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FBCCI demands modern logistics system for quick delivery of goods
Businessmen in the standing committee meeting of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce Industry (FBCCI) emphasised the development of a modern and quality logistics system for quick delivery of goods at affordable price.
Besides, the development of the logistics sector is very important in facilitating import and export to survive in the competitive world market.
The businessmen and entrepreneurs said these in the meeting of the FBCCI standing committee on logistics, courier service, and freight forwarding held on Saturday at the trade body’s Motijheel office.
FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam, connecting virtually in the meeting, said that efficient logistics, courier service, and freight forward sectors of the country must be developed in line with the import-export trade.
“Otherwise, we will fall behind in global competition,” he said.
“In line with the industrial policy, 21 sub-sectors should be given equal importance in the National Logistics Development Policy 2024,” he added.
The FBCCI President said that air, road, and rail communication should be increased in addition to sea communication for the development of an efficient logistics service sector in the future.
He wants to develop automation in all sectors so that obtain and renew all types of licenses from one place to reduce business costs and ease of doing business.
Hafizur Rahman Pulok, chairman of the standing committee and president, of the Courier Service Association of Bangladesh in the chair, and Syed Muhammad Bakhtiar director of FBCCI also spoke at the function.
11th Huawei ‘Seeds For The Future Bangladesh’ opens For Registration
Huawei ‘Seeds For The Future 2024 Bangladesh’ is now open for registration with the aim to develop an ICT ecosystem by enhancing ICT knowledge of students in the country.
Bangladeshi undergraduate students in third year or above can enroll for this competition by sharing their resume.
The announcement of ‘Seeds for the Future 2024 Bangladesh’ has come in a launching ceremony on Saturday at Huawei Bangladesh Academy.
Architect Yeafesh Osman, Science and Technology Minister, was present at the inauguration event as the chief guest with Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen in the presence.
Lokman Hossain Miah, Executive Chairman, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Engr. Sheikh Reaz Ahmed, Commissioner, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission among others turned up at the event.
The program was started with a welcome speech by Pan Junfeng, President of Huawei South Asia Region & CEO of Huawei Bangladesh.
This year, the Bangladesh round champion will win Huawei Matebook, first runner-up will win Huawei Pad and second runner-up will win Huawei Smart Watch. Beside these, the top two project teams of APAC round will get a chance to visit China.
At the inauguration event, Minister Yeafesh Osman, said, "China has been helping Bangladesh to move forward in the technology sector.”
Appreciating Huawei’s effort for organising this program, he urged the participants to use the facilities provided by this program.
Ambassador Wen said, "Seeds For The Future is a flagship program of Huawei. This aims to better fulfil social responsibility and nurture young talents in Bangladesh in ICT sector. This program meets the needs Bangladesh in broad prospects in the future.”
He also said that “Young people are the creators of Bangladesh’s future. As well as the future of Bangladesh and China friendly relations. I sincerely hope, the students of this program could full use of this knowledge platform provided by Huawei; engage in many and exchanges, improve to competence to serve the country.”
Engr. Sheikh Reaz Ahmed said “The global ICT sector is valued at near about six billion USD and Bangladesh contributes a portion to it. All this sector is dependable on Huawei. We appreciate that Huawei is giving our ICT talents an opportunity to meet and compete with the global talents in this world of globalization. I wish Huawei success with the program.”
Pan Junfeng said, “We are delighted to launch yet another edition of ‘Seeds for the Future’, an exemplary youth empowerment program by Huawei that underscores our firm commitment to serving Bangladeshi communities. Through this program, we have succeeded providing the Bangladeshi students global-standard grooming facilities. I am confident that this year we shall see more talents joining the competition and leading Bangladesh’s technological progression as competent ICT experts in the long run.”
Md. Nurul Hafiz, Secretary of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission remarked “Companies like Huawei are making investments themselves, in parallel with institutional initiatives. Seeds for the Future, as Huawei's flagship CSR program, not only exemplifies corporate responsibility but also showcases a commitment to guiding young talent globally. The program, designed to shape the next generation of leaders in the digital age, goes beyond technical skills. It promotes a sense of global citizenship, encourages cultural exchange, and fosters an entrepreneurial spirit.”
Bangladeshi students with a minimum CGPA of 3.30 can enroll in this competition. Interested students have to submit their CV to [email protected] by March 20, 2024.
Since its inception in Bangladesh in 2014, the 'Seeds for the Future' has provided valuable opportunities for the youth of this country, offering exposure to state-of-the-art technologies and insights from industry experts. Globally, over 15,000 students have already been benefited from the program.
For more details, interested participants can visit the Huawei official website https://www.huawei.com/minisite/seeds-for-the-future/index.html
FBCCI demands punishment for perpetrators of Bailey Road fire incident
The Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) is working with the government to enhance fire incident protection measures in business establishments in the country.
The FBCCI’s senior vice-president Amin Helaly said this to reporters while visiting the building damaged by the terrible fire incident at Bailey Road in the capital on Saturday.
