A seminar on Bangladesh's development agenda and challenges was held at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Thursday; it discussed critical issues regarding the future development agenda of the country. The Governance Innovation Unit of the PMO hosted the seminar as part of a memorandum of understanding signed between the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation of Harvard Kennedy School and the Governance Innovation Unit of the PMO for the capacity development of Bangladesh civil service. Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Professor Gowher Rizvi spoke as the chief guest at the seminar. It was chaired by Governance Innovation Unit Director General Mohammad Abdul Latif. Faculty members from ASH Center for Democratic Governance delivered their speeches on public value and public administration, administrative reforms, the cost of climate change, disaster response and energy transitions. Read more: Bangladesh performing well in fulfilling SDGs, but many challenges ahead To discuss the Bangladesh development agenda and challenges, faculty members from different public and private universities such as the University of Dhaka, the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance of North South University, the Brac Institute of Governance and Development, the Center for Energy Research of United International University and researchers from the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies and the Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management participated in the discussion. Career bureaucrats from the PMO, the Ministry of Public Administration, the Ministry of Commerce and the Finance Division also joined the event. Read more: Bangladesh committed to path of sustainable development Faculty members from the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre, Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy and the Institute of Public Finance were also invited.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Sunday said the government remains better prepared in 2023 to achieve its goals overcoming the challenges both from domestic and international fronts. "If it seems to be more challenging, I would say we remain better prepared for that," he said while talking to a small group of journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The state minister described the year 2022 a very successful year in terms of its engagement with the international partners with opening of new markets. He, however, said it is a failure that the Rohingya repatriation is yet to begin. Also Read: Border killings not expected: Shahriar Alam Shahriar Alam said they saw a kind of “overenthusiasm” (from diplomats) at the end of 2022 but they are handling it diplomatically. He hoped that everyone will remain respectful to their “rules of engagements” as Bangladesh does not oppose those recommendations and advice which are beneficial for Bangladesh. “Everyone appreciates that Bangladesh remains engaged and listens to….,” said the State Minister. Regarding democracy, he said there is no “fit for all” formula for democracy and everyone knows it and Bangladesh is doing much better compared to other countries. Responding to a question, Shahriar said the government remains engaged with the USA to withdraw sanctions on the Rab as an institution at least keeping in mind that Rab played a very strong role in combating terrorism and militancy in the country sacrificing their lives. Also Read: Appropriate steps to be taken if diplomats cross boundary: Shahriar Alam "Painfully, it's a slow process. We will strengthen our efforts," he said. He said there is a need for a law to deal with misinformation and other issues but surely the Digital Security Act is not for harassing journalists. Responding to a question on human rights issues, the State Minister said the UN member states know Bangladesh’s true intention. Asked why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had to share a non-paper note with foreign missions in Dhaka centering BNP’s December 10 programme, he said there was nothing wrong in it. “It’s a proactive engagement as they (diplomats) might have asked the questions on the issue the following day.” The government says they shared the information with the foreign missions stationed in Dhaka to leave no room for "misinformation" and "confusion."

