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What the papers say

Regaining Ground


A weekly round up of articles about employment, the labour market, skills training and workforce development. This week’s round up is drawn from The Daily Star. Here is the news for the week ending 15th October 2020.

This Week in the Bangladesh English News…

…a report on the unemployment rate. Some garment factories report the percentage of their operating capacity. And ideas to mechanise and increase productivity in the farming sector.

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What the papers say

Coffee Boosted

A weekly round up of articles about employment, the labor market, skills training and workforce development. This week’s round up is drawn from The Daily Star. Here is the news for the week ending 23rd November, 2017.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…we hear about the economic growth of Bangladesh and development of the ICT sector. New ideas and measures have been taken by businesses, activists and the government.

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What the papers say

Measures for Growth

A weekly round up of articles about employment, the labor market, skills training and workforce development. This week’s round up is drawn from The Daily Star. Here is the news for the week ending 16th November, 2017.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…we hear about new measures taken by the government to enhance the economy. However, there are ups and downs in some of the sectors.

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What the papers say

Gains and Losses

A weekly round up of articles about employment, the labor market, skills training and workforce development. This week’s round up is drawn from The Daily Star. Here is the news for the week ending 9th November, 2017.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

The government of Bangladesh continues new initiatives to enhance development. The agriculture sector suffers. New business relationships are nurtured. But some industries face obstacles and slow growth.

Workers demand higher wages. And we see progress on gender rights. Also, banks takes new steps to help marginalized people.

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What the papers say

Careers in Leather

A weekly round up of articles about employment, the labour market, skills training and workforce development. This week’s round up is drawn from The Daily Star. Here is the news for the week ending 12th May 2016.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…More opportunities for training in schools and while at work. Government programmes to support skills training across the country. Workplace safety has improved since 2013. Chittagong beekeepers strike liquid gold.

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What the papers say

Digital Growth

A weekly round up of articles about employment, the labour market, skills training and workforce development. This week’s round up is drawn from The Independent and The Daily Star. Here is the news for the week ending 14th April 2016.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…Digitisation in multiple sectors could drive enormous growth in the future, if the labour market can keep up. Inefficiencies in the tannery relocation process and in vegetable export processes is creating headaches in valuable industries. Farmers lose out to flooding related damage. Sawmills could face risks as they lack proper licenses.

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What the papers say

Growth Forecast

A weekly round up of articles about employment, the labour market, skills training and workforce development. This week’s round up is drawn from The Daily Star. Here is the news for the week ending 7th April 2016.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…Bangladesh met a long awaited growth target and joins a World Trade Organization agreement to save on trade. The government intervenes to correct prices in wheat and oil. Tanners face heavy losses in move to Savar.

Economic Forecast

Bangladesh will achieve 7.05 percent GDP growth in this fiscal year, including a rise of per capita income to USD 1,466. This helps confirm an optimistic growth forecast from the Asian Development Bank in September of last year, which praised Bangladesh for its achievements in the last couple of years.

Bangladesh will ratify the trade facilitation agreement of the WTO, placing it in a community of 57 other countries committed to an easier flow of goods and lower business costs for trade. A recent report argued that developing countries could benefit greatly, increasing export revenue by USD 170-730 billion. Coupled with the news of Bangladesh’s GDP growth forecast, the future looks bright for Bangladesh’s economy.

Relocation Hides Profits

Tanneries in Hazaribagh will mostly likely miss the extended deadline for moving hides and relocating operations to Savar. The Tannery Industrial Estate, a government project to move tanneries out of the capital, further northwest, has been responded to with minimal enthusiasm. Tanneries are having trouble moving the hides, often losing many in the process, and are slow to set up the same utilities and infrastructure they had in Hazaribagh. Only 33% of tanneries have applied for gas connections, and 20% for water. Tanners are worried about the relocation, as they fear losing what could be large profits. Until 50 tanneries relocate, the government can’t begin the operation of the factory, leading to further lost profits.

Intervening on Prices

Low wheat prices and an increase in imported wheat dampens the hope of a more profitable season for farmers. However, later in the week, the Government announced it would support wheat farmers by purchasing wheat from the beginning of next week, lasting until the end of May. The Government will buy a total of 200 000 tonnes of wheat, out of the 1 398 000 tonnes produced this season. While the purchase will not vastly improve the condition of wheat farmers, it will help them get through a tougher season.

The call for cheaper petroleum was answered as the government lowers the price of furnace oil from Tk 60 to Tk 42 a litre. As the global market for oil fell in mid 2014 and continued to stay low, local markets urged the government to follow suit to encourage individual consumers and businesses.

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What the papers say

Hard Times in Handicrafts

A weekly round up of articles about employment, the labour market, skills training and workforce development. Read below or download the news for the week ending 3rd September.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…jobs are being lost in traditional handicrafts but created in established and new manufacturing sectors. We get to the bottom of the controversies around Bangladesh, the garments industry and the General System of Preferences. But migrant labour continues to be a complicated issue with often surprising stories.

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Leather in Second Place

A weekly round up of articles about employment, the labour market, skills training and workforce development. Read below or download the news for the week ending 20th August.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

… discussions around Bangladesh’s suspension from the Generalised System of Preference continued. The apparel and leather sectors featured as usual. But uniquely skilled workers in other industries also made the news: tea pickers and saree weavers. And Qatar announced labour reforms that will benefit migrant workers from South Asia.