Bangladesh Economic & Infrastructure Development - Updates & Discussions

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh National Parliament House, Dhaka (completed 1972)

 

[Bilal9]

Update on Shanta Forum Twin Tower in Tejgaon next to Hatirjheel area housing mostly office spaces. Although there are towers far taller planned around this area, this one is only about 25 floors.

 

[Bilal9]

S Korean firm to install automatic tolling system on Dhaka-Bhanga expressway
BI Report || BusinessInsider
Published: 20:03, 19 August 2021

A view of Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga expressway. Photo: File

The government has singled out Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC), a South Korean firm, to set up and operate the electronic toll collection system for three bridges on the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga expressway.

A proposal forwarded by the Road Transportation and Highway Division to appoint the KEC for installation and operation of the GPS-based toll collection system on the expressway, Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Shamsul Arefin told reporters after the meeting on Thursday.

KEC has experience in managing 4,112 km expressway and 1,332 km long bridges in South Korea. The technology they will use can also show you how many vehicles are on the road and which way to go.

The company will be appointed for five years and the contract may be extended further later.

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has been funding the project to install the automatic toll collection system on the expressway, said Arefin.

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HatiQamrul in Sirajganj to get a similar cloverleaf Freeway interchange like in Bhanga (Faridpur). This type of interchange is new in Bangladesh and the one in Bhanga (Faridpur) was the first one.

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh Railways is moving to establish rail routes from Chattogram to Rangamati's Kaptai, which will connect Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) to the country's existing rail network.

TBS Infograph

TBS Infograph

Bangladesh Railways is moving to establish rail routes from Chattogram to Rangamati's Kaptai, which will connect Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) to the country's existing rail network.

The new route connecting Raozan to Kaptai via Rangunia will increase tourism to the hilly districts, draw new investment there, and eventually ramp up regional trade and businesses, say businessmen.

A preliminary project proposal recently arrived at the Planning Commission for approval in principle. In the meantime, the railway ministry has sent a letter to the Economic Relations Division (ERD), seeking sourcing of funds.

The 42 kilometres of railroad tracks will cost Tk8,926 crore as the railway has proposed the Economic Relations Division (ERD) source Tk7,141 crore in foreign aid for the project. ERD officials say they are now in talks with multiple global lenders such as the World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and others.

Rail authorities say the feasibility study of the project was completed in 2019, and a plan design of the double-gauge rail tracks has also been prepared.

Mahbubul Alam, president of Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said, "Rail connectivity to the hill tracts will substantially improve tourism. Agricultural goods grown in the region will also get better market access across the country."

AM Mahbub Chowdhury, vice-president of Chattogram Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, added that, "Although the Chattogram Hill Tracts is well known for its forest resources, the country has not been able to tap the full potential there, thanks to poor connectivity. The rail network expansion now could be the game changer."

"The rail route will enable hill tracts farmers to send their fruits and agro items across Bangladesh, and this eventually will bring a major change to the hill district economy," Mansur Ali, director of Rangamati Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told The Business Standard.

Rail authorities noted in their preliminary project proposal that the new rail routes will ease road traffic pressure on metropolitan Chattogram as people from the upazilas will be able to commute to the city by train.

Implementation awaits funding

The railway master plan (2016-2045) includes establishing rail tracts to Kaptai by 2022. However, Bangladesh Railway plans to launch the project this year and to complete it within 2026. But, now it seems implementing the project may take more time as project funding is still uncertain.

Railway officials said they asked the ERD in June to source the foreign aid and the ERD is now in talks with the WB, ADB, JICA, and AIIB, to team up for the project.

In a letter to Rail Minister Nurul Islam Sujon, Indian Railway Construction Limited recently proposed ensuring the funding if it gets the work. The proposal came at a time when China has walked back from the funding of at least two railway projects.

Railway officials say they are not interested in implementing the project with Indian credit since Indian loans have "tough terms" attached to them and have other issues in the course of implementation.

They prefer global lenders such as WB, ADB, or AIIB, for the project.

SM Salimullah Bahar, chief planning officer of Bangladesh Railways, said, "Government funding the project entirely by itself would be challenging."

 

[Bilal9]

Five power plants to be inaugurated on September 12
Published: September 04, 2021 18:52:06 | Updated: September 05, 2021 08:49:36

Five power plants, having a total of 879 MW electricity generation capacity, will be inaugurated on September 12.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate these power plants through a video conference from Ganabhaban at 10:00 am on that day," Saiful Islam, a director (public relations) of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), said on Saturday.

He said the five power plants are Bibiyana-III 400 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant in Habiganj, Zulda, Chattogram 100 MW Power Plant Unit-2, Meghnaghat 104 MW Power Plant in Narayanganj, Modhumoti 100 MW Power Plant in Bagerhat and up-gradation of Sylhet 150 MW Power Plant to 225 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant in Sylhet, reports BSS.

According to the power ministry, the government has successfully constructed 119 power plants having a capacity of electricity production of 20,293 MW after assuming power in 2009.

It said the government had a target to generate 24,000 MW of electricity by 2021, but in the meantime, the target has already been exceeded.

