Recent Urban development in Bangladesh

[Bilal9]

A country's look is more closely aligned with the GDP in Purchasing Power Parity(PPP) than Nominal. Because PPP compare things with one yardstick (US market) than Nominal which is subject to exchange rate manipulation. Developing world's local currency is artificially undervalued relative to US Dollar which starts to gain value once those countries catch up with the developed countries. exchange rate sometimes fluctuates wildly often local currency loose value massively against US Dollar which will collapse the Nominal GDP. If our Taka suddenly lose half of its value aganist the US Dollar and start trading at 170 per Dollar, our nominal GDP will show just 200 billion Dollar rather than 400 Billion currently now, but GDP PPP will remain the same. Now if anyone thinks, GDP nominal is the real yardstick, he may think our agricultural+Industrial+Service output suddenly became half, which is not the case. Only Taka lost value, but real things on the ground remain the same.

Indonesia, Vietnam has nominal GDP Per capita of just 4000 US Dollar. But those countries look way more developed than that measly 4000 Dollar nominal per capita GDP suggests. You can only truly grasp their real development when you will consider their GDP PPP per capita which is 13000-14000 US Dollars range. A 100 Dollar bill in Indonesia or Vietnam can buy goods and services 3 times more than it can in Japan, USA and Western Europe. This is why prosperity or development should be compared with GDP PPP per capita rather than nominal. Nominal is only important when goods and services are traded internationally. That is the only time when local currency's real value become meaningless and Dollar's exchange rate becomes the only denominator.

Thanks @Homo Sapiens bhai, this did enhance my understanding of the developing economies. I am no economist.

I can understand why Indonesia's GDP per capita PPP remains higher than ours (having all the natural resources they have).

However I don't understand how Vietnam's is so much higher than ours (especially in terms of their apparel industry - for example, having a lot less backward integration than we do). Plus their natural resource situation is kind of at par with ours.

In defense of Vietnam it is true that,

• Their electronics assembly sector is a lot larger than ours, much more developed (see point three below).
• They are helped by bordering China, which can supply a huge part of their raw material needs,
• They are also helped by geography - in that they are very close to Taiwan, Korea and even Japan, so that they get copious FDI from these countries to do subcontracts,

By the way GDP Per capita PPP was as below for 2020 in US dollars.

Bangladesh - $5138
Vietnam - $8650
Indonesia - $12,072

That of India actually fell to $6503 (Thank you Modi and Nirmala for Notebandi and other f*ckups which started in 2017-18).

World Bank Open Data

Free and open access to global development data

data.worldbank.org

 

[Bilal9]

Eid break means half the floating population has left Dhaka city, This essentially means there is no alternative to reducing Dhaka's population by moving industrial and commercial activity out of the city.

Purbachal Expressway Update 2022​

 

[Bilal9]

PM opens Bangabandhu Military Museum
The museum has six separate parts including designated galleries for Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force

Bangabandhu Military Museum. Photo: Collected

Bangabandhu Military Museum. Photo: Collected
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated an international standard architectural feat Bangabandhu Military Museum to collect, preserve and exhibit the real history of the Liberation War.

The premier virtually opened the museum from her official Ganabhaban residence here through a programme.

Chief of Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan, and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal spoke on the occasion from the museum site at Bijoy Sarani Road here.

Cabinet members, lawmakers, high civil and military officials were present at the museum end.

The Bangabandhu Military Museum was built on 10 acres of land on the west side of the Bangabandhu Novo Theater where equipment of the military, before and after the independence, would be presented.

The museum has six separate parts including designated galleries for Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force.

To educate people about the glorious history of the Bangladesh military forces, Bangladesh Military Museum was established in 1987 in Mirpur Cantonment which was later shifted in 1992 to the present location on the west side of Bangabandhu Planetarium along Bijoy Sarani Road in Dhaka.

The military museum was upgraded under a grand initiative to modernize it which has led to the development of a state of the art establishment that will be known as "Bangabandhu Military Museum".

The museum promises to provide authentic information to the country's people, specifically the new generation, about the glorious past, challenges, achievements, and key developments of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force. The information displayed can also be used for research purposes.

