Bangladesh Economic & Infrastructure Development - Updates & Discussions

[monitor]

Do not jump too early. May get disappointed at last. There might be some fruitful re-negotiation about inspection and may not change anything ultimately.

Plus, BD is still a small player in global apparel market, providing just 6 percent cloths. So our rise in apparel industry is not at the expense of Pakistan. Why Pakistan can not capture the other 94 percent market already available? If you can not take a slice from the 94 percent market now than it is certain that you will not be able to make any difference even if Bangladesh loss all the market and 100 percent market become available for you. So, showing such mean mentality and premature rejoice of Pak people will not bear any fruit.

It's surprising why Pakistanis failed in garments industry compare to Bangladesh . They are one of the producer of cotton located much near to hormuz chanell so possibly fast delivery to EU customers yet they lagged behind us. Terrorism and power shortage might one reason but what are other lacking.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

It's surprising why Pakistanis failed in garments industry compare to Bangladesh . They are one of the producer of cotton located much near to hormuz chanell so possibly fast delivery to EU customers yet they lagged behind us. Terrorism and power shortage might one reason but what are other lacking.

Another problem is, they are not willing to let women to work outside. Women works at lower wages and their hands are more suitable for doing cloths related works. In Bangladesh, 90 percent graments workers are women and in Pakistan, 80 percent are men. Minimum wages in garments factory in Pakistan is twice of Bangladesh. A man, who have to be the main bread winner of the family, will not work in garments factory with wages of what a Bangladeshi female worker will be satisfied earning. Plus, Pakistan is a consumption driven economy, most of the people there have a habit of spending big with relatively little savings. So, minimum wages in Pakistan have to be higher. Male dominated and women's participation are low. Add to these with terrorism and power related problem. So, is there any wonder, Pakistan failed in this sector miserably? Cotton production is not everything. If cotton production was such a boon, then you would have seen Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, India taking over the global garment industry.

 

[war&peace]

Do not jump too early. May get disappointed at last. There might be some fruitful re-negotiation about inspection and may not change anything ultimately.

Plus, BD is still a small player in global apparel market, providing just 6 percent cloths. So our rise in apparel industry is not at the expense of Pakistan. Why Pakistan can not capture the other 94 percent market already available? If you can not take a slice from the 94 percent market now than it is certain that you will not be able to make any difference even if Bangladesh loss all the market and 100 percent market become available for you. So, showing such mean mentality and premature rejoice of Pak people will not bear any fruit.

No, I'm not the one who simply jumps on the first news.

 

[Nilgiri]

Why Pakistan can not capture the other 94 percent market already available?

Because that 94% is not covered by LDC quota.

Same reason BD stronking about moving mass capital from China in RMG has fallen flat on its face (coinciding nicely with Walton pushing back export target of puny 1 billion USD by a full 10 years now).

Junk grade credit rating and no focus on improving that wreaks havoc in long term.

Of course a quack that is part of the problem (in forcing millions of BD medical refugees to India and parting with their hard earned minimum wage money for simplest of X-rays...expanding the CAD each year) will have no idea...and would rather just stronk stronk stronk using internal LDC type (GDDS) claims put out by 3 million tears propaganda dept.

Such individual would rather talk about how its better for woman to earn such an LDC slave labour pittance (at social cost, if you look at 3rd party data of what BD women actually are like socioeconomically in UK and US...and what their teenage pregnancy and birth rates are even inside BD) instead of actually confronting the govt to allow more businesses to flourish.

Then it cries excessively when Myanmar with 3 times less people teaches a lessson in few short weeks to such a weak country.

Fix your crap instead of playing make believe delusions.

 

[Destranator]

Because that 94% is not covered by LDC quota.

Same reason BD stronking about moving mass capital from China in RMG has fallen flat on its face (coinciding nicely with Walton pushing back export target of puny 1 billion USD by a full 10 years now).

Junk grade credit rating and no focus on improving that wreaks havoc in long term.

Of course a quack that is part of the problem (in forcing millions of BD medical refugees to India and parting with their hard earned minimum wage money for simplest of X-rays...expanding the CAD each year) will have no idea...and would rather just stronk stronk stronk using internal LDC type (GDDS) claims put out by 3 million tears propaganda dept.

Such individual would rather talk about how its better for woman to earn such an LDC slave labour pittance (at social cost, if you look at 3rd party data of what BD women actually are like socioeconomically in UK and US...and what their teenage pregnancy and birth rates are even inside BD) instead of actually confronting the govt to allow more businesses to flourish.

