Martin Swapan Pandey

A councillor and his illicit tobacco trade

A significant share of Bangladesh’s illegal cigarette market is controlled by two companies where Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Councillor Abdus Sabur Liton and his brother have the majority stakes, an investigation by The Daily Star has found.

3m ago

Big tobacco push drives up per hectare production

Bangladesh's tobacco production per hectare has grown by nearly 21 percent over the last five years, indicating a hard push by big tobacco companies for more profit from a product known to be a serious health and environmental concern.

3m ago

When the system develops rust, police can see even dead men running

The dead are thought to be free from mortal matters. But are they? Consider Amin Uddin Mollah. The Gazipur man has long since died, on January 25, 2021, to be precise, and yet he “took part” in attacking police personnel with a bomb on the night of October 28, 2023

9m ago

Jute Workers: No pay scale in 9 years, no pay for months

On September 7, 2015, the cabinet approved the eighth national pay scale effective from July that year, and it has been implemented in al-most all government offices and corporations.

5y ago

Serving time even after amnesty

An elderly man has been rotting in prison for nine years even after getting presidential general amnesty.

5y ago

Out of watch with legal shield

Almost every time any government agency tried to ensure accountability and transparency of the duty-free liquor trade, it found itself in a legal limbo. Over the last two decades, diplomatic bonded warehouses, who import duty-free liquor for diplomats and foreigners, filed writ after writ with the High Court challenging the legality of the government action.

5y ago

GIVEN BY GHOSTS

Officially, most bars and social clubs neither import nor purchase alcohol yet they log huge sales; restrictive law, high import tariff, bureaucratic nightmare encouraging smuggling; govt loses big, earning almost nothing out of this trade.

5y ago