Here's a VLOG recorded by a Dhaka VLOGGER...

 

[Bilal9]

Institute of Water Modeling, IWM, Uttara

 

[Bilal9]

The Sufia Kamal Public Library Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
Najifa Farhat

March 16, 2022 11:59 PM

Sufia Kamal Public Library – popularly known as public library – is up for a complete renovation to give one of Dhaka’s treasured landmarks a modern look.

The preparations are almost finished. Books are packed, the furniture has been stacked, and the computers along with other digital devices are stuffed into “fragile” boxes to shift them to their new home for the next three years at the Institute of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB).

Officials and staff of the 67-year-old library are now busy with the last-minute relocation arrangements. Many are full of memories, tinged with sadness, as they prepare to leave their decade-long workplace.

But above everything, the oldest and most familiar cultural hub of the capital, that was a silent witness to the country’s major struggles, is spreading the winds of melancholy marking the end of an era.

Courtesy: Dcon Design Studio
The demolition of the current library is scheduled to start in the first week of April.

The Tk524 crore project will be handled by the Public Works Department of the government and the duration of this project is estimated to be June 2024.

The renovated library complex

The foundation of the Sufia Kamal Public Library was laid in 1954 at the current space of Dhaka University Central Library. It was shifted to the present location at Shahbagh in 1978.

The building was designed by architect Muzharul Islam. However, after the completion of the sapphire jubilee, a new design of the public library was made open for competition, hosted by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

In 2017, a design submitted jointly by Cubeinside Design Ltd and Dcon Design Studio won the bid out of 65 submissions.

In the original plan, the library and national museum were supposed to go under renovation together. However, due to some bureaucratic complications, only the national library will start the process now.

The new design will divide the library complex into two separate nine-storied buildings, one towards the south, where the present library building is situated, and a glass plaza towards the north, adjacent to the museum complex, which will be used as the digital library.

Courtesy: Dcon Design Studio
The 200-feet long centre space between the buildings will be an open space for the public with a giant water fountain.
Beneath the ground, three auditoriums, including the Shawkat Osman auditorium, will be constructed to arrange public events.
The archetypal pyramid shaped stairs in front of the national library will be replaced by long parallel stairs.

The main complex will also accommodate a ten-storied residential building for library staff.

The Sufia Kamal Public Library Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
Abu Anas Faisal, architect of Dcon Design Studio and team lead of the design project, said: “The public library is an iconic structure surrounded by some of the nation’s most important institutions. Since the independence of our nation, this place has welcomed all types of people and we want to keep it this way.

“The main goal of the proposed design is to create a place that has both a strong sense of community and a comfortable image for all,” he added.

Digitization of books
The temporary library at the IEB will be able to showcase only 50% of the 176,000 books of the library.

That is why the library authority is working to make the collections online for a while now.

However, the major share of the books of the library will fall under copyright laws. Therefore, only 5,000 books will be made available for all now.

“A book is free from copyright after sixty years of its publication. We have already digitized around 18,000 books. But we might not be able to make them all available for the public. In future, we might contact the publishers and writers to make the copyright of their books free for public reading,” said Abubakar Siddique, director-general of the Department of Public Libraries.

Courtesy: Dcon Design StudioAdditionally, a catalogue of the books of the national library will also be available online so that readers from any corner of the world can look for books from the vast collection.

Right now, the library has 950 registered members.

Seeking anonymity, an official of the library said the reason behind the low number of permanent readers is that 90% of the readers come here to take preparations for job-related exams. Among the rest, a big portion comes for research purposes and a group also comes in for the newspaper archive section.

“The public library hasn’t failed readers; we offer the most enriched collection and soothing environment for readers. However, the invasion of modern technology and materialistic ambition has shifted people from books,” said the DG.

 

[Bilal9]

Delicious Decadence | Kavazo
Text by Sophy Ayman


SHOWCASE April, 2022

Kavazo, located in Banani Road 11, owned by business partners Zareen Tasnim Omar and Nur Elahi Razin, is quickly becoming synonymous with artisanal desserts among the Dhaka crowd, leaning towards the French-inspired style of premium pastries.The shop boasts delicious treats that are carefully curated and created to appeal to a more rarified palate, or if you are just someone who enjoys a sweet tooth. The outlet is beautifully and tastefully designed by Sudeshna Shireen Chowdhury and Nazila Mehnaz of Studi.

