Bangladesh Economic & Infrastructure Development - Updates & Discussions

[Bilal9]

Purbachal Expressway update on asphalt carpeting

 

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A ride around in dense Gulshan and Banani CBD areas (in 4K)

 

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This is by far the most detailed and accurate description I have seen about Dhaka Metro routes and connection details.

 

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Home appliance makers in Bangladesh may get 10-year tax holiday

The government may offer tax holiday facility to home appliance makers for 10 years in the national budget for the forthcoming fiscal year 2021-2022 to attract investments and facilitate import-substitute local industry in the country.

It may also withdraw advance tax on import of a number of products, including mobile telephone set, computer parts, MS products, scrap and ship scrap, to facilitate the sectors in maintaining cash flow of working capital as well as remove complexities related to refund.

The condition of having no legal dispute with the National Board of Revenue for claiming VAT refund may also be withdrawn in the budget, finance ministry officials said.

Finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal announced the changes in the income tax and VAT laws in his budget proposals placed before parliament.

According to the officials, industrial undertakings to manufacture a number of home appliances, including blender, rice cooker, microwave oven, electric oven, washing machine, induction cooker, electric sewing machine and other kitchen appliances, will enjoy tax exemption under the scheme.

Currently, home appliance producing industries set up between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2024 are eligible to enjoy income tax exemption at gradually reduced rates up to 90 per cent for 10 years depending on the location of the factories.

Under the new scheme, manufacturers who will begin production from July 1, 2021 and ensure value addition between 20 per cent and 40 per cent depending on types of products will avail complete tax exemption for 10 years.

The benefit will remain applicable until June 30, 2030.

Regarding withdrawal of AT on import mobile sets, computer parts, MS products, scrap and ship scrap, officials said that currently AT is applicable at two different rates — 5 per cent and 4 per cent — to import of the products based on the nature of the importers.

A huge amount of refund is created due to imposition of AT on import of mobile phones and computer parts as there is no VAT on the products at the trading stage, they said.

On the other hand, there is specific VAT ranging from Tk 1,000 to Tk 2,000 applicable to manufacturers on MS products, scrap and ship scrap.

The government does not get any VAT through monthly VAT returns due to the imposition of 4 per cent advance tax at the import stage, rather it creates refund for the sectors.

The government may also reduce the AT on import of raw materials for the manufacturing units to 3 per cent from current 4 per cent to help the businesses sustain amid the Covid outbreak.

It may also reduce the rate of monthly interest on delayed payments of value-added tax to 1 per cent from existing 2 per cent in the budget.

 

[Bilal9]

Export hits $4.73b mark in October

The country’s export has fetched $4.73 billion in the month of October as single-month highest which is 60.37% higher than last year.

The 60.37% year-on-year rise beat the $3.46 billion target set for the month, said a report released by Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, exports increased by 22.6% to $15.75 billion in the July-October period surpassing the $13.89 billion target.

RMG exports hiked by 20.8% to $12.62 billion in the July-October period, compared to the $11.23 billion targets for the period.

 

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Asian Paints first to open factory at Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar
Inauguration this month


Jagaran Chakma

Thu Nov 4, 2021 12:00 AM Last update on: Thu Nov 4, 2021 12:49 AM


Bangladesh's largest industrial enclave, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) in Mirsarai, Chattogram, is finally going to witness the commissioning of its maiden factory this month.

Asian Paints Bangladesh is all set to begin commercial operation of its second manufacturing plant in Bangladesh at the BSMSN, officials said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to inaugurate the facility.

"Another 13 industrial units including, SQ Electric and Bangladesh Auto Industries, are about to complete setups for commercial operation," Shaikh Yusuf Harun, executive chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza), told The Daily Star.

"Those will be inaugurated by next June," he said.

Earlier, Zhuzhou Jinyuan Chemical Company's factory was scheduled to be the first to be inaugurated in March 2020 but it faced a setback due to the Covid-19 fallout.

Besides, Nippon-McDonald, a joint venture of Japan's Nippon Steel and Bangladesh's McDonald Steel Building Products, wanted to go into operation but failed as foreign experts could not come on time.

Harun believes that within next year the under-implementation industrial units would be commissioned as they do not want to waste time.

He also believes that the commissioning of the first industrial units would encourage the other investors to invest in economic zones.

According to BEZA, the BSMSN drew investment proposals amounting to $20.13 billion till date -- $19.85 billion from locals and $1.28 billion from abroad as foreign direct investment.

Vagiskuma Vijayshankar Pandey, project head of Asian Paints Bangladesh, said they are ready to open the factory this month.

Considering the growing demand for paint products, Asian Paints established its second plant on over 20 acres of land at the BSMSN, he said.

The company already invested around Tk. 180 crore to establish the manufacturing plant to meet demands of a growing market for paint. Already the new plant directly created employment for around 2,000 people, the official said.

Initially, the company had proposed to invest $26 million or Tk 2.23 crore and create employment for 350 people.

Pandey said they have taken a majority of the support from banks to implement the project with a very small percentage of equity.

The size of Bangladesh's decorative paint market currently stands at around Tk 4,000 crore whereas in 2017 it was around Tk 3,500 crore, according to industry insiders and Bangladesh Paint Manufacturer's Association (BPMA).

Around 40 local and multinational companies are now in operation in the market, which has been witnessing an average growth of around 8 to 10 per cent since 2010.

At present, the annual demand for paint stands at nearly 200,000 tonnes.

Asian Paints Bangladesh started its journey in 2002 as a joint venture with Confidence Cement to produce international standard paints for the discerning consumers of Bangladesh. It owns the brand Berger Robbialac and offers home paints such as water-based distempers and solvent-based exterior enamels.