Then it cries excessively when Myanmar with 3 times less people teaches a lessson in few short weeks to such a weak country.

Fix your crap instead of playing make believe delusions.

Do you ever sit back and read your own posts? You build one strawman over another and convince yourself that you have nailed it.

Is China an LDC?

 

[Bilal9]

আপনার মাথা ঠিক আছে তো? পদ্মা সেতুর বদলে ফেরী ?!!! বাংলাদেশের অতি বড় আহাম্মকেও বলবে পদ্মা সেতু আরো অনেক আগে হওয়া দরকার ছিল ।

There is no comparison. It's a fool's argument.

Padma Bridge will multiply economic activity using transport by at least a factor of ten or more. I read previously that Padma bridge itself will increase GDP by at least two percentage points. I see little reason to doubt it. Just the traffic to Mongla and increasing shipment and cement/container activity there will be payback enough for Padma Bridge, not to speak of multiple SEZ's surrounding that port which will produce export output.

I have to say that people who are still advocating ferries are against economic progress in our country and are clueless. No offense.

The main differentiation points:

• Distance - Our most common ferry (K class shallow draft design) can easily cross several miles, but is far slower than Trucks passing by on a bridge.
• Depth - K class ferries can cross very deep water but are purpose built for shallow water near Padma Bridge. Bridges in deep water can be expensive. But Padma Bridge piling is already completed at shallow depth and was not expensive.
• Economics - Building equal number of ferries for truck traffic passing on a bridge is prohibitively expensive. In the long run, Bridges are far cheaper.
• Carbon footprint - Bridges are more carbon neutral. Even net positive in some cases.
• Payload - Heavy trucks such as semi trucks and trailers are unsupportable in a K class scenario. Bridges have no such issue given axle loads are controlled by inspection.
• Time - Bridges are way faster. Mounting and dismounting from a ferry is difficult and eats up time. Even for RO-RO ferries.
• Traffic - Bridges are way more preferred if there is a lot of traffic on the route. Again - time is major factor.
• Weather and water conditions - Bridges are not as commonly shut down due to weather as ferries are.

Adding graphene to jute fibres could give natural alternative to man-made materials
Scientists from The University of Manchester have combined graphene with the natural fibre, jute, to create a world’s first for graphene-strengthened natural jute fibre composites.

The breakthrough could lead to the manufacturing of high-performance and environmentally friendly natural fibre composites that could replace their synthetic counterparts in major manufacturing areas, such as the automotive industry, ship building, durable wind turbine blades and low-cost housing.

It could also boost the farming economies of countries such as Bangladesh, India, and China – where the jute material is mainly produced – the researchers from The University of Manchester claim.

The University is home to the National Graphene Institute and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre which provide an unrivalled critical mass of graphene expertise. The two facilities demonstrate Manchester's position as a globally leading knowledge-base in graphene research and commercialisation.

Jute is extracted from the bark of the white jute plant (Corchorus capsularis) and is a 100% bio-degradable, recyclable and environmentally friendly natural fibre. It is also the second most produced natural fibre in the world – after cotton – and is at least 50% cheaper than flax and other similar natural fibres.

This makes it extremely appealing to different industry sectors looking to create a cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic composites. That is why natural fibre composites are attracting significant interest due to potential to reduce carbon foot print by replacing synthetically produced materials, such as glass fibre, which costs more and can be harmful for the planet.

Forkan Sarker, a Commonwealth Scholarship recipient for Bangladesh, has carried out the experiments and analysis of the data for this study, and the publication showing graphene could be critical is available online.

Professor Prasad Potluri, Director of Research, North West Composites Centre said: “Forkan Sarker, joined my group with a view to work on a PhD problem relevant to his country’s economy.

“This is an example of judicious combination of low-value, carbon-neutral commodity fibres with an extremely small volume fraction of high-value graphene in order to create a material system that could replace energy-intensive carbon and glass fibres in a number of light-weight structural applications.”

“
This is an example of judicious combination of low-value, carbon-neutral commodity fibres with an extremely small volume fraction of high-value graphene in order to create a material system that could replace energy-intensive carbon and glass fibres in a number of light-weight structural applications
Professor Prasad Potluri
„

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Despite their environmental credentials, natural fibre composites suffer from poor mechanical and interfacial properties which mean they’re not strong enough for some industrial applications. That is why researchers from The University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute (NGI) and Robotics and Textile Composites Group have been working on a collaborative project and coating jute fibres with graphene oxide and graphene flakes to improve its strength.