Zareen Tasnim Omar has been baking since she was eight years old, had a passion for creating new desserts, trying out the new combination for flavours, and always dreamed of having her pastry shop. She and her business partner came up with the idea for a premium dessert café that also sells coffee. The research and development for the shop took time and it was just when the pandemic hit that the duo decided to launch the cloud kitchen for Kavazo. The response, even during pandemic times was overwhelmingly positive and it was only fair that Kavazo had its shop in the heart of Banani once the pandemic was dying down. Zareen contacted Studi to help her achieve her vision for her dessert shop.

Finding an appropriate location, especially in Banani Road 11 was a feat in itself. The spot opened up as the previous establishment closed down during the pandemic and Team Kavazo jumped on that opportunity. The location is ideal as one can drive by it when using the Banani Bridge to enter. The elevated location ensures that it is viewable from the road, from inside the car. Therefore, the lighting of the store played a huge part in this as being a well-lit store with tall glass windows on all sides ensures that people driving by can look inside and be intrigued to come in.

Whilst deciding on the menu for Kavazo, Zareen wanted to incorporate flavour combinations she liked and thought that they worked well together. For example, the choux pastry took almost a year to perfect and 6 more months to teach to her staff. She even took customer feedback into account and introduced the Black forest Mousse, which is the typical black forest flavours reimagined.

All the desserts at Kavazo are individual pieces rather than in the traditional style. Even the flavours are fancier, such as their Hazelnut Mousse, the Pinacolada Mousse, the Peanut Praline Tart and many more. Sudeshna Shireen Chowdhury, principal architect at Studi clarifies that the Kavazo design was a team effort with her partner and in-charge of construction management Nazila Mehnaz. Zareen had a clear vision of what she wanted the shop to look like, and Studi did their very best to fulfil that requirement. The client had a very clear concept ‘Simple er moddhey gorgeous’ and Studi did a beautiful job of fulfilling that.

The colour theme for the shop is done in black and white with gold accents, a timeless and sophisticated look that never fails to mesmerize. The shop covers about 350 sq ft; therefore, space management was of the utmost importance. The shop is covered in glass windows that allow maximum natural light to illuminate the store. There are three framed backlit mirrors to one side to make the shop look bigger than it is. There is a small black marble table with stools that act as the only seating options, as the shop is too small to have a proper seating arrangement. But the pièce de résistance is the island display case that sits in the middle of the store.

 

[Bilal9]

When someone says “let’s get some tacos”, they usually mean “let’s hang out”. A friendship is implied, a connection is established and cravings are satisfied. At Taqueria Lola, you get your fill of comforting, hearty food, as well as a fittingly jovial atmosphere to complement the comfort.

An authentic Mexican taqueria located on Gulshan Avenue and tucked inside Bay’s Galleria, Taqueria Lola bursts with a sure vibe of festivity. Go in, order a platter. Chances are, you wouldn’t be able to stop!

Tacos are perhaps the most emblematic dish of Mexico, an uniter of cultures and people. Imagine a fresh, warm tortilla with the perfect softness, embracing hours of slow-cooked meat, bathed in a zesty salsa. It’s simple, genuine, delicious, and filling all at the same time.

“No one does tacos better than Mexico City, especially the ones found on Lorenzo Boturini Street. We wanted to bring a piece of that mouth-watering experience to Dhaka through Taqueria Lola,” explains Nadia Khan, Managing Director of Dhaka Restaurant Concepts.

Its bright, vibrant colours, captivating feature wallpaper, and funky neon signs transport you to a whole new world.

The entire restaurant is a unique vibe and is undoubtedly an Instagrammer’s dream spot for nighttime selfies.

With a little over 400 square feet, Lola stays true to its taqueria aesthetic with stunning interior design by the U.S.-based Coeval Studio and construction by Bay Developments Ltd, taking guests on a distinctive cultural and culinary journey.

