CPD Chairman Prof Rehman Sobhan has said that over the last decade, crony capitalism has spread from the parliament to the district, upazila and even union levels, fostering an undemocratic attitude within the government. He made the remarks while delivering a lecture at the annual international research conference organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) on Saturday. Delivering a lecture titled "Agenda for Economic and Social Reform" during the second session of the conference, chaired by BIDS Director General Dr Binayak Sen, Prof Sobhan highlighted key structural issues in the country. CPD emerged as a vital platform for public interest beyond political boundaries, Amir Khosru says “There is a structural problem in our country. For this reason, sustainable development will not be possible if institutional reforms are not carried out. Our export sector cannot be limited to clothing only,” he said. Rehman Sobhan stressed the need for export diversification, saying, “When the market does not work in our construction industry and other industries, including the ceramic industry, the state has to intervene. But here the state itself is unable to play an effective role.” Prof Sobhan acknowledged improvements in certain social indicators, including sanitation facilities, maternal mortality, and child mortality. He, however, expressed concerns over the rise of crony capitalism, which he said has led to undemocratic tendencies in governance. Bangladesh's economy lags behind Sri Lanka, Nepal: CPD Speaking about anti-discrimination, he shared a personal anecdote: “I have been talking about anti-discrimination all my life, but how much progress has been made is a big question because I was a member of the Planning Commission, when I was going to a function with the status of a state minister, my car's starter stopped. Then I had to push the car. And now the members of the Planning Commission need AC in their cars. Even branded cars worth crores of taka are used.” Prof Sobhan also pointed to regional inequalities, noting that areas like Rangpur suffer from significant disparities compared to Dhaka and Chattogram.

The evolving global order and changing geo-economic landscape present both challenges and opportunities for developing countries, as highlighted by renowned economist Wahiduddin Mahmud. He shared his insights during a public lecture titled “Evolving Global Order and Geo-economics: Implications for Less Developed Countries” at the annual BIDS (Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies) conference in Dhaka. Thailand keen on FTA with Bangladesh as soon as possible The session, moderated by Policy Research Institute Chairman Zaidi Sattar, featured discussions with key figures including Selim Raihan, Executive Director of SANEM (South Asian Network on Economic Modelling), and Dr. Binayak Sen, Director General of BIDS. Mahmud emphasized the significance of strong public support for governments to align political and foreign economic interests effectively. He pointed out that this support is crucial in tackling the exploitation of developing countries by multinational companies. He also noted the distinct nature of the current geopolitical tensions between superpowers, particularly the US and China, compared to the Cold War era. High-level Saudi business delegation in Dhaka to explore investment opportunities here Discussing the economic strategies of Vietnam and China, Mahmud illustrated how government involvement in privatized sectors can yield benefits. Zaidi Sattar reflected on the shift from globalization to economic nationalism, observing that even advocates of globalization are adopting protectionist policies. This, he suggested, requires deep consideration by developing countries in crafting their economic strategies. Selim Raihan commented on Bangladesh's historical non-involvement in geopolitics and its emerging role as a significant player amidst global power conflicts. FBCCI will support steel industry to increase exports to Commonwealth nations Overall, the discussions at the BIDS conference underscored the need for developing countries like Bangladesh to carefully navigate the new global order, balancing internal economic policies with external geopolitical pressures.

