the coronavirus hit his income hard as people didn’t go out due to the pandemic.
Not only beggars but also cobblers, hawkers, home servants and day labourers are being affected vastly owing to lockdown in the country.
Bangladesh government announced a lockdown from April 5-11 and extended it by one week up to April 20 due to increased COVID-19 infected cases in the country. Earlier, after the first coronavirus patient detection here on March 8, all education institutions were declared shut from March 17, 2020 in Bangladesh. The country went on general holiday from March 26 to May 30. However, the education institutions will be reopened on May 23, 2021.
Read Bangladesh braces for ‘another weeklong lockdown’
“I came to Dhaka from Chandpur in 2003. We lost all properties due to river erosion then. After coming into the city, I used to pull a rickshaw. But I am forced to beg after a sudden disease. I have been begging several years to survive with my family,” he added.
Kabir said the coronavirus hit his income hard as people don’t go out following the pandemic. “I have to take medicine regularly but I can’t purchase it properly due to financial crisis. I earned Tk300-Tk500 on a normal day but now I earn less than Tk100 following the Coronavirus,” he also added.
He shared that the government had provided relief for the poor last year but he could not get that. “People don’t give alms like prior to COVID-19 as their income came down. Lockdown has created an extra pressure for poor. We tense all times how we eat to survive if the lockdown continues. Besides, it costs Tk1500 as house rent in the Kajla area. Even the prices of daily essential prices are high,” he also said.
Also read: Coronavirus: ‘What option do you have when you’re hungry?’
Extension of lockdown causing anxiety among low income earners
Low income earners specially rickshawpullers and drivers of three wheelers have been passing an anxious time as the government on Monday announced a fresh countrywide lockdown from April 22.
They have been living hand to mouth as their income has decreased following a countrywide strict lockdown began from April 14, they said.
Though countrywide strict restrictions have been enforced for the sixth consecutive day on Monday, large number of rickshaws and three wheelers were seen plying the city streets alongside other private vehicles.
Also read: Auto-rickshaw, light vehicle workers demand food, financial support from govt in lockdown
Police were seen stopping vehicles setting up a number of checkposts at different points of the streets.
Visiting Mirpur Road, Banani, Mohakhali and Badda Progoti Sarani Road, the same picture of anxious rickshaws and auto-rickshaw was seen in the city.
Rickshawpullers have been running on the main streets defying police obstruction as they do not get sufficient passengers in their respective locality.
Bulbul, a 30-year-old rickshaw-puller, was waiting for passengers near bus stand of Merul Badda. When asked about his daily income during current strict lockdown, he said he could earn Tk 600-700 daily before the current strict lockdown began from April 14. But now he has been earning only Tk 200-300 daily.
"As a large number of people are staying home due to the lockdown, I have to ply rickshaw on the main streets but do not get sufficient passengers," he said.
Solar Home System: IDCOL partners seek govt intervention in loan write-off issue
Five largest partner organisations (POs) of state-owned IDCOL, who played a vital role in expanding the solar home system (SHS), are now seeking the government’s intervention to resolve the loan write-off issue.
Otherwise, they say, they will be deprived of the benefit and face huge losses.
Official sources said IDCOL recently forwarded a proposal to the Bangladesh Bank seeking a write-off approval of Tk 306.41 crore default loans for its 39 POs. Its 44 POs have about Tk 1,400 crore in default loans.
Also read: Is solar power the solution to Bangladesh's growing energy ...
They said these loans, provided by IDCOL, became default because of the government’s fast grid power expansion programme.
“Grid electricity expanded to the off-grid areas that discouraged SHS consumers to pay back the loans they received from POs. Such unpaid loans finally made the POs defaulters in paying back the IDCOL,” said a top official of a firm involved in the renewable energy programme.
IDCOL had distributed the loan after receiving funds from different donor agencies, including the World Bank.
Read Govt rooftops can generate 2,000 MW of solar power, say experts
According to World Bank’s latest data, an estimated $1,094.93 million was invested in the HSH project to provide electricity to about 20 million people — which means about $266 per household.