“We use fresh, quality produce, meat and dairy sourced locally. Our tortillas are made by hand from scratch every day. Our flavorful barbacoa is slow-cooked overnight, while our chicken tinga simmers for hours in a saucy, smoky, spicy tomato chipotle sauce before it’s served,” Nadia says.

“Last but not least is our fiery salsas for which we use a variety of Mexican chilis- Guajillo Chili, Pasilla, Chile De Arbol, Habanero, Chipotle and Ancho,” she added, listing all the reasons a taco-lover would be tempted to frequent Taqueria Lola.

Taqueria Lola brings a piece of Mexico City to Dhaka and does it wholeheartedly.

The cheerful atmosphere promises the best taco in the city and does not disappoint one bit. Go check out Taqueria Lola, where every day is literally a fiesta!

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka airport third terminal construction outpaces target
TBS Report
11 April, 2022, 09:45 pm
Last modified: 12 April, 2022, 11:01 am

Officials say the soft launch of the much-awaited terminal is expected within September-October next year

Photo: TBS
Construction of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) is progressing in full swing with completion reaching 2% more than the April target.

Officials say the soft launch of the much-awaited terminal is expected within September-October next year.

After visiting the project site at Kurmitola of the capital on Monday, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali told journalists, "The construction of this world-class airport is 1.9% ahead of the expected target.

"By April 8, the construction of the third terminal was supposed to be 32.7% complete. However, in reality it is at 34.6%. The construction will be completed within the stipulated time."

Expressing hope that the terminal can be inaugurated within the scheduled December 2023 timeline, he said, "Passengers at the third terminal will enjoy the same quality of services they get at London's Heathrow Airport or Thailand's airports.

"There will be no compromise with quality," he said of the project being implemented by Mitsubishi and Fujita of Japan, and Samsung of South Korea.

"Even if there is some work left, the soft launch can be done earlier. During the Covid-19 outbreak, construction work of the third terminal did not stop for a single day," he added.

Around 4,000 national and international workers are working on the project, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

Once completed, the terminal can serve twice the number of passengers than the Dhaka Airport is handling currently, officials said.
On the elevated expressway, the state minister said, "These works need to be coordinated. Work on the elevated expressway will begin in a few days, when the terminal will be connected to the expressway.

"The prime minister has instructed us to extend the tunnel to Ashkona Hajj Camp. We will work accordingly," he said

After completion of the project, HSIA will be able to provide service to over two crore passengers every year, according to the CAAB.
Asked if the cost of the project could increase, Mahbub Ali said, "We will see. There is no guarantee."

CAAB Chairman Air Vice-Marshal Mafidur Rahman said, "The construction of the third terminal is going on as per schedule. There was a small delay because work on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway is starting a little late."

When the third terminal is completed, it will double the airport's annual passenger and cargo handling capacities, according to AKM Maksudul Islam, the project director of the third terminal.

Recently, he told a visiting Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association delegation that after completion of the terminal, the airport will be able to handle five lakh tonnes of cargo from the current two lakh tonnes.

According to project sources, the terminal is being constructed on 542,000 square metres of land and will have a floor space of 230,000 square metres, 115 check-in counters, 64 departure and 64 arrival immigration desks.

Meanwhile, construction of a high speed taxiway at the airport is also being done quickly.

The CAAB chairman on Monday said, "The plan was to complete the work by June. However, it will be completed within the first week of May."

The chairman also said that the work of installing a new radar at the airport has started.

On December 28, 2019, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction work of the Tk21,300 crore "Third Terminal of HSIA" in Dhaka aimed at increasing the airport's passenger and cargo capacity.

The project received the green signal from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council on October 24, 2017. It involved an estimated cost of Tk13,610crore.

However, in 2019, the cost was later revised. Of the total cost, the government will provide Tk5,000 crore and the rest will be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

 

[Bilal9]

Despite being situated right on the bustling Road 11 of Banani, Ibiza Bistro is a restaurant with a mood of its own. Amply lit with natural lighting, the restaurant has a combination of warm and cool hues that complement each other. The goal was to make the place remind the founder and director of Ibiza, Sabbir Zoha Khan, of his favourite restaurant in Scotland’s Glasgow right from the hub of the concrete jungle we know Dhaka to be.