Bangladeshi students who want to create bank profiles, in order to go abroad for higher studies, cannot do this due to a foreign exchange crisis, students and bank officials have said. Several students and bank officials have confirmed to UNB that the situation arose following restrictions on opening LC and limitations on services related to foreign exchange. Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Md. Abul Kalam Azad told UNB that the central bank has not imposed any ban on creating student profiles, but banks may not open the profiles due to foreign exchange crisis. “This is a temporary problem, which will be resolved soon,” he hoped. READ: Study in Japan: Scholarships, Tuitions, Application Process for Bangladeshi Students Muaz Ahmed, from Dhaka’s Eskaton area, wants to go to the Netherlands for a master’s programme. He went to a private bank to open a student profile, which is a must for going to EU countries for higher studies. But the bank authorities told Muaz that they cannot open such a profile at the moment. He went to two other banks to open a student profile, but those banks too responded in the negative. Private and foreign banks in Bangladesh open profiles for students going abroad. However, due to the ongoing dollar crisis, most banks have stopped opening these files recently. Sources in the financial sector said that some banks are still opening student profiles but only based on lobbying by influential individuals. Last year, City Bank opened 5,390 files for students going abroad. The bank has opened 7,840 new files till October this year. However, they have stopped opening new student files since the end of last month. Masrur Arefin, Managing Director of City Bank, told UNB that there is an acute crisis of dollars in the country. Because of this, banks have stopped opening new student files for now. Existing or previously opened files are still active. READ: SoP for Higher Studies: How to write an unfailing Statement of Purpose? Many students complain that admission process at universities overseas is being cancelled due to not being able to send dollars after completing all preparations. According to the “Global Flow of Tertiary Level Students” report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 49,151 students from Bangladesh went abroad for higher education in 2021. Bangladesh Bank data says that the volume of dollars sent abroad for higher education in the first quarter of the 2021-22 financial year (July-September) was $98.8 million. In the first quarter of the current fiscal year (2022-23), it exceeded $153.1 million. In the last fiscal year 2021-22, about $321 million was sent abroad for higher studies.

Commerce Secretary Dr Tapan Kanti Ghosh has acknowledged that the country's impending graduation from the least developed countries (LDC) grouping would present new challenges as well as opportunities for the economy. He made the remarks while addressing a consultation meeting of the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) titled “Identification of Trade-related Graduation Challenges and Preparation of Sector-Specific Trade Roadmaps for Overcoming the Challenges” on Tuesday. The BFTI, a subordinate body of the Commerce Ministry to deal with issues under the World Trade Organization (WTO), organised the meeting to discuss the findings of its recently conducted research on post-graduation challenges to trade and business. Read more: LDC Graduation: Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Nepal join UN-led exchange on smooth transition The commerce secretary said the public and private sectors must work together to address the LDC graduation challenge. “There is no option but diversification of products and exports to overcome the graduation challenge and to develop trade,” he said adding, "The government has taken various steps for ease of doing business and all the ministries and agencies of the government are working together." In the consultation meeting, the stakeholders discussed different issues to identify and overcome trade-related challenges of LDC graduation. They made different suggestions for developing a roadmap on trade for 4 sectors of light engineering, plastic products, leather & leather products and non-leather footwear. Earlier, a similar stakeholder consultation meeting was held on November 3 to draw up a trade-related roadmap for different sectors including manufactured garments, shipbuilding industry, agricultural products and processed food and fisheries and livestock in the first phase. The third phase of the stakeholder consultations featuring 4 more sectors will be held on November 10. Read more: Post-LDC graduation challenges: Commerce ministry for public-private partnership for product diversification With BFTI Chief Executive Officer Md Zafar Uddin in the chair, the meeting was also addressed by Hafizur Rahman, director general and additional secretary of WTO Wing of the Commerce Ministry, president of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association Shamim Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners Association Abdur Razzak and representatives of different public and private sector organisations.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged the Asia-Pacific countries  to combine forces to share good practices, knowledge and technologies to help address their water related common challenges.  She made the call in a video statement that was played in the Fourth Asia-Pacific Water Summit held at Kumamoto in Japan. She also said that a basin-wise approach is needed to manage the waters of trans-boundary rivers.  “We attach importance to regional or sub-regional cooperation, including for hydro-power generation and transmission,” she said. Hasina said that the today's human beings are accountable to the future generations to deliver on their international commitments on water, including the water related SDGs.  “Our youths must be empowered so that they can become responsible actors for water inclusiveness, efficiency and sustainability,” she said. The PM said that water is vital for life and it is fundamental for sustainable development and for promoting a culture of peace.  “We need to ensure sound water management to ‘build back better’ from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic,” she added. She recalled that in 2016, she was a member of the UN High-level Panel on Water that adopted a ‘Call to Action’. READ: PM Hasina lauds Dhaka-Delhi cooperation on Covid-19 pandemic "The mid-term review of the Water Action Decade next year will provide us a platform in implementing the action agenda," she said adding that the Kumamoto Declaration will be a useful contribution to that process. In Bangladesh, she said, the government has taken an inclusive, whole-of-society approach to water management where more than 85 per cent of its people have access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation facilities.  “We have almost ended open defecation. Our fight against water-borne diseases is a continuous effort. From next month, we shall administer 2.3 million cholera vaccines in the capital city,” she said. The premier also said that Bangladesh is considered a “role model” in water related disaster management.  She mentioned that the investments in flood embankments, cyclone shelters, coastal polders, green belts, floating agriculture, river dredging, urban storm water drainage systems have increased Bangladesh’s resilience.  “We have benefited from developing early warning systems and community-based interventions. Our floodplain management aims at managing the seasonal variations in water availability,” she said. The prime minister said that Bangladesh has drawn up a cross-sectoral Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 to work towards a resilient and prosperous delta.  She said that the government is hosting an International Financing Conference next month for mobilizing resources for implementing projects under the Plan. “We look forward to using the sediment loads flowing into the Bay of Bengal for reclaiming and elevating lands in our coastal areas. Bangladesh also stands ready to harness the untapped potentials of Blue Economy,” she said. Talking about the climate change issue, Hasina said that Bangladesh is aware of the immense impacts of climate change on water.  “We see growing saline intrusion in our coastal areas. We also see a sharp decline in ground water level in some parts of the country. Our government is giving emphasis on nature-based solutions, including on rainwater harvesting,” she added. In this regard, she said that the scientists have been working on developing salinity and water-resistant, and drought-tolerant crops, and already invented a number of varieties.  “We are taking an eco-system based approach to protecting our wetlands. We recognize our rivers to be living entities,” she said. Kumamoto City of Japan and Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) Jointly organised the Summit under tye theme ‘Water for Sustainable Development -Best Practices and the Next Generation’.

Speakers at an event here on Tuesday called for more involvement of the private sector in post-pandemic recovery and addressing the challenges to development posed by climate change.  "The private sector is critical to creating innovative and technological solutions and providing resources to address climate challenges," said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said in his remarks. He was speaking at a dialogue organized by the Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) of the Prime Minister's Office, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) titled 'Sustainable Development in the Context of Post-Pandemic and Climate Vulnerability: PPP's Role, Prospects and Challenges in Bangladesh'. "The government can partner with private agencies to synergize resources with a focus on the environment, climate change, and inclusive growth and at the same time create enough profit for private sectors," Islam said in his address as the chief guest. "If we can provide an enabling environment and incentives for businesses to search for cleaner technologies and earn profits, then there will be more companies investing in such businesses," he added. READ: Bangladesh shows how PPPs can finance climate actions: Farhad The event was also attended by Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury, Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh as a special guest.   Ito Naoki, Ambassador, Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh, Li Jiming, Ambassador, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Bangladesh, Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan, Ambassador, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Bangladesh and Mustafa Osman Turan, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Bangladesh were present at the event chaired by Sultana Afroz, Secretary & CEO, Public-Private Partnership Authority.        A.K.M. Mamunur Rashid, Climate Change Specialist, UNDP Bangladesh, presented the keynote on 'Climate Smart PPP'. Saule Imanova, Investment Officer, PPP Transaction Advisory, South Asia, IFC, Dr. SM Munjurul H Khan, Senior Advisor, Centre for Asian Climate and Environmental Policy Studies, and Dr. Saleemul Huq, Director, ICCCAD were among designated speakers. The objective of the event was to explore PPP's role, prospects, and challenges in Bangladesh in a post-pandemic and climate-vulnerable situation. The government established an Inter-Ministerial Committee on SDGs Implementation, its integration in government policies and 5-year plans and launched a program called 'Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan' to mobilize resources for a secured sustainable future. There are many other initiatives and projects being implemented in Bangladesh to address these challenges, said UNDP. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also the President of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF).

Leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have sought government support in addressing RMG sector’s challenges. Leaders of BGMEA headed by President Faruque Hassan met with M. Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Senior Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka on Sunday and discussed the relevant issues, said the apex body of the apparel sector on Monday. BGMEA Vice Presidents Shahidullah Azim, Khandoker Rafiqul Islam and Md. Nasir Uddin were present at the meeting. They apprised the senior secretary about the present business situation and challenges being faced particularly by the RMG industry in Bangladesh and possible course of actions to deal with the challenges. Faruque Hassan especially drew the attention to the issues and problems which are being faced by the garment industry. READ: 6th BGMEA Cup begins on Jan 20 He said the apparel industry of Bangladesh is passing a very important period when many challenges are on one side and enormous opportunities on the other side. He urged for government initiatives and effective actions in tackling the challenges and making use of the opportunities. The BGMEA leaders also requested for government steps to further improve ease of doing business, especially addressing the bottlenecks, reducing time, process and cost in all criteria of the doing business. READ: It's high time to focus more on value-added, high-end apparels: BGMEA The senior secretary listened to the BGMEA leaders and assured of cooperation and support in dealing with the issues and problems.

The Awami League’s powerful momentum in the country's political landscape continued in 2021 as it did not face any challenge from opponents. There is no political force in the field now to compete with this political party which has been in power for three consecutive terms and 12 years now - a generation has not seen them out of power. Last year, the Awami League celebrated the golden jubilee of independence in a grand procession and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation through colourful ceremonies. Millions of leaders and activists participated in the biggest victory rally of the commemorative period. READ: 'Lack of Transparency' report on Dhaka's Covid response: Awami League The Awami League and its allies and affiliates have gained a huge reputation standing by the masses during the Corona period. Though the country's oldest party did not face any challenge from its opponents on the field, it has repeatedly faced embarrassing situations due to exaggerations of the leaders, intra-party conflicts and the rise of the rebel candidates Quader v Quader Earlier in 2021, Abdul Quader Mirza, younger brother of Awami League General Secretary, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, came to the discussion directly delivering controversial speeches against his brother. He also criticized the role of the administration in the election. His speech created an embarrassing situation in the political arena. The party, the government and the administration also felt embarrassed. Taposh v Khokon The open clash between the running mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and former mayor Sayeed Khokon was the talk of the city over the mayoral nomination. Then in January last year, their dispute over the amount of money deposited in the banks became public. Barrister Taposh has transferred hundreds of crores of money belonging to the city corporation to a bank he owns, but he is not qualified to be the mayor, alleged Saeed Khokon. The running Mayor avoided the issue terming Sayeed Khokon's statement as defamatory and that legal action would be taken, warned Barrister Taposh. Followers of the running and former mayors of DSCC organised processions and human chain over the issue after the fight of words had started. Both remained silent for months after the intervention of party policymakers. However, on a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in June, the court ordered the seizure of eight bank accounts of Sayeed Khokon's business and family. He again alleged that Taposh was behind the ACC's activities. However, Taposh did not reply and avoided the matter as it is the jurisdiction of the court and the ACC. Audacity of Gazipur mayor A video, containing statements of the former Gazipur Metropolitan Awami League general secretary and city mayor Mohammad Jahangir Alam, about the number of martyrs in the Liberation War and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman went viral on social media Facebook last September. On October 3, the Awami League protested against Jahangir Alam for his activities against the interests of the party and violation of organisational discipline. The party expelled him from the post of general secretary and primary member of the party at a meeting of the party's central working committee meeting on November 19. Then on November 25, the local government ministry also suspended him from the post of mayor. Rise and fall of Helena Jahangir Helena Jahangir is another name that has been discussed and criticised on social media for several years. She loved to introduce herself as a journalist, human rights activist, Awami League leader and singer. Last July, Helena was widely criticised for trying to form a nationwide 'Employees League'. Although she had never been involved in Awami League politics before, she became a member of the party's women's affairs sub-committee.