Of the investment, 63 percent came from the World Bank, 14 percent from the Asian Development Bank and 12 percent from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The entire fund was distributed by IDCOL as a soft loan which resulted in saving Bangladesh $1,852 million while providing clean energy since 2003, says a recent World Bank survey.
Also read: Rooftop solar power: 'Net metering can ensure cheaper ...
It said the project helped households gain $745 million, partner organisations $310 million and the IDCOL $379 million while the government's net benefit was $474 million, said the donor agency.
Solar industry insiders said the SHS programme was launched by IDCOL in 2003. In the last 18 years, over 5.5 million solar home systems were installed.
They said that there was a tripartite partnership to the financial model under which IDCOL provided about 70 percent of the total cost of installing the SHS as soft loans to the POs, while the remaining 30 percent was invested by the POs and the customers themselves.
Read Green energy's share of power generation lagging far behind conventional sources
FM: Bangladesh’s points to be on agenda of Biden's Climate Summit
The “Leaders’ Summit on Climate”, set to be held later this week, will largely incorporate the issues raised by Bangladesh on its agenda as the United States is “giving much importance” to Bangladesh as its partner to tackle the climate crisis, says the Foreign Minister.
“They’ve much interest in Bangladesh. They’ve taken a note of key issues that should come up in the Summit agenda,” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told UNB during an interaction at his residence.
The US praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her leadership in the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) and she will be "recognised for Bangladesh's leadership" of the countries, especially vulnerable to climate impacts, during the Climate Summit.
US President Joe Biden, who took action on his first day in office to return the United States to the Paris Agreement, has invited 40 world leaders, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to join the Summit to be held on April 22 and 23.
Bangladesh talked about the significance of the promised international financial flow at and beyond US$100 billion annually to support sustainable development and energy transformations of the developing economies.
Bangladesh stressed that the funding should be distributed at a 50:50 ratio between mitigation and adaptation at the same time noting that adaptation without mitigation is not a good strategy.
On the issue of the national determined contribution (NDC), Foreign Minister Momen emphasised on behalf of Bangladesh as well as the CVF that all countries need to work hard to fulfill their NDCs at the earliest.
“We talked about US$ 100 billion financial flow and the issue of NDC. Hopefully, these will be included in the agenda,” Dr Momen said.
Khulna shrimp farmers fighting to regain business amid pandemic
The shrimp farmers in Khulna district are struggling to cope up with the Covid-19 pandemic effect amid the low price of shrimp.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the shrimp farmers were counting a huge loss due to the high price of fish fry and fish feed and the drop in shrimp prices also added to their woes during the outbreak.
Fisheries officials, frozen shrimp export organizations and shrimp farmers said frozen shrimp export is the second largest sector in the country and shrimp is being cultivated in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and other districts in the country.
Read Lockdown: Sirajganj dairy farmers in trouble again
The frozen shrimp organisations have stopped collecting shrimp from the farmers. As a result the prices of shrimp have fallen in the local market, which affected the shrimp farmers badly.
Toufique Mahmud, fish inspection and quality control inspector, said a total of 29,540 metric tonnes of shrimp has been exported from Khulna region in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. The market value of the shrimp was Tk 2,360 crore.
But in the current 2020-2021 fiscal years, some 21,490 metric tonnes of shrimp has been exported and the price of the shrimp was found Tk 1,571 crore, which showed a good sign in the export sector, he said.
Also read: Bagerhat shrimp industry reeling under double whammy of rain and drought
Bangladesh braces for ‘another weeklong lockdown’
Bangladesh is likely to go under another weeklong lockdown right after the ongoing one as the Covid-19 situation keeps worsening in the country.
“The ongoing nationwide lockdown is likely to be extended for another week, and the decision in this regard will come within a day or two,” State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told UNB on Sunday.
Also read:Bangladesh put under complete lockdown amid Covid spike
“We haven’t yet got any decision about a fresh lockdown. There’ll be a meeting on Monday over the current Covid-19 situation. But an advice is there over extending the ongoing lockdown,” the State Minister added.
“The decision will be known within 1-2 days as the coronavirus infections keep spreading. If people follow health guidelines properly and stay home, then the infection rate will come down,” he said.