The FBCCI leaders said to work more strongly with the government to ensure fire safety in commercial buildings of the country.
Amin Helaly led the FBCCI team in visiting the spot and demanded exemplary punishment for those who were responsible for the death of people in the fire incident.
Whether those involved in this accident are businessmen or government institutions, involved in building compliance assurance and supervision; has to be punished, he urged.
Referring to the fire as a man-made crisis, the FBCCI leader said that proper preparations should be made from now to avoid such tragic accidents in the future.
BGMEA President seeks High Commission’s support to enhance Bangladesh-India trade ties
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Faruque Hassan urged the Bangladesh High Commission in India to extend its support in enhancing bilateral trade and investment ties between Bangladesh and India.
In a courtesy call on Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Md Mustafizur Rahman, Faruque Hassan stressed the importance of fostering stronger ties between the business communities of both nations to unlock new trade and investment opportunities.
The meeting took place in New Delhi on February 28, with BGMEA Directors Barrister Vidiya Amrit Khan and Neela Hosna Ara, Vice President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) Md. Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, and Director of Rose Intimates Ltd Sanjay Kumar Naha, also in attendance, , said a media release issued by BGMEA on Thursday
Discussions during the meeting centered around the current state of Bangladesh-India trade and opportunities to further boost bilateral trade and investment.
They also talked about existing challenges in export-import trade, with a particular focus on non-tariff barriers, especially in the trading of textile products as well as possible solutions to address these issues.
President Faruque Hassan underscored the potential for significant gains through increased collaboration in various areas of trade and investment between India and Bangladesh.
During the meeting, President Faruque Hassan requested the Bangladesh High Commission to actively work towards removing non-tariff barriers between the two countries, facilitating smoother bilateral trade.
He also called for measures to ease consular services and simplify the process for obtaining long-term visas for Indian businessmen, aiming to encourage more business interactions.
High Commissioner Mustafizur Rahman assured BGMEA President Faruque Hassan of the High Commission’s necessary cooperation in facilitating trade with India.
PRAN Agro wins FinanceAsia Award for best bond deal
PRAN Agro Limited, a sister concern of the country’s leading business conglomerate PRAN-RFL Group, has received the prestigious FinanceAsia Award as the first business organization in Bangladesh.
PRAN Agro won this award by competing with companies from South Asian countries, according to a media statement.
The award was given at a ceremony held at a hotel in Hong Kong recently.
UCB holds branch managers meeting of Khulna, Barisal, Faridpur
Uzma Chowdhury, director (Corporate Finance) of PRAN-RFL Group, received the award on behalf of PRAN Agro Limited, it added.
Uzma Chowdhury said, "PRAN Agro is the first business organization from Bangladesh to win the FinanceAsia Award which is a matter of great joy for us. PRAN Agro has won this award competing with companies from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Receiving such an award is definitely an honor. It will help to highlight the great progress of PRAN globally.”
BCI demands special fund to finance young entrepreneurs in upcoming budget
He also said that it will make it easier to manage the business activities of the global arena in the future. Besides, PRAN-RFL has a good reputation regarding financial transactions. Receiving such an international award will help to establish this reputation.
PRAN Agro received the award for its guaranteed eight-year fixed rate corporate bond of TK 262 crore. UK-based firm GuarantCo acted as the bond's guarantor and Riverstone Capital as the issue manager.
UCB holds branch managers meeting of Khulna, Barisal, Faridpur
In a proactive move aimed at boosting operational efficiency and reaffirming its dedication to superior client service, United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB) held a pivotal business meeting for the managers overseeing the Khulna, Barisal, and Faridpur regions.
This significant gathering, held at a distinguished local hotel in Khulna on Wednesday, united key stakeholders to deliberate on the bank's performance, strategic trajectory, and forthcoming endeavours.
BCI demands special fund to finance young entrepreneurs in upcoming budget
With Arif Quadri, Managing Director & CEO of UCB, the meeting was participated by officials of the bank, including Md. Shah Alam Bhuiyan, Deputy Managing Director of UCB.
The core agenda of the meeting was a comprehensive appraisal of UCB's performance across the Khulna, Barisal, and Faridpur regions.
Deliberations revolved around evaluating existing strategies and identifying opportunities to augment service quality and product diversity, thereby better aligning with the evolving demands of clientele.
Mr. Quadri expressed sanguinity regarding the meeting's outcomes, underscoring the significance of strategic coherence and collaborative endeavours in propelling sustainable growth and delivering value to stakeholders.
He reiterated UCB's unwavering pledge to innovation, customer-centricity, and operational prowess, thus reaffirming the bank's stature as a vanguard financial institution in Bangladesh.
The Khulna, Barisal, and Faridpur regions business meeting epitomizes UCB's broader strategy to engage with regional teams, harness localized insights, and capitalize on synergies to fulfil its organizational imperatives.
BCI demands special fund to finance young entrepreneurs in upcoming budget
Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) has demanded for creating a special fund to finance young entrepreneurs across the country in the upcoming national budget for next fiscal year 2024-25.