Modern yet minimal – is how he aspired the space to be. And, Imthiaz Mahmud Rakin, founder and architect of Pen & Spaces and co-founder of Archevo Exterior Consultancy, helped the founder of Ibiza create his dream space.

Set on a space of roughly 2875 square feet with a fully equipped kitchen of 630 square feet, Ibiza is adequately spacious with a fairly informal sitting arrangement and just walking into the place is bound to have a relaxing effect on any visitor. The place also looks profoundly bright.

• 

Thanks to the walls painted in creamy white and wide windows inspired by modern French architecture, the entire restaurant beams with daylight as soon as the sun goes up.

The minimum indoor lighting creates a cosy ambience perfect for people to unwind from their crazy cosmopolitan lives.

• 
• 

The interior colour palette of Ibiza is remarkably soothing to look at. A touch of oceanic blue, teal, and kale against the creamy white backdrops is slightly contrasting for sure but they have gently calming effects on one’s nerves. The half-heightened walls serve their purpose perfectly by connecting two worlds and also by complementing the artworks hanging on the walls.

Every piece of furniture used in Ibiza was carefully designed so that it would go hand in hand with Ibiza’s signature vibe of a modern European bistro. From tables, the counter, juice bar, tufted sofas, decorative accent walls, to the wall string – everything was made from scratch. However, one exception was the chairs which were sourced from a local furniture brand Isho.

The entire construction of Ibiza happened in between Covid-19 waves which is why the architectural team heavily depended on locally sourced materials.

Architect Imthiaz said without the support from his team at Pen & Space and the encouragement and assistance from Ibiza’s owner Sabbir, Ibiza perhaps would not have looked like it does today.

Even without the pandemic, IBIZA came into being after a lot of toing and froing. Sabbir Zoha Khan had to choose between a comfortable life in the UK with a stable job and a braver choice of being an entrepreneur. After quite a quandary, he decided to make a move on his dreams and Ibiza started its journey in mid-April this year.


Every major and minor decision of Ibiza has the owner’s input as he closely monitors the purchase, inventory management, and marketing side of the restaurant. Being busy as a beaver with Ibiza on his plate, he might not have much time of a day to spare but he does not let that dim the flame of his passion.

• 
• 

Speaking about the food offered by Ibiza, Sabbir said, the initial plan was to go entirely with the Pan European cuisine. But owing to the different taste buds of the mass in Bangladesh who prefer Pan Asian cuisines, the restaurant swiftly modified its menu. Now, the restaurant offers a blend of Pan-European and Pan-Asian cuisine, leaning heavily on the Pan-European side.

The menu of Ibiza also took inspiration from Sabbir’s favourite Glaswegian restaurant. The restaurant prides itself on sourcing only the best quality ingredients to prepare dishes. Even though the menu is a bit on the pricey side, the owner argues that the restaurant tries to maintain a competitive price suitable for the mass. Sabbir says Ibiza has succeeded in achieving certain cost-effectiveness that helps the restaurant to be affordable without having to compromise on quality.

 

[bluesky]

Eid break means half the floating population has left Dhaka city, This essentially means there is no alternative to reducing Dhaka's population by moving industrial and commercial activity out of the city.

I would like you to note that when 1000 people gather at the same place without moving, you will feel the area/ road is crowded. Now, they take 500 rickshaws, you will see the crowd is dissipating but is taking quite a long time, say 60 minute.

Now, if 10 buses arrive at the spot one by one, it takes about 30 minutes to dissipate. Why not immediately? Because, the buses will arrive and take the passengers one after another each taking 100 passengers. So, it takes time.

Now, in another scenario, if these 1,000 people are crowded on a MetroRail platform, the crowd will dissipate within 5 minutes. One single train can accommodate all of them at the same time.

So, too many people itself is not the problem. The point is to build a transport system that is efficient. Dhaka traffic system is now very inefficient.

It will improve by about 50% once metrorail is built and another 50% improvement when a correct bus transit system is built centering the metro stations.

