Dhaka can benefit from Indo-Pacific economic corridor: US
Bangladesh can benefit greatly from the establishment of an Indo-Pacific economic corridor if it can overcome the troublesome legacy of its past and come together around a democratic political transition in the coming months, said an US official.
“Bangladesh, where I was earlier this week, stands to benefit greatly from the establishment of an Indo-Pacific economic corridor if it can conquer the divisive legacy of its past and come together around a democratic political transition in the coming months,” said US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal.
Biswal, who had been on a three-day visit here last week, made the remark at her swearing-in ceremony in Washington on November 21, according to the US State Department.
Robi illegally takes Tk 830m VAT rebate
Mobile phone operator Robi Axiata Ltd has illegally taken some Tk 830 million VAT rebate in its return that was submitted to the tax authority, a senior VAT official said.
Of the amount, the VAT wing has already realised Tk 480 million from Robi's current bank accounts. The Large Taxpayers Unit (LTU) instructed banks to freeze all its bank accounts to realise the rest Tk 350 million.
LTU under the Value Added Tax (VAT) wing issued a letter to the country's all commercial banks with an instruction to suspend transaction in the bank accounts of Robi until payment of its nearly Tk 350 million tax, reports the Financial express (FE).
Hearing on Bangladesh political situation at US Congress today
A sub-committee of the House of Representatives of the US Congress is going to organise a hearing on Bangladesh political situation in Washington on Wednesday.
The Sub Committee on Asia and the Pacific will arrange the hearing, titled ‘Bangladesh in Turmoil: A Nation on the Brink?” to be held at Rayburn House Office Building, according to a web release of the office of House Committee on Foreign Affairs’ Chairman Ed Royce.
Ali Riaz, Professor and Chair, Department of Politics and Government, IllinoisStateUniversity and a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Centre, Maj Gen (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman, President of Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies and John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch will participate in the hearing as witnesses.
Govt to reopen worker migration to Maldives
The government will lift the ban on worker migration to the Maldives after a government delegation was sent to investigate allegations of fraudulent recruitment, forced labour and migrant unemployment.
In September Minivan News reported that the Bangladesh’s Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) had prohibited immigration over concerns that labourers were being lured to the Maldives with the promise of jobs, only to find themselves unemployed and unable to return to their home country.
Malaysia assures of looking after Bangladeshi workers
Malaysia has assured that it would look after the Bangladeshi workers so that they do not face any adverse situation there.
The assurance came from the visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Bin Razak during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the Bangladesh side, while visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak the Malaysian side.
After the talks, PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed reporters.
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Bangladesh offers huge potential for halal food industry
Bangladesh offers huge potential for the establishment of a halal food industry besides serving as a platform for Malaysian companies to penetrate Western and European markets.
Malaysian High Commissioner in Bangladesh, Norlin Othman said there was huge demand for halal food products in this country of 160 million people out of which 95 per cent were Muslims.
"We are competeting with India and Thailand in the food industry but we have an edge over them because of our status as an Islamic country," she told reporters during a briefing, Sunday.
