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People Are Moving. Is the Economy Following?

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 10th March 2021.

Photo by Niloy Biswas on Unsplash.

This Week in the Bangladesh English News…

…Bangladeshis are more mobile now than before the pandemic, but meanwhile, borrowers and banks haven’t fully recovered. There’s insight into child marriages, and more about the plight of working women. And days before a major India-Bangladesh meetup, it seems everyone’s talking about what’s on the agenda.

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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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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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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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Development Initiatives

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 2nd November 2017.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…we hear about new initiatives to boost development. New trade agreements are formed to increase business relationships. Markets of garments and agricultural products are prospering. Foreign investors are keen to invest. But the complexities of doing business in the country have become a major barrier.

Some farmers are still struggling. Workers are unhappy with wage discrimination and harassment. Remittance inflow was the lowest in six years. And women continue to feel threatened by child marriage and workplace discrimination.

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Garment Exports Up

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 10th November 2016.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…Donors adjust support to Bangladesh. Export earnings fail expectations while Government battles for trade privileges. Government to set up manpower authority for economic zones and expand youth training programme. Pay packets are squeezed forBangladeshi workers oversees.  And music makers drop a beat while sesame farming opens for business.

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Blue Collar Ceiling

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 14th July 2016.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics reveals data on rural-urban migration while Bangladeshi migrant workers are still among the lowest paid in Middle East. Still no access to the Generalized System of Preferences but US retailers stand by Bangladeshi garment manufacturers. And Sirajganj will graduate 180 textile engineers a year through new institute.

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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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Structuring Tomorrow

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 Financial Express. Here is the news for the week ending 24th March 2016.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

….International Chamber Commerce debates sustainable development goals while United Nations conferences on urban policy. Trade agreements in flux with China and Malaysia. And pharmaceuticals and light engineerings receive policy support. The Government supports poor fisherman and protects vulnerable farmers.

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Hand Weave and Heritage

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 Financial Express. Here is the news for the week ending 11th February 2015.

This week in the Bangladesh English Press…

…trade partners meet in Wellington. Malaysia and Qatar look to recruit from Bangladesh.  The economics of growing rice is discussed.  And we look at the lost craft of muslin textiles.