Myanmar: The yaba-monger neighbor

    Sarwar J. Minar, Senior Officer, International Programs and Relations, IUB : After causing awful atrocities against the Rohingya people, another identity of Myanmar is gradually unfolding. It is a massive yaba producer and supplier; it has been smuggling yaba to its neighboring countries for a long period of time. Yaba (also known as energy pill, crazy…

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      Reducing bank corporate tax is logical

      Dr. Ahmed Al Kabir, Former Chairman, Rupali Bank : The proposal to cut corporate tax for banks in the upcoming budget is logical. Previously, the rate was very high, but now it is at a reasonable level. Excluding cigarettes and a few other sectors, nearly every other sector has been reduced to or below this level….

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        Reintroduce pipeline gas supply to households

        Prof. M Tamim, Chairman, Petroleum and Resources Engineering Department, BUET : Problems in gas supply to domestic consumers during Ramadan are created due to the increased use in the industrial sector. For wider deficit this year, the problem deepened. Huge illegal domestic connections are added to it. Around 5,000 new connections have been added to 1…

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          Why do careless drivers need counselling?

          Dr Md Tajul Islam, Professor, National Mental Health Institute : The race between buses, minibuses or other motor-vehicles is not coming to an end. The whimsical attitude of drivers is not stopping either. The head of an old woman got separated after she fell under the wheels of a bus in front of the National…

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            CPD analysis: Budget lacks well-crafted action plan

            Sayeed Muhammad: The Centre for Policy Dialogue or CPD, a leading think tank of Bangladesh, said the proposed budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2018-19 lacks clarity about the source of fund and expenditure. According to the CPD, the projected revenue target is unrealistic and there is no clear guideline over the source of the…

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              PM leaves Dubai to join G7 summit outreach session

              Raj Abrar: At the invitation of her Canadian counterpart Justine Trudeau, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dubai yesterday for Toronto on a four-day official visit to attend the outreach session of G7 Summit. After making a five-hour stopover in Dubai, the Emirates flight carrying the prime minister and her entourage departed Dubai International Airport at 3:30…

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                Proposed budget implementable: Muhith

                Abrar Hussain: Finance Minister AMA Muhith claimed yesterday that an ‘implementable budget’ has been proposed for the next fiscal year. “When we propose a  budget, we do not do it without thinking whether it will be possible to achieve the target,” he told reporters at a post-budget media briefing at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in…

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                  Bangladesh reverses plan to impose VAT on online shopping

                  Rahat Chowdhury: The government has backtracked from their initial plan to impose 5% VAT on online shopping. According to the National Board of Revenue, the VAT on online shopping as announced in the new budget was a “printing error”. “It was printed mistakenly. We dropped the decision,” said Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, chairman of the NBR,…

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                    Budget for people, not election: Quader

                    Sofian Khan: Road Trans-port & Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader regarding the fiscal year 2018-19 budget, said the has been proposed aiming welfare for the people, not the upcoming parliamentary election.  “This budget is not an electoral one of Awami League. This has been proposed as a people-friendly budget,” said Quader, also the General Secretary of…

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