JRT Post

  Bangabandhu Gold Cup and Bangmata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament in Bhuapur, Tangail was held on Saturday 30th July at 4 pm at Bhuapur Government Pilot High School ground.

Honorable Member of Parliament of Tangail-2 Constituency Mr. Tanveer Hasan Chhota Monir MP was present as the chief guest in the said final game.  Bhuapur Upazila Chairman Mr. Nargis Akhtar, Vice Chairman Mr. Md. Monirul Islam Babu, Female Vice Chairman Mr. Alif Noor Mini, Gobindasi Union Parishad Chairman Mr. Dulal Hossain Chakdar, Alloa Union Parishad Chairman Rafiqul Islam Rafiq, Upazila Education Officer, Asst.  Upazila Education Officer, head teachers of various government primary schools and other teachers and leaders of Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League.

In the said game, Sialkole Govt Primary School defeated Charnikla Govt Primary School by 3/2 in a tiebreaker in the girls event and Arjuna Govt Primary School defeated Varai Govt Primary School by 2/1 in the boys event.

 Junior Chamber International (JCI) Bangladesh has made its new national executive committee for the year 2023 in the recently held national general assembly of the organisation in a hotel at Dhaka. In the committee, Md Altamis Nabil has been elected as the new vice president of the national organization.

 Zunaid Ahmed Palak : In the last decade, Bangladesh has shown the world how revolutionary progress can be achieved through building a Digital Bangladesh vision as dreamt by our visionary leader Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It has now embarked on a task to build a Smart Bangladesh to take the country to a next tech hub in Asia.

Just a decade ago, Bangladesh had to import all the smartphones to meet the demands of the country’s growing smartphone users. Now, Samsung, one of the world’s biggest producers of smartphones, manufactures its latest high end devices in Bangladesh.

Since 2021, Samsung started manufacturing its Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G phones in Bangladeshi plants. In the US, this phone costs USD 1199.99 and if imported its cost would be more than BDT 166,000. Thanks to local assembling plants, Bangladeshi customers could purchase this phone at only BDT 119,000.
Not only Samsung, various companies such as Walton, Vivo, Oppo are also producing high-end smartphones in Bangladesh. In 2022, locally manufactured and assembled phones met more than 52 percent demand of smartphones. 
The secret behind such astounding transformation in the last few years is the current governments special focus on expanding ICT and heavy industries. Now the governments priority in this sector has been impeccably explained in its Smart Bangladesh vision.

 Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041 as announced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is expected to achieve zero percent poverty, 100 percent high speed internet accessibility, 100 percent more than 5G smartphone penetration and 100 percent inclusive, circular and cashless economy and expansion of ICT based green industries by 2041. Besides, all the government services will be delivered electronically, government offices will be completely paperless and citizens will live in an absolutely inclusive, empowered and self-sufficient society. 
The Bangladesh started journey towards Digital Bangladesh back in 2009 when the current ruling party Awami League came into power. There was no ICT ecosystem at that time. There were no government services that could be delivered electronically. Only 1 percent of the citizens had internet connection. There were only around 50,000 IT professionals in the entire country. And, export revenue from ICT based industry was only 26 million USD. But the fact of the matter is: under the prudent and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the government has radically transformed the ICT ecosystem and built Digital Bangladesh over the last decade. Government has digitized 2 thousand services to citizens access to it. Out of 170 million people 130 million people have stable internet connection. Bangladesh currently earns over 1.4 billion USD annually by exporting ICT related services.

The Bangladesh government has implemented this massive transformation by establishing a safe and friendly investment ecosystem for the investors and entrepreneurs. The government has been providing attractive incentives for investors to expand the emerging ICT industry of the country. For instance, IT companies can enjoy 10 years of corporate tax exemption and if they invest in one of the Hi-tech parks established by the government, the duration of corporate tax exemption can be 12 years. Expatriate professionals working in Bangladesh’s ICT industry are exempted from income tax. Import duties for the investors or entrepreneurs for importing capital machineries and other assets are exempted.

Besides these, the investors will enjoy exemption from VAT, double taxation, stamp duty, registration fee (if they want to purchase land) and 100 percent profit repatriation facility. If the investors or entrepreneurs invest in Hi-tech parks, they will also enjoy bonded warehouse facilities.

Such lucrative incentives have already created an unprecedented acceleration in Bangladesh’s emerging ICT market. In the last five years, more than 2500 startups have been established in the country and around 200 ICT startups are entering the market every year.

There are currently more than 400 companies in Bangladesh who achieved funding by renowned international investors such as Soft Bank Group, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Adventure Capital and many others.

 Thanks to these investments, more than 2 million jobs have been created in Bangladesh’s ICT industry in the last decade. In fact, Bangladesh has reached a global milestone in expanding its ecommerce and digital financing. At present, Bangladesh boasts of 181 million users of mobile phones making it the 9th largest mobile market of the world.

There are more than 188 million subscribers of mobile financial services (MFS) who are doing 14 million transactions every day. Bangladesh’s MFS such as BKASH and Nagad (state owned) have earned many national and global recognitions for their innovative and committed customer services. Since 2011, MFS are growing in Bangladesh at an astounding 500 percent growth rate.