The results have been extremely positive and show that the jute fibres with a graphene coating have enhanced interfacial shear strength of around 200%, with flexural strength increasing by nearly 100% when compared to the untreated fibres.

Dr Nazmul Karim, Knowledge Exchange Fellow (Graphene) at National Graphene Institute, said: “We have been working on graphene and other 2D materials-based natural fibres for several years in Prof Novoselov’s group. It is great to translate that experience into developing high performance natural fibres composites”.

Dr Karim, who also conceived the idea and designed the experiments of incorporating graphene onto jute, added: “Jute, once known as the golden fibres of Bangladesh, lost its glaze in the 1980s after synthetic materials like polythene and plastics were introduced. However, with growing environmental concerns with plastics, the use of natural fibres such as Jute is on rise again.

“Moreover, the use of jute in automobile interiors by global car giants has been growing rapidly with a current demand of 100,000 tonnes a year. I believe our graphene-based jute fibres could play a very important role in meeting the growing demand of more environmentally friendly products for various industries.”


Advanced materials is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons


https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discov...ve-natural-alternative-to-man-made-materials/

This is wonderful news! I can already see myriad uses of this in Bangladesh - primarily in small watercraft boat building. We have worked with rotting wood boats long enough!

The primary cost of building fiberglass boats is in two ingredients, resin and fibre roving (which can be glass fiber or carbon fiber), Now that Graphene-processed Jute can be substituted for the latter, the cost will come down significantly.

I expect the price of Jute to go up quite a bit as a result as well.

Footwear export fetched $438m last fiscal year
Leathergoods sourcing show begins on Nov 22

Nov 18, 2018

Bangladesh bagged $438 million in export earnings from the footwear sector alone in the last fiscal year and has become the sixth largest footwear and leather goods exporter in the world.

Every year, the South Asian nation manufactures 330 million square feet of finished leather and sends abroad around 230 million square feet of the product.The information was shared at a press conference at the Westin Dhaka hotel yesterday where organizers announced the schedule of the second edition of Bangladesh Leather Footwear and Leathergoods International Sourcing Show (BLISS) 2018.

The three-day show to be organised by the Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) will kick off at International Convention City Bashundhara in the capital on November 22.

Bangladesh exports leather and leather goods to countries such as China, Italy, the USA, the UK, Germany, Sweden, Taiwan and Japan, Saiful Islam, president of LFMEAB, said at the press meet.The tagline of the event is “Bangladesh: destination next” and objective of BLISS is to brand and position Bangladesh in the global supply chain as the next destination for high value-added leather product, he said.

Islam said the purpose of the show is to turn Bangladesh into a sourcing hub by bringing in buyers, global retailers and international sourcing agents at the expo. Efficiency of the Chittagong port should be increased to boost export of leather and leather goods, Kazi Aminul Islam, executive chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, said at the event.

“A port cannot be operated by bureaucrats. It should be handed over to the professionals to reduce lead time of exporters to increase the export volume of the leather sector.” He suggested adoption of modern technologies to stay competitive in the global market. To raise competitiveness, attention should be given to compliance and quality of the leather products along with maintaining low prices, he added.

It is a matter of great concern for the environment that the tanneries in Savar have not yet established any solid waste plant in the zone, said Shubhashish Bose, senior secretary of the commerce ministry.“The government is formulating necessary policies and laws to help the sector develop further. Now the entrepreneurs will have to ensure compliance and quality to compete in the global market.”

There is no entry fee for the exhibition, which will remain open for the visitors from 10 am to 6 pm. Foreign guests and around 30 brands and buyers from Hong Kong, Germany, Australia, Italy, Japan, France, the USA, the UK, Sweden, India, and Ethiopia will participate in the expo.

Sandeep Das, country managing director for Intertek Bangladesh, and Yu Cheng Hsing, managing director of Blue Ocean Footwear, also attended the press meet.

 

[Nilgiri]

Is China an LDC?

Hey dumb dumb, I clearly said 94% NOT covered by LDC quota. China is included in that 94% obviously DUH.

 

[Nilgiri]

Bangladesh should have the brains to process the advantages and disadvantages of BRI and not get influenced by china and India. The moment they try to play one country against another will mark it's downfall.

BD can barely pluck its own 3rd rate fiddle, forget about conducting two orchestras.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Maynmar is where China will focus to connect South China with Indian ocean. Very important country for China. Don't know what role BD will have in BRI (if they wants to be part of it).