In my personal opinion, BD people have very poor imagination capacity and wrong people have been employed in the wrong places. So, they may not be able to build an efficient bus transit system.

However, I have seen Mayor Atiqur Rahman to be a very intelligent person. I hope, he will come out with solutions.

But, he should get training under JICA in Japan. He has keen eyes to see things in their proper perspectives. There is no exclusive lane for buses in Japan. In most cases, they provide a wider space at the city bus STOPS whenever possible.

BD roads are similarly narrow as Japan. So, instead of following the US examples, BD should follow the Japanese system.

 

[Bengal71]

PM opens Bangabandhu Military Museum
The museum has six separate parts including designated galleries for Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force

Bangabandhu Military Museum. Photo: Collected

Bangabandhu Military Museum. Photo: Collected
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated an international standard architectural feat Bangabandhu Military Museum to collect, preserve and exhibit the real history of the Liberation War.

The premier virtually opened the museum from her official Ganabhaban residence here through a programme.

Chief of Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan, and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal spoke on the occasion from the museum site at Bijoy Sarani Road here.

Cabinet members, lawmakers, high civil and military officials were present at the museum end.

The Bangabandhu Military Museum was built on 10 acres of land on the west side of the Bangabandhu Novo Theater where equipment of the military, before and after the independence, would be presented.

The museum has six separate parts including designated galleries for Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force.

To educate people about the glorious history of the Bangladesh military forces, Bangladesh Military Museum was established in 1987 in Mirpur Cantonment which was later shifted in 1992 to the present location on the west side of Bangabandhu Planetarium along Bijoy Sarani Road in Dhaka.

The military museum was upgraded under a grand initiative to modernize it which has led to the development of a state of the art establishment that will be known as "Bangabandhu Military Museum".

The museum promises to provide authentic information to the country's people, specifically the new generation, about the glorious past, challenges, achievements, and key developments of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force. The information displayed can also be used for research purposes.

Here's a VLOG recorded by a Dhaka VLOGGER...

How time changes. This place was an empty block of land, I remember a Dhaka Biomela (not ekushey boimela) was organized in 1995 at this location. I as a 10th grader, went with my friends, Khaleda Zia arrived to inaugurate the boimela. There were 6 storey residential buildings behind it and some guys started peeing in the open field next to the boundary walls of those buildings. Girls were in the roofs and they looked down and the guys started shouting and waving hands at them to move away.... . Girls moved away laughing. Time flies.

The spot was later converted to an open air military museum with some tanks and artillery pieces on display.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

However I don't understand how Vietnam's is so much higher than ours (especially in terms of their apparel industry - for example, having a lot less backward integration than we do). Plus their natural resource situation is kind of at par with ours.

In defense of Vietnam it is true that,

• Their electronics assembly sector is a lot larger than ours, much more developed (see point three below).
• They are helped by bordering China, which can supply a huge part of their raw material needs,
• They are also helped by geography - in that they are very close to Taiwan, Korea and even Japan, so that they get copious FDI from these countries to do subcontracts,

Vietnam's total trade is 600 billion Dollars compared to our 130 billion. Vietnam's annual FDI is more than 20 billion Dollars vs Bangladesh's 2 billion. These two indicators demonstrate that Vietnam's scale of economic activities is much higher than Bangladesh. Vietnam's infrastructure spending as GDP% is also three times higher than Bangladesh. And these things did not happen overnight, rather for at least 30 years, Vietnam consistently invested more in human and physical capital than Bangladesh. As a market economy with strong Communist leadership focused on economic development, Vietnam mobilized resources much more efficiently than Bangladesh which until a few years ago was synonymous with political chaos and natural disaster. During the 1990s and 2000s, our GDP growth was 5-6% while Vietnam grew consistently at 8-9%. This pulled ahead of Vietnam over Bangladesh overtimes. It is only in the last decade, that two countries' GDP growth rate became comparable.