Bangladesh is falling behind other South Asian nations in average productivity due to a deficit in trained labour force, revealed a study by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies. BIDS, a government-aided public research organization,  disclosed in the study report on Sunday at a city hotel in the capital. The research found that around 96 per cent of the country’s labour force are unskilled and cannot make the desired contribution in the production sector. It is said that the productivity of Bangladesh is the lowest compared to other South Asian countries because the workers are not properly trained for skills. BIDS conducted the study on 15 industrial sectors including jute, pharmaceutical, plastic, construction, and other manufacturing factories. Also read: Bangladesh, EU, other partners discuss labour rights Experts from the government and private sectors were present at the report release ceremony. Planning Minister MA Mannan was the chief guest at the function. Nasreen Afroz, the executive chairman of the National Skill Development Authority was the special guest. Among others, DU professor Dr. Sayema Haque Bidisha,  Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, spoke at the function. Director General of the BIDS Dr. Binayak Sen presided over the program. Senior research fellow of BIDS Dr. Kazi Iqbal led a group of young researchers to conduct the study. He presented the report on the occasion. Mannan said, 'Good governance is needed, but development is needed first.’ The rural and village people want water, electricity, and fertilizer, and they have no idea of good governance. What they want is security, he said. Nasreen Afroz said that the gazette of the National Development Policy-2022 will be published soon.  An action plan has been prepared in this regard, she said. Also read: World Day Against Child Labour tomorrow Dr. Binayak said explained the objective of the survey. He said the survey seeks to find out the country’s requirement of workers in next 10 years and what policy support is expected from the government. Expert panel discussants said that the programmes taken in the name of skill development did little to achieve the target. They said training is definitely needed, but job opportunities must be secured before that. Otherwise, it will not be beneficial. Quality education should also be given importance. According to the BIDS study, the construction sector has the most unskilled workers. The number of unskilled workers in this sector is 98 per cent. Up to72 per cent of workers in the light engineering sector have no education. The study noted that there is a substantial shortage of skilled workers in the agro-processing industry. Professionals, machine operators and skilled workers in the IT sector are most in demand. Apart from this, the survey mentions that the demand for nursing is increasing. The survey revealed that 47 per cent of the workers going abroad are unskilled.

Raheem Sterling edged closer to a move to Chelsea as he bid farewell to Manchester City on Wednesday. Sterling is on the cusp of completing a transfer of around 50 million pounds ($60 million) to City’s Premier League rival and he has reportedly flown out to Los Angeles to join up with Chelsea on its preseason tour and put pen to paper on a five-year deal. The England attacking midfielder posted an emotional message on social media, along with a video of highlights of his time at City. Read: Erling Haaland Transfer: Five Interesting Facts About Manchester City's New Signing “Seven seasons, eleven major trophies, a lifetime of memories,” it read. “To the coaching staff who have played a massive role in my development over the years, to my teammates who have become more than just those I share a pitch with, to the backroom staff, to the office staff, to the fans who have tirelessly supported the team, and to everyone involved with Manchester City, my respect for you couldn’t be greater. “What a ride it’s been.” Sterling joined City from Liverpool in 2015 for a fee of nearly 50 million pounds, making him then the most expensive English player of all time. The 27-year-old Sterling helped City to win four league titles and scored 131 goals in 339 games across all competitions. He was in-and-out of the team last season and did not start either leg of the Champions League semifinal loss to Real Madrid or the Premier League title-clincher against Aston Villa on the final day. Also read: Manchester City vs Real Madrid 2022: Champions League Semi-Final Match Preview “I am thankful for the ups and the downs,” Sterling added in his post. “As it’s the downs that have, at times, tested my strength and resolve, and enabled me to stand here in front of you as the best possible version of myself. “I arrived in Manchester a 20-year-old, today, I leave as a man.”

Dr Binayak Sen has been appointed as the director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), the state-backed development think-tank. "I took over here officially today. I will serve the institution for the next three years," he told UNB.  He succeeds Khan Ahmed Sayeed Murshid. Earlier, Dr Sen was a Research Director at the institution. He came from Bianibazar of Sylhet.  Also read: BIDS publishes ‘Readings in Bangladesh Development’ "I will try to speed up the activities of BIDS. I hope its reputation would spread across the globe in future," he also said. Dr Binayak joined BIDS in 1986. He has worked with poverty, income disparity and human development for long. He gathered a lot of experience to work in the labour market, social safety net, good governance and political economics etc. Also read: 13pc people lost jobs due Covid-19 pandemic: BIDS Around 70 research reports were published in local and international journals, according to him. Dr Sen worked as senior economist at the World Bank's head office from 2004-2009. He completed his MA in Economics from the Moscow State University and did PhD in Economics from the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) commemorated Bangabandhu’s birth centenary by publishing two volumes of a “Readings in Bangladesh Development” on Wednesday.

The coronavirus outbreak has left around 20,000 workers in Khulna city without a job over the last four months and forced the closure of 20 percent business establishments.

About 13 percent people have become unemployed in the country due to Covid-19 pandemic, according to a survey of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

Claiming that there was no syndicate behind rice and onion price hike in the country, BIDS researchers and economists on Sunday suggested the government to conduct a study properly on the production and demand of essential items to stabilise the market.