Nasrul Hamid, the state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, said the electricity generation capacity reached 25,235 MW now (including captive power) which was 4,942 MW in 2009.

"We have brought around 99.5 per cent of the population under electricity facilities due to the bold and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," he said.

Nasrul Hamid said the Awami League-led government has achieved tremendous successes in the power sector during its last 12 years and has given top priority to the development of the sector considering its importance in the overall enhancement of the country.

"With sincere and relentless efforts by the government, the per capita electricity generation reached to 560 kWh, which was only 220 kWh in 2009. And the system loss brought down to 8.49 per cent from 14.33 per cent," he added.

 

[Bilal9]

COXS BAZAAR strand development master plan conceptual video

 

[F-6 enthusiast]

Bd company exporting seafood to China. I've always argued that we should export fisheries, raw materials (leather) and agro stuff to PRC. @Bilal9

Companies should follow FDA, UK/EU guidelines and should be able to increase the exports of seafood to these countires. (You'll find frozen fish from BD in many ''Cash and Carry'' stores)

 

[Bilal9]

Bd company exporting seafood to China. I've always argued that we should export fisheries, raw materials (leather) and agro stuff to PRC. @Bilal9

Companies should follow FDA, UK/EU guidelines and should be able to increase the exports of seafood to these countires. (You'll find frozen fish from BD in many ''Cash and Carry'' stores)

I find seafood from Bangladesh in the West Coast of US. Readily, I might add, especially in Bangladeshi stores. Black Tiger Shrimp and Hilsa are common items, since those are in demand.

 

[Bilal9]

RMG: Orders cross pre-pandemic level, not price though
Some exporters say another season may be needed for full recovery

A year and a half into the Covid-19 pandemic, Bangladesh's woven apparel makers are optimistic about export recovery as they have booked work orders to almost their full capacities for the next five months.

Some exporters said buyers were still offering prices that were 10-15% below the pre-pandemic levels although a very small number of manufacturers are getting orders at the previous rates or even higher.

They said another season might be needed for the sector's full recovery.

Wishing anonymity, some industry leaders said it was high time to negotiate with buyers for better prices.

They said manufacturers should say no to buyers if they were not willing to pay ethical prices.

Besides, they said, booking more orders than the capacity at low prices might lead to non-delivery of products.

Retail sales dropped in major apparel destinations like the US, the UK, and Germany in the past two months due to inflation and the emergence of new Covid-19 variants.

Higher prices may limit discretionary spending on items like groceries, personal care, and apparel in the coming months, the US Department of Commerce predicts.

Exporters said last year's prolonged shutdowns had caused huge damage to retail outlets in the US and Europe.

Scores of outlets were closed and many others survived through ecommerce by offering big discounts.

As retail sales started peaking from late last year, retailers tried to get back in business without raising prices.

"That is why buyers offered us pre-pandemic prices at the time. We had no choice but to accept that at the time, though our production costs went up," said Sparrow Group Managing Director Shovon Islam.

At the time, buyers' agents took advantage of the situation by increasing their commission margins as manufacturers were facing work order shortages.

A number of manufacturers ran their units at 30% of their capacities as they had no work orders. Some even had to shut down their units.

"Now we are booking orders for next summer and spring – November to March. We have already booked orders corresponding to our full capacity at about 5-10% higher prices than the pre-coronavirus period," said Shovon.

He further said a woven shirt's average price is $6-7 and that of denim pants is $7-8.

According to the Export Promotion Bureau data, apparel shipments in August recorded an 11.56% growth year-on-year, with exports reaching $2.75 billion.

Of those, woven items saw a 4.47% growth after a 17.78% fall in July year-on-year.

The decline in July was attributed to nearly two weeks of factory closure for Eid-ul-Adha and the Covid-19 lockdown.

Woven garments saw the first-ever lowest exports of $0.19 billion in April last year while the figure rose to $1.18 billion in the same month this year.

Sparrow Group exported clothes worth about $165 million last year and Shovon hoped the figure would reach $200 million by the end of this calendar year.

"We are getting lots of inquiries about work orders from our existing buyers and also some new ones. It is very difficult to say no to buyers, but we have to do that to get better prices."

He said some buyers were now offering better prices than a few months ago.

It depends on negotiations between manufacturers and buyers, he added.

The woven garment sector has been doing better gradually but the August growth did not reflect that as some backlogs were cleared that month.
The improvement will be reflected by November, factory owners said.

Shahidullah Azim, vice-president at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the August growth was the result of shipments piled up during factory closures due to Eid-ul-Adha vacations and the lockdown in July.

He hoped woven apparel exports would be better by November as factories had received huge work orders.

Almost every factory is booked to 100% of its capacity till December and January, said Azim, also the chairman of Classic Group.

His company has booked orders till January.

He said prices were a bit lower than the pre-pandemic time but high volumes of work orders might make up for that.

Denim Expert Limited Managing Director Mostafiz Uddin said his factory was booked to full capacity, but prices were not enough to recover business.

He said woven garment exporters needed at least another season for recovery.