Farhad Hossain said people should be more careful about Covid-19 as there is no alternative to awareness.
As the Covid-19 infections are surging, a decision on extending the ongoing lockdown may come, said some high officials at the Cabinet Division wishing anonymity.
Also read:Fresh lockdown in Bangladesh: Experts skeptical about ...
They said a meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday in this regard where the representatives of other ministries concerned will be present along with the members of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19.
Lockdown: Sirajganj dairy farmers in trouble again
The dairy farmers of Shahjadpur upazila in Sirajganj district have run into trouble again as the ongoing lockdown has choked the sales of milk they produce.
Shahjadpur upazila produces some 20.50 lakh litres of milk a day, but now thousands of litres of milk are wasted due to drop in its sales and lack of storage facilities, the farmers alleged.
As the demand for milk in the open market is declining due to the closure of sweetshops, tea stalls and lack of people at haats and bazaars, farmers are counting huge losses.
Visiting different areas of the upazila, the UNB correspondent found many of the farmers staging protests by dumping milk on the streets. Many farmers were also seen roaming at local markets to sell off cows as no option is left for them.
Also read: Jashore dairy farmers count losses as demand falls
According to Sirajganj District Livestock office, a milk-processing factory was set up in 1983 in Sirajganj by Milk Vita, a cooperative state-owned enterprise. And then the upazila saw the mushrooming of cattle farms within years.
Tk6 trillion budget in the works for 2021-22; govt eyes increased outlay on capital expenditure
The government allocation for public expenditure on goods and services will witness a significant rise in the coming years after a slight dip in the last couple of years.
The government has estimated to spend Tk 401.3 billion, which is 6.6% of the budget, for public expenditure in the coming 2021-22 fiscal.
The country is likely to get Tk 5933.14 billion budget for 2021-22 fiscal, Tk 253.14 billion higher than the running one, aiming to face the COVID-19 pandemic challenge for recovering the economy.
Read BSMMU announces Tk 602.73cr budget for FY 2020-21
The estimation for 2022-23 fiscal has been set at Tk 465.2 billion, which will be 6.7% of the budget.
According to an official document, the allocation for the purpose in the running 2020-21 fiscal is Tk 350 billion or 6.1% of the budget.
The document also reads that the government has estimated to bring down its expenditure in current account, including purchase of product and service, while increase the capital expenditure in the next two fiscals.
It said that the current expenditure for 2021-22 and 2022-23 fiscal has been estimated at 54.4% and 54.5% of the total budget respectively.
Also read: Spending on public servants' remuneration to witness uptick from next fiscal
As per the document, the government allocation for expenditure can be divided in current expenditure and capital expenditure.
Salaries and allowances of government employees, purchase of product and service, compensation and relocation expenses, payment of interest against foreign and domestic loans - these are all found under the current expenditure category. Besides, ‘food accounts’ and ‘expense for structural coordination’ are also under this expenditure.
On the other hand, capital expenditure is spending that leads to the creation of new productive assets and inclusion. It is akin to investment, so government-funded projects and project components in the annual development programme (ADP), as well as non-ADP capital expenditure are the two main categories for capital expenditure.
Also read: Stop unnecessary expenditure of public money: PM
Besides, loans and advance payments, development programmes from revenue budget, projects outside the ADP and non-ADP Food for Work programme and handover expenses fall under this expenditure.
The document stated that in the revised budget for the 2019-20 fiscal, the allocation for public expenditure on products and services was Tk 322.1 billion, that is 6.5% of the budget.
It also mentioned that in 2018-19 fiscal the allocation was Tk 285.7 billion which was 7.3% of the budget that year.
In four previous fiscals i.e. 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16 and 2014-15 respectively, the allocations were Tk 234.8 billion (7.3% of budget), Tk 205.49 billion (7.6%), Tk 182.05 billion (7.6%) and Tk 166.27 billion (8%).
Read 'Unimplementable' budget to cause public sufferings: BNP
The document said that from 2014-15 fiscal to 2018-19 fiscal the allocation for public expenditure in product and service was near about 8%.
Due to various government steps, like enhancement of transparency through introducing E-GP, development in public procurement management and others, the allocation for this sector can be delineated in the government budget process, the document said.
