Asifur Rahman

$14b a year lost to capital flight during AL years

Bangladesh has lost around $14 billion a year on average to capital flight during the Awami League’s 15-year tenure, according to the draft report of the committee preparing a white paper on the economy.

17h ago

Nagorik committee: Members split over ex-Shibir leader joining

Jatiya Nagorik Committee has included a former top leader of Islami Chhatra Shibir in its extended central committee, ignoring objections from a section of committee members.

2d ago

Power, Energy Sector: Arrears, subsidies weighing down govt

The interim government is struggling to pay the power bill arrears that were caused largely by “unfair” contracts signed between the previous administration and power producers, and rising international fuel prices.

6d ago

Now coal power plants scaling back production

Coal-fired power plants are dialling down production or even shutting down due to financial, legal or technical issues, leading to power cuts across the country, especially the rural areas.

3w ago

Outstanding bills: Adani halves power supply to Bangladesh

India’s Adani Power Jharkhand Limited has halved its power supply to Bangladesh, saying it has yet to receive outstanding bills.

3w ago

Heatwave cost Bangladesh $21b last year

Heat exposure had severe economic consequences for Bangladesh last year, leading to an estimated income loss of $21 billion due to reduced labour capacity, according to the latest Lancet Countdown report.

4w ago

AL govt put finance adviser, BB governor in legal trouble

The immediate past Awami League government’s failure to settle an international arbitration claim has left Bangladesh in a legal tangle in the US, leading to a surprise judicial order against two top officials of the interim government during their official visit to Washington last week.

1m ago

‘They got capacity charges for 16yrs. Not anymore’

A retired bureaucrat, Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan has been tasked with heading three significant ministries for the economy: power, energy and mineral resources; road transport and bridges; and railways.

1m ago
March 9, 2022
March 9, 2022

Runaway energy prices raise alarm

The runaway fuel oil and gas price in the international markets has already hit Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves and intensified pressures on the exchange rate amid the escalation of imports at higher prices.

February 18, 2022
February 18, 2022

Stimulus for the laid-off: Only 0.5pc spent in a year

The government spent only about 0.5 percent of a Tk 1,500 crore stimulus package unveiled in 2020 for laid off workers of export-oriented apparel and leather factories.

February 18, 2022
February 18, 2022

Water project awaiting revision: Officials ‘not involved’, yet they travelled abroad

Three government officials toured abroad this month using funds from a water development board project in Cox’s Bazar, although none of them was directly associated with the work.

February 11, 2022
February 11, 2022

Power cost keeps spiralling

Capacity payments for under-utilised independent power producers (IPPs) are heavily affecting the power generation cost, putting pressure on the government to raise the tariff, said a recent study.

January 29, 2022
January 29, 2022

Faulty design, negligence and much more

On December 24, the MV Abhijan fire hazard took the lives of 49 people and injured many more. A month since the tragedy, one question still lingers in everyone’s minds: who was responsible?

January 29, 2022
January 29, 2022

HOW TO BE A VC

Although there are no specific rules for the appointment of vice-chancellors (VCs) in public universities, there appears to be an unofficial yet mandatory criterion—a teacher has to be affiliated with a pro-government teacher’s panel to be nominated for the top post.

January 20, 2022
January 20, 2022

Gas crisis a daily reality for many Dhaka residents

For many households and industries in Dhaka and its adjacent areas, gas supply has become as scarce as hen’s teeth for two months now.

January 18, 2022
January 18, 2022

Why didn’t voters know about this?

As the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) elections come to a close, it was found that at least 13 councillors with murder, drugs, arms or explosives-related cases against them won their respective ballots on Sunday.

January 17, 2022
January 17, 2022

IVY wins again

Selina Hayat Ivy was on course to win a straight third term as the Narayanganj mayor as she was ahead of her rival by 42,054 votes in yesterday’s city corporation polls, which was largely festive and peaceful.

January 17, 2022
January 17, 2022

Prepaid Gas Meters: Perks aplenty but installation slow

The installation of prepaid gas meters is going on at a snail’s pace even though the system comes with many perks, including cuts in customers’ cost and a reduction in gas wastage.