Vietnam actually a resource-rich country. They produce oil half a million barrels per day, means they don't need to import oil. They also produce natural gas, They are a big rice and other agri product exporter unlike Bangladesh. And you are right about Vietnam's geographic advantage due to it's proximity with Asian tiger economies and China. Their geographic advantage does not end there, They have a 3200 km coastline suitable for many deep sea ports which facilitated extensive trade with the East and West. Another factor for Vietnam's success is cultural and ethnic similarity with other east Asian developed economies. Japanese, Korean, Singaporean investors will always feel at home investing and doing business with people who looks like them, have similar cultural traits. In this regard, Bangladesh has got no advantage.

These are the factor that despite starting at a similar level of GDP per capita in 1990, Vietnam pulled ahead of Bangladesh and now their GDP PPP per capita is twice of Bangladesh. In this regard, China is even more succeessful, China had a similar GDP PPP per capita as Bangladesh in 1990, it is now 3 times higher.

 

[Bilal9]

Vietnam's total trade is 600 billion Dollars compared to our 130 billion. Vietnam's annual FDI is more than 20 billion Dollars vs Bangladesh's 2 billion. These two indicators demonstrate that Vietnam's scale of economic activities is much higher than Bangladesh. Vietnam's infrastructure spending as GDP% is also three times higher than Bangladesh. And these things did not happen overnight, rather for at least 30 years, Vietnam consistently invested more in human and physical capital than Bangladesh. As a market economy with strong Communist leadership focused on economic development, Vietnam mobilized resources much more efficiently than Bangladesh which until a few years ago was synonymous with political chaos and natural disaster. During the 1990s and 2000s, our GDP growth was 5-6% while Vietnam grew consistently at 8-9%. This pulled ahead of Vietnam over Bangladesh overtimes. It is only in the last decade, that two countries' GDP growth rate became comparable.

Vietnam actually a resource-rich country. They produce oil half a million barrels per day, means they don't need to import oil. They also produce natural gas, They are a big rice and other agri product exporter unlike Bangladesh. And you are right about Vietnam's geographic advantage due to it's proximity with Asian tiger economies and China. Their geographic advantage does not end there, They have a 3200 km coastline suitable for many deep sea ports which facilitated extensive trade with the East and West. Another factor for Vietnam's success is cultural and ethnic similarity with other east Asian developed economies. Japanese, Korean, Singaporean investors will always feel at home investing and doing business with people who looks like them, have similar cultural traits. In this regard, Bangladesh has got no advantage.

These are the factor that despite starting at a similar level of GDP per capita in 1990, Vietnam pulled ahead of Bangladesh and now their GDP PPP per capita is twice of Bangladesh. In this regard, China is even more succeessful, China had a similar GDP PPP per capita as Bangladesh in 1990, it is now 3 times higher.

Thanks @Homo Sapiens bhai - very lucid explanation.

I am sure this helped others' understanding here as it did for me.

 

[F-6 enthusiast]

PM opens Bangabandhu Military Museum
The museum has six separate parts including designated galleries for Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force

Bangabandhu Military Museum. Photo: Collected

Bangabandhu Military Museum. Photo: Collected
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated an international standard architectural feat Bangabandhu Military Museum to collect, preserve and exhibit the real history of the Liberation War.

The premier virtually opened the museum from her official Ganabhaban residence here through a programme.

Chief of Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan, and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal spoke on the occasion from the museum site at Bijoy Sarani Road here.

Cabinet members, lawmakers, high civil and military officials were present at the museum end.

The Bangabandhu Military Museum was built on 10 acres of land on the west side of the Bangabandhu Novo Theater where equipment of the military, before and after the independence, would be presented.

The museum has six separate parts including designated galleries for Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force.

To educate people about the glorious history of the Bangladesh military forces, Bangladesh Military Museum was established in 1987 in Mirpur Cantonment which was later shifted in 1992 to the present location on the west side of Bangabandhu Planetarium along Bijoy Sarani Road in Dhaka.

The military museum was upgraded under a grand initiative to modernize it which has led to the development of a state of the art establishment that will be known as "Bangabandhu Military Museum".

The museum promises to provide authentic information to the country's people, specifically the new generation, about the glorious past, challenges, achievements, and key developments of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force. The information displayed can also be used for research purposes.

Here's a VLOG recorded by a Dhaka VLOGGER...

i am glad they moved the BAF HQ there

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka Metrorail Line 6 update

Agargaon New Administrative Area