Chinese port in Arakan coast in myanmar is actually a very good thing for Bangladesh. This port will be very near to Chittagong port and under construction deep sea port in Cox's Bazar. A great deal of export-import will happen between short distance Bangladeshi port and Chinese port in Arakan then. Both China and Bangladesh then will be able to avoid the long distance Malacca strait to engage in mutual trade. China's increasing influence over myanmar is good for Bangladesh. I believe, if China build extensive road and railway network within myanmar connecting Southern China with Arakan and Bay of Bengal, then China will be able to successfully pressurize myanmar to connect Bangladesh by road with it's nearby road network in Arakan. So, indirectly China-Bangladesh direct connection will be established by both road and sea port through myanmar.
@Two

 

[Bilal9]

U.S.-based Ashley Furniture Homestore opening soon at Gulshan-2

==========================================================
Client:
The Aga Khan Academies

Location:
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Completion:
2020

This 1200-student residential school is located on a 20-acre site near the centre of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The school is part of a network of state of the art K12 schools, being established by His Highness the Aga Khan.

Through the Aga Khan Academies there are 18 planned locations across Africa, the Middle East, Central and South Asia and Europe.

The Aga Khan Academies aim to support long-term national and regional development by providing an international standard of education and strong leadership experience to talented students. The students are selected based on merit, regardless of socioeconomic background, and will become future home-grown leaders. The Academies also strengthen national education systems by providing professional development and modelling best practices as centres of excellence.

The Academy is arranged around a central ‘Maidan’ community gathering space and sports field, linked by a continuous colonnade, and interspersed by landscape courtyards of varying character. The classical Masterplan layout is derived from our studies of the original Buddhist universities of the region.

The result is an architectural language which showcases intricate brickwork techniques set against ‘jali’ screen detailing as a contemporary interpretation of an important local tradition. The project incorporates the overarching Aga Khan Academies brief whilst integrating historic Bangladeshi customs in spatial arrangements.

This project is a collaboration between FCBStudios and Rafiq Azam of Shatotto in Dhaka.


Flythrough

Take a close-up look at the new Aga Khan Academy and proposed landscaping.

Watch video

Awards
2017 World Architecture Festival, Education - Future Projects Award

Drawings

 

[UKBengali]

Chinese port in Arakan coast in myanmar is actually a very good thing for Bangladesh. This port will be very near to Chittagong port and under construction deep sea port in Cox's Bazar. A great deal of export-import will happen between short distance Bangladeshi port and Chinese port in Arakan then. Both China and Bangladesh then will be able to avoid the long distance Malacca strait to engage in mutual trade. China's increasing influence over myanmar is good for Bangladesh. I believe, if China build extensive road and railway network within myanmar connecting Southern China with Arakan and Bay of Bengal, then China will be able to successfully pressurize myanmar to connect Bangladesh by road with it's nearby road network in Arakan. So, indirectly China-Bangladesh direct connection will be established by both road and sea port through myanmar.
@Two

Let us take a step back and analyse this.

Myanmar has declared itself to be an enemy of BD over many decades.
China ha also committed a grossly unfriendly act over Rohingya issue and is still
supporting the savages 100%.

Unless BD respects itself, no-one will respect BD.

 

[Arsalan]

Do not jump too early. May get disappointed at last. There might be some fruitful re-negotiation about inspection and may not change anything ultimately.

Plus, BD is still a small player in global apparel market, providing just 6 percent cloths. So our rise in apparel industry is not at the expense of Pakistan. Why Pakistan can not capture the other 94 percent market already available? If you can not take a slice from the 94 percent market now than it is certain that you will not be able to make any difference even if Bangladesh loss all the market and 100 percent market become available for you. So, showing such mean mentality and premature rejoice of Pak people will not bear any fruit.

Oh hoo,, i just orderd some sweets and stuff!!


Come man, not jumping or anything. Its obvious that IF one of competitors will lose business it will be good for others. What remains to be seen is if BD actually loses business as you have RIGHTLY pointed out and explained.

 

[UKBengali]

Because that 94% is not covered by LDC quota.

Same reason BD stronking about moving mass capital from China in RMG has fallen flat on its face (coinciding nicely with Walton pushing back export target of puny 1 billion USD by a full 10 years now).

Junk grade credit rating and no focus on improving that wreaks havoc in long term.

Of course a quack that is part of the problem (in forcing millions of BD medical refugees to India and parting with their hard earned minimum wage money for simplest of X-rays...expanding the CAD each year) will have no idea...and would rather just stronk stronk stronk using internal LDC type (GDDS) claims put out by 3 million tears propaganda dept.