Meanwhile, amid the Coronavirus crisis, the government is working according to what it believes to be 'a comprehensive plan' with four main strategies.
The 4-pronged strategy entails discouraging luxury expenditures, prioritising government spending that creates jobs, creating loan facilities through commercial banks at subsidised interest rates for the affected industries and businesses, and finally expanding the coverage of the government’s social safety net programmes.
Read Govt aims to rein in budget deficit back within 5% from next fiscal
Hopeful of getting rest of vaccine doses from India as scheduled: FM
Despite its high demand in India, Dhaka hopes that New Delhi will supply the rest of the Oxford-AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine doses produced by Serum Institute of India (SII) to Bangladesh as agreed between the two countries with other options open.
“India is telling us that it’ll (March consignment) come but yet to arrive. We believe in their assurance,” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told UNB in an interview at his residence.
He said Bangladesh received 3.2 million doses of vaccine as a gift from India but the consignment of 5 million doses that was scheduled to arrive in March from India is yet to come.
Read Covishield and Covaxin: What we know about India's Covid-19 vaccines
Bangladesh has purchased three crore doses of the vaccine from the Serum Institute and the first shipment of 50 lakh arrived here in January last week while the second consignment of 20 lakh doses of Covid-19 came in February.
The Foreign Minister acknowledged the high demand of vaccines globally, including the demand by some political leaders in India to halt export.
“I think it won’t be applicable for us as we’ve made arrangements and made advance payment. India announced the vaccine will be delivered as per schedule. And we believe it,” Dr Momen said.
Also read: Funding for vaccine procurement earmarked in deals with WB, ADB: Dr Meerjady
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to place an immediate moratorium on the export of vaccines, fast track approval of other vaccines and open up vaccination to everyone who needs it.
Bangladesh to demand 10pc of funds for Rohingyas in Bhasan Char: FM
Bangladesh will demand 10 percent of the funds that the humanitarian agencies raise in the name of Bangladesh and Rohingyas if they do not provide services to 100,000 Rohingyas to be shifted to Bhasan Char gradually, says Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
“Yes, they’ll have to pay because the funds are coming for Rohingyas. We’ll demand 10 percent of the fund if they don’t want to provide services to Rohingyas in Bhasan Char,” he told UNB in an interview at his residence on Friday.
Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar district and the government has a plan to shift 100,000 Rohingyas to Bhasan Char gradually which has already started.
The Foreign Minister said it should not be the headache of the humanitarian agencies where Rohingyas are living.
Also read: Rohingyas want to return to Myanmar; happy with Bhasan Char facilities
“It’s not a matter whether Rohingyas are living in Kutupalong, Cox’s Bazar, Barishal or in Bhasan Char. That shouldn’t be their headache. Their headache should be providing services to Rohingyas. They’re obligated to give them services wherever they stay,” Dr Momen said.
If the humanitarian agencies do not provide services to Rohingyas, Member States will not give funds which will put them in hardship, he said.
The Foreign Minister said they do not know how the UNHCR and other agencies spend the money though they raise funds in the name of Rohingyas and host communities.
Responding to a question on the technical team’s observation on Bhasan Char, the Foreign Minister said, “They’ve a very good and positive observation. Concisely, they’ve given a positive observation.”
He said they will hand over a 10-page report based on their observations and they have already submitted a two-page synopsis.
An 18-member UN delegation visited Bhasan Char in March to have a firsthand view of the housing facility for 100,000 Rohingyas.
Also read: Japan announces $1 million emergency aid for Rohingya camp fire victims
In their two-page synopsis, the team pointed out three points – education for Rohingya children, increasing heights of the embankments and better communication system.
Dr Momen said Bangladesh has no problem in providing education to Rohingyas but it has to be in Myanmar language.
“Rohingyas will have to go back to Myanmar. So, education in Myanmar curriculum will help Rohingyas integrate in their society easily once they return home,” he said.
About further increasing the heights of the embankments, Dr Momen said they will certainly do it for their own needs.
Also read: UN agencies ramp up response for Rohingya refugees after ‘unprecedented’ fire