Now the company is manufacturing and distributing a wide range of high-performing decorative, marine and industrial paint products with its expertise and innovative technology to provide all the painting needs of consumers in Bangladesh.

Asian Paints Bangladesh, the second largest paint company in Bangladesh, aims to increase its market share by providing quick supplies to the south east part of the country, Pandey said.

He believes that their market share would increase after commissioning of the new manufacturing plant.

Pandey also said the one in Bangladesh was the largest manufacturing plant among those in 18 countries where the company was operational.

According to him, Asian Paints has an efficient research and development team as well as good marketing channels which helps them grow in the market of Bangladesh.

Now, Asian Paint's has a market share in Bangladesh of around 40 per cent.

 

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Dhaka Metro Line 6 station design. First video shows a "Normal" station and the second video shows an "Iconic" Station. The designs are roughly similar to that of current Bangkok and KL Metro lines, especially the latter.

The first video is of the Uttara South Station. Uttara has two other stations North of this one, Uttara Center and Uttara North. The total length of line 6 is 22KM to Motijheel from Uttara. Dhaka University Students and Motijheel workers will be able to commute using this line directly from Uttara and Line 6 is being completed first for most bang for the buck. It's impact will be substantial for reducing passenger-trip-miles and drastically reducing pollution.

 

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Sun sets on another day's of work at the Dhaka HSIA Airport Terminal 3 site.

Concrete work ongoing at 3rd Terminal

Conceptual render of Interior

Matarbari port near CXB starting to take shape slowly. Land-reclamation Earthfill by sea-dredging ongoing. A bit small in my opinion. But we can re-start the nearby Sonadia port project when time comes. Maheshkhali is planned to be preserved as a mountainous wildlife preserved so that is off limits.

On the Jetty at Matarbari

Future plan

These are the 10 sets of Japanese design 10 meter-class rescue boats now arriving at stations of Bangladesh Coast Guards (BCG). These boats will be officially handed over to BCG soon. The Government of Japan and JICA are implementing a program providing the boats that will be utilized not only during disaster period but also in promoting safety of important ports areas such as Chattogram and Matarbari.

Meghnaghat Industrial area - 1st Meghna Bridge

2nd Meghna Bridge. Main contractor were Obayashi, Shimizu, JFE Engineering and IHI Infrastructure Systems and completed on schedule.

Opening Day

Kalna Arch Bridge design, the bridge is on the way from the Padma Bridge area to Khulna City and Mongla Port, Bangladesh

Status of Kalna Bridge in March of this year

Arch section being readied...

New Railway Bridge design next to Jamuna Bridge, work and piling have started a few months ago

Recent Japanese Language Course Alumni

 

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Haor Flood and Cyclone shelter/secondary school in Netrokona

 

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"Kaizan principle babohar kore"

Would love to see how Kaizen is implemented in Bangladesh xD


From my experience in the UK industry, many companies claim to abide by Kaizen principles, without really knowing what it is. It's kinda sad, a common buzzword is thrown about to look competent and relevant, but rarely executed. It's all about looking for the very last scrap of detail, for perpetual improvement. The Japanese, being Japanese, is rather good at this. It's one of the reasons why Japanese automobiles are so damn reliable.

But I'm glad these buzzwords are being used in Bangladesh, alongside "Industry 4.0", "sustainable manufacturing", "parametric design" etc. Bangladesh, being new to industrializing, can incorporate sustainability and "smart" principles from the ground up. And we see this in many newly emerging industries. It's much harder for a large and big organization to shoe-horn these principles in their current modus Operandi.

These days, if you want to survive as a company making things, you need to do at least one thing exceptionally well. Otherwise, your future is questionable at best. We need to find our niche. Bangladesh should strive for sustainable manufacturing, minimizing energy consumption while maximizing productivity. High investment cost, but it would make Bangladesh more favorable of a place to invest than say Vietnam, as companies are trying tor reduce their carbon footprint

I found out that there is a National Kaizen convention organized every year in Bangladesh and JICA is one of the sponsors.

 

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Here is the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway expansion near Sirajganj...

Rajshahi University Campus

 

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Interior and exterior of ""Project Hilsa" Fish restaurant at Padma Bridge area. The building is shaped like the fish. Hilsa is the national fish and eating Hilsa Fry is also a popular pastime.

Dhaka Elevated Expressway (North to South), there are plans in the offing for an East-West one and a circular expressway as well as Commuter Rail.

 

[Bilal9]

Two new airlines are due to spread their wings soon in our skies as air-travel ramps up, Fly-Dhaka and Air Astra will both be operating in domestic routes for a year until they are allowed to expand to overseas routes. Air Astra is better funded and has more mature mgmt. it seems. Details soon.

Hopefully the addition of new air carriers will lower fares and bring in additional tourism and business air-travelers into the fold compared to other domestic travel methods (Rail, Bus and Launch/Ferry).

Air Astra to spread wings in January 2022

The new private air operator Air Astra is going to fly in Bangladesh skies from January next year. It will be the third private airline in Bangladesh.

Apart from Biman Bangladesh Airlines, two private airlines are currently operating flights - US-Bangla and NovoAir .

"Hopefully, our flights to domestic destinations will start from January," Air Astra CEO Imran Asif told The Daily Star.

“We are planning to operate flights on seven domestic routes,” he added. If we can procure at least four aircraft by January, we will be able to operate flights to all domestic destinations. '

As a rule, airlines are allowed to operate flights on international routes after operating flights on domestic routes for at least one year.

 

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Assorted views of Bangladesh urban areas and countryside

 

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Very small/meagre start, but govt. has initiated a Hydrogen Energy Implementation initiative to popularize Hydrogen based fuel cell vehicles. Whether anything positive develops is anyone's guess. @jamahir bhai this may be up your alley...