Such individual would rather talk about how its better for woman to earn such an LDC slave labour pittance (at social cost, if you look at 3rd party data of what BD women actually are like socioeconomically in UK and US...and what their teenage pregnancy and birth rates are even inside BD) instead of actually confronting the govt to allow more businesses to flourish.

Then it cries excessively when Myanmar with 3 times less people teaches a lessson in few short weeks to such a weak country.

Fix your crap instead of playing make believe delusions.

Butt-hurt idiocy continues.

BD enjoys no LDC quota for US and exports nearly
6 billion US dollars to it each year.
BD exports are already up nearly 20% in the first 4 months of this fiscal compared to last year.

 

[Nike]

Bangladesh again denied GSP

Refayet Ullah Mirdha

Bangladesh's trade privilege in US markets has been again denied as President Donald Trump's administration goes on to enforce the trade preference programme's eligibility this week.

The Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) facility for Bangladesh was suspended in June 2013 after the Rana Plaza building collapse in April, the reasons cited being poor labour rights and unsafe working conditions in factories.

The then Obama administration also gave 16 conditions to be fulfilled for regaining the trade privilege. Bangladesh fulfilled the conditions and twice submitted reports to United States Trade Representative (USTR).

But the US has not been reinstating the trade privilege, now citing poor labour rights.

Moreover, in this year's review, Bangladesh could not come out from the list of countries suspended from GSP benefits although some active decisions were taken in the trade preference enforcement programme in 2017.

For example, Argentina was being reinstated to the GSP programme, effective from January 1, 2018, following resolution of certain arbitral disputes with US companies.

The US also restored the trade benefits to The Gambia and Swaziland under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

“President Trump has sent a clear message that the United States will vigorously enforce eligibility criteria for preferential access to the US market,” said Ambassador Robert E Lighthizer, the USTR and chief trade negotiator for the Trump administration, in a statement on December 22.

“Beneficiary countries choose to either work with USTR to meet trade preference eligibility criteria or face enforcement actions. The administration is committed to ensuring that other countries keep their end of the bargain in our trade relationships,” according to the statement.

“We do not expect reinstatement of GSP to the US market anymore as the American government has been giving newer conditions to be fulfilled by Bangladesh,” said a senior official of the commerce ministry asking not to be named.

Even though the 16 conditions had been fulfilled, the US is now demanding changing the labour law for the factories, housed in the export processing zones (EPZ), which is contradictory to the main guidelines of the EPZ law, the official said.

Moreover, Bangladesh has already submitted the draft copy of the proposed amendment of the labour law to International Labour Organization for its expert committee's opinion.

Workplace safety in Bangladesh has already been applauded all over the world after the inspection and remediation of the garment factories by the Accord and Alliance through fixing the loopholes in structural, fire and electrical aspects, the official said.

The US is the single largest export destination for Bangladesh. As a least developed country, 97 percent of goods originating from Bangladesh enjoy duty-free benefits on export to US markets as per the decision of the Hong Kong Ministerial Meeting of World Trade Organization in 2005.

However, the country's main export item, garments, has not been included in this “97 percent package” although garment items comprise 95 percent of Bangladeshi exports to the US in a year.

As a result, Bangladeshi exporters face 15.62 percent duty on export of apparel items to the US markets although some competing countries like China, Vietnam, Pakistan and India face much less.

The US government does not allow GSP on apparel items from any country and the duty differs from one country to anohter.

In 2012, the total value of imports from Bangladesh to US under GSP was $34.7 million. The top imports under GSP from Bangladesh included tobacco, sports equipment, porcelain china and plastic products.

The GSP programme saved American companies nearly $730 million in import duties in 2016 and is on track to save even more in 2017, according to American Apparel Footwear Association (AAFA).

When GSP expired from August 2013 to July 2015, US companies paid $1.3 billion extra in taxes while awaiting congressional reauthorisation, AAFA said.


https://www.thedailystar.net/business/bangladesh-again-denied-gsp-1511323

 

[bluesky]

Isn't BAL already thinking about second Padma bridge there? Japan is eying that project.

Why always the foreign companies, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and so on? Why do not you guys ask the govt to get help from our own private companies to design (consulting), surveying, subsoil investigation (not the so-called BD style soil testing), pile fabrication, pile driving, erection and so on? Let the local Contractors get foreign help. This is how the technology of designing and constructing is transferred to the locals.

About Japanese help, the railway ministry is also seeking its help (money and technology) to build a railway bridge over the Jamuna about 150 m north of the current highway bridge. I ask how far do you think BD can go when its own people are unable to build anything important? Any country needs hundreds of similar projects and do you really think only a minimal foreign collaboration will cause BD to build these? Never, never.