The leaders of the BCI, the lone chamber body industrial sector, placed the demand while holding a pre-budget meeting with Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Abu Hena Md Rahmantul Munim on Wednesday.
The BCI delegation, led by its President Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez), placed a number of recommendations for the government to facilitate the industrial sector for capacity building of micro, cottage and small scale industries sector and encouraging young industrial entrepreneurs.
Trade between Bangladesh-India through Hili land port suspended
The recommendations include providing bonded-warehouse facilities to 2 to 3 sector-wise organizations to promote export-oriented enterprises consisting of small scale industries and women entrepreneurs and phasing out the existing cash incentives and subsidies on exports and instead introducing alternative incentives to promote export.
In regard to income tax, the BCI said that high tax rates discourage new investment.
It urged for setting a business-friendly and sustainable corporate tax rate to increase domestic and foreign investment.
The BCI observed that the corporate tax rate in Bangladesh is much higher than that of neighboring countries and proposed to introduce corporate tax at 25 percent for private limited companies and 20 percent for publicly traded companies.
Empowering the Future: Prioritization of Skills Development and Welfare for Women Workers Stressed for the Sustainable Growth of Bangladesh's Apparel Industry
"This will encourage businesses at the local level and also investment in the country which will play a supporting role", it said, recommending a minimum 5 years tax holiday for micro, cottage and small scale industries and young industrial entrepreneurs.
The BCI proposed a source tax of 3 on import of industrial raw materials and raising the tax-free income limit to Tk 5 lakh for the individual.
DCCI seminar urges sustainable policy reforms for trillion dollar economy
It said that in view of inflation and cost of living, the current personal tax exemption limit and the existing income tax rate should be revised for the next fiscal year 2024-2025.
BCI leaders Abul Kalam Bhuiyan, Zia Hyder Mithu, MA Razzak Khan, Ruslan Nasir, Nazmul Anwar, Md Khair Mia and Md Mahfuzur Rahman, among others, were present in the meeting.
Banglalink provides country's fastest internet
Banglalink, the country's innovative digital operator, has announced that it has won the Ookla® Speedtest Award™ for the "Fastest Mobile Network" in Bangladesh, a distinction maintained consistently over the past four years.
This recognition underscores Banglalink's unwavering commitment to delivering unparalleled network performance and reliability. Banglalink secured the top spot in Ookla's Speedtest Report for Q3-Q4 2023, achieving an impressive Speed Score™ of 32.65 Mbps, making this win 8th time in a row.
Drawing from daily results gathered through the Ookla Speedtest® app each day, it gives the most accurate and comprehensive view of worldwide network performance, quality, and accessibility, according to a media statement.
Banglalink unveils latest postpaid package ‘SELECT’
Erik Aas, CEO of Banglalink, said, "Our steadfast commitment to a customer-centric ethos is demonstrated through the delivery of the nation's fastest internet. We have undertaken a significant expansion, doubling our network reach, to empower our customers with unparalleled connectivity. By unleashing the power of the fastest internet, Banglalink is actively paving the way for a Smart Bangladesh, setting the industry standard for internet excellence."
"After conducting an in-depth analysis of consumer-initiated tests taken with Speedtest, Banglalink has been named the Fastest Mobile Network in Bangladesh by Ookla's Speedtest Awards, making this win 8th time in a row," said Stephen Bye, president and CEO of Ookla, a division of Ziff Davis.
"This award is given to mobile network operators that demonstrate exceptional speed and performance in comparison to other major mobile networks in the market for Q3-Q4 2023. We are thrilled to acknowledge Banglalink for this achievement, which is the result of their unwavering focus on delivering a superior network experience to their customers, Stephen added.
Banglalink declares winners of ‘7th Banglalink Ennovators’
This accomplishment is particularly significant for its growing subscriber base of 43 million and a network supported by 16,000+ towers spread across the nation, featuring the highest spectrum allocation per customer in the industry.
Trade between Bangladesh-India through Hili land port suspended
Export-import between Bangladesh and India through Dinajpur’s Hili land port remained suspended on Monday on the occasion of the holy Shab-e-Barat.
However, movement of travellers through the land port remained normal.
Mostafizur Rahman, general secretary of Hili Land Port Importer-Exporter Group, said trade through the border remained suspended due to the public holiday on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat.
The trade through the land port will resume from Tuesday, he said.
Sheikh Ashraful, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Hili Immigration Check Post, said although the trade between the countries was suspended passenger movement remained as usual.
REHAB election on Feb 27
The voting for the biennial committee of the Real Estate and Housing Association Bangladesh (REHAB) for session 2024–26 will be held in Dhaka on February 27.
The election will start at 10 am and continue till 4 pm without any break at the pre-scheduled venue, Farmgate Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB), according to a media release signed by the REHAB DGM Md A Rashid Babu.
A total of 86 candidates are contesting for 29 director posts in Dhaka, while seven candidates are contesting for three director posts in Chattogram.
A total of 476 voters were elected from the members.