Managing Director of Ananta Apparel, a high-value apparel exporter, Sharif Zahir said they had booked orders to their full production capacity till January.

He also hoped business would recover in the coming days.

Former BGMEA president and Envoy Group Chairman Kutubuddin Ahmed said factory owners were waiting for this day for a long time.

He said many manufacturers had been running their units below the breakeven costs.

The entrepreneur also hoped buyers would consider manufacturers' business situation while setting prices.

 

[SMX 3.0]

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka Airport New 3rd Terminal update

Dhaka Elevated Expressway Latest Update (click watch on Youtube)

 

[Bilal9]

A Purist Architectural Approach – Simpletree Anarkali
SHOWCASEOctober, 2020
Simpletree Anarkali designed by Volumezero Ltd is an ode to a purist architectural response to the oft-chaotic urban fabric of Dhaka. The timeless elegance of reticulate concrete accentuates the clarity of transparent glass planes that forms the exterior envelope. The poetry of horizontal and vertical lines entwine with this grammar to create an urban interest within the emerging commercial spine of Gulshan Avenue.

The resplendent forecourt with a generous setback presents a well-curated landscape embellished with cascading waterscape and amorphous sculptures by celebrated artists.

Consistent with the purist approach the canopied drop-off within the realm becomes a preparation portal for the ensuing ambience and elegance. Each of the 1022 square-meter floor plates is a rectangular base supported by a central core and a peripheral service spine, allowing corporate addresses efficient customization within dedicated floors. Apart from being the front-runner in high strata corporate address, Simpletree Anarkali sets a benchmark through a strong sense of environmental responsibilities.

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Validation of its ability to conserve water, electricity and implementation of environment-sensitive construction methodology came through LEED Certification for shell and core by USGBC, in the gold category – The first commercial building in the country to achieve that feat. The intelligent use of double Low-E, ceramic fritted glazing panel along the west facade maintains the required SHGC (solar heat gain coefficient) value while exhibiting an urban scale artwork along the boulevard.
Additionally, an under earth enclave is designated for a cafe where general users can admire and contemplate the overall grandeur. With this journey in mind, a large-scale unique sculpture around cascading planes of water forms the centrepiece of the forecourt. Consequently, people can inculcate a sense of ownership and endearment that should in turn motivate others. It is only when a sustainable framework guides multiple initiatives that we create a conurbation which sets standards, shatters benchmarks, and truly serve the people that inhabit it.

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“As a conscious architectural response, Simpletree Anarkali becomes an urban canvas whereupon pixilated art form reflects the evolution of Dhaka’s socio-economic values – within the chaotic randomness there lays a regulating grammar, repetition of order that breathes life into its expression”
says Mohammad Foyez Ullah, principal architect of Volumezero Ltd.

Simpletree Anarkali chronicles the interplay between nature, culture and time, alongside the beauty that ensues through spontaneous metamorphosis into the future. The composite idea relies upon the ambivalence between ‘creativity ‘and ‘normative regulation’. While creativity drew inspiration from the purity of planes and boldness of primordial forms; normative regulation in this day and age had to be sustainable features with valid accreditations. Accreditation consequently followed in the form of LEED Gold Certification which as per USGBC is the first LEED Gold commercial building in the country.

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The spine of a rapidly evolving urban commune-like Gulshan Avenue in many ways needed the modern centrepiece in more ways than fathomable. It needed to reflect upon the aspiration that endorses an evolving economy, impress upon the merits of sustainability and raise the bar for commercial developments in Bangladesh.
Architect Profile:

Mohammad Foyez Ullah
Mohammad Foyez Ullah is one of the preeminent architects of Bangladesh. His academic achievements include distinctions in his Bachelor in Architecture and the “Ahsanur Rahman Gold Medal” in Masters in 1997 from BUET. Soon after graduation in 1993, he continued to be an educator and professional and motivated aspiring architects in architectural schools across the country. Concurrently a successful legacy in the professional field was also initiated when he co-founded Vistaara architects in 1994. As a principal architect of Vistaara, his noteworthy contributions are GP House, Bashundhara City, UTC, The Westin, Peoples Insurance Bhaban, Shanta Western Tower and many more diverse building typologies.
Over a decade long successful partnership in Vistaara, Foyez regenerated his practice through Volumezero in 2008. Volumezero has already bagged critical awards for the interior design of its own studio and the high-profile Liberation War Museum Design competition in November 2009. He has won country’s first sustainable building design award “Holcim Green Built Award 2010” for GP House and “Berger Excellence in Architecture 2007” for designing Peoples Insurance Bhaban and “IAB Design Award” for designing a multi-storied family housing in 1998.

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka BRT Line 3 update. No denying that this is a clusterf*ck right now, but hopefully they can finish this by mid-2023 as planned.

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka Elevated Expressway update (Temporarily rickshaws have been allowed to ply in main roads for humanitarian reasons, which will soon be curbed)

Dhaka Int'l airport New 3rd terminal update

 

[Bilal9]

Unnamed Twin Tower, Gulshan 2 (34 FL + 5 BA)