Like MFS, Bangladesh’s ecommerce market is also a hidden treasure for potential investors. Global players like Alibaba, Daraz and various national level startups have already created a 3 billion USD ecommerce market in the last five years. However, this is only 35 percent of the total market size and within the next two years the market can be expanded to address the demands of 80 percent of its consumers.
Bangladesh has also achieved a major breakthrough in expanding its digital device market. Even in the last decade, Bangladesh had to import almost all of the electronic products. However, nowadays Bangladesh has become an emerging exporter of electronic products manufactured in Bangladesh.
The country has created a 2.4 billion USD market of electronic devices and annual growth of the market is 29.3 percent. Walton, a Bangladeshi brand has been exporting home appliance electronics and heavy machineries for almost a decade. Products of globally renowned brands like Samsung and Sony are now being assembled in Bangladesh.

In the near future, Bangladesh is going to be a big player in the global semiconductor industry. Bangladeshi researchers in collaboration with their American counterparts have developed semiconductors which have the highest operational temperature of 300 degree celsius, more than double that of conventional semiconductors.

Bangladesh government has allocated 10 million USD to establish Nano Lab to conduct fundamental research on semiconductors in Bangladesh. Besides, four Bangladeshi companies are already producing electronic chips and exporting them to different countries as well. More than 1000 trained Bangladeshi engineers are working in these companies. The government is now giving 10 percent export incentive for electronic chip exporting companies. If the current rate of growth continues, It is expected that Bangladesh will create a 20 billion dollar semiconductor industry by 2041.

Such outstanding progress in the ICT industry has been possible due to Bangladesh governments remarkable attention on creating skilled manpower in the ICT sector.

The ICT division has been providing a wide range of ICT training to millions of youths, particularly women all over the country to become freelancers and skilled IT professionals. Many of these trained youths have later become successful entrepreneurs, freelancers and IT professionals.

Bangladeshi freelancers are earning 400 million USD annually through their skilled and cost-effective services. According to Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and World Bank reports Bangladesh’s position in the online labour forces is second. From 2010-2018, income growth of the IT professionals was around 10 percent, however, from 2019 to till now, the growth rate has increased up to 40 percent.

Utilization of these ready to deploy resources can only be possible if the government can attract foreign direct investments and young entrepreneurs in the country’s rapidly emerging ICT sector. And, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government is more than ready for them.

Our next goal is to develop a smart economy within next five years where we shall be able to establish a 100 percent cashless, circular economy. To achieve this goal, we would provide support to develop at least 5 unicorn startup companies (USD 1 billion company each). We have also planned to develop 50 unicorn startup companies by 2041. Our government will do everything possible to attract investors and entrepreneurs to invest in this sector and they will be the key players in realizing our dream of Smart Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has a massive pool of millions of skilled youths, all the necessary infrastructure and extremely conducive environment for young entrepreneurs and large scale investment as well. The initiatives taking by the present Government is the line with the Smart Bangladesh vision there is no doubt that Bangladesh is going to be the next tech hub in Asia and beyond.  

 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said Bangladesh has taken a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a “breathing space” while the global lender assured of continuing to provide such support in future.

 The Election Commission (EC) has directed the metropolitan police commissioners and the district administrations concerned to ensure proper implementation and enforcement of the electoral code of conduct in the upcoming elections to Khulna, Barishal, Rajshahi and Sylhet city corporations.

The respective deputy commissioners (DCs), police commissioners and superintendents of police (SPs) will perform their due responsibilities to ensure proper implementation and enforcement of the electoral code of conduct in the upcoming city corporation elections, said in a press release signed by Assistant Director (Public Relation) of EC Secretariat Mohammad Asadul Haq today.

Noting that the observance of electoral code of conduct is a prerequisite for conducting elections in a free, fair and peaceful manner, the release said the tendency of some candidates to hold rallies, motorcycle processions or show-downs is being noticed during the collection and submission of nomination papers for the city corporation elections which is against electoral code of conduct. 

According to polls’ code of conduct, no procession or showdown shall be held during the collection and submission of nomination papers or candidates shall not collect and submit nomination papers with more than five supporters.

No procession or any showdown will be held during the pre-election period.

No candidate or any political party or any other person, organization or institution on his or her behalf can bring out a procession or torch procession or showdown or any other kind of procession with truck, bus, motorcycle, boat, train or any other mechanical vehicle. 

As per the announced schedule, the Khulna and Barishal City Corporation elections will be held on June 12 While Rajshahi and Sylhet City Corporation elections will take place on June 21.

The last dates for nomination papers submission are May 16 and May 23.

 Former 100 metres world champion Tori Bowie has died at the age of 32, her management company said on Wednesday.

The American was crowned world champion in 2017 and won three Olympic medals at the Rio Games in 2016."We're devastated to share the very sad news that Tori Bowie has passed away," Icon Management said in a statement on Twitter.

"We've lost a client, dear friend, daughter and sister. Tori was a champion... a beacon of light that shined so bright! We're truly heartbroken and our prayers are with the family and friends."Bowie finished second in the 100m in Rio behind Jamaica's Elaine Thompson before winning the world championships in London a year later, finishing less than a hundredth of a second ahead of the Ivory Coast's Marie-Josee Ta Lou.

Olympic medallist Calvin Davis has died at the age of 51, the sport's governing body World Athletics said in a statement on Wednesday.

Davis won bronze in the 400 metres hurdles at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and was part of the US team that won 4x400m relay gold at the 1995 World Indoor Championships in Barcelona.

 The World Bank's board of governors on Wednesday elected former Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga to a five-year term as president, ushering in an Indian-born finance and development expert to revamp the lender to tackle climate change and other global crises.

Banga, 63, was nominated for the post by US President Joe BidenBanga, 63, was nominated for the post by US President Joe Biden in late February and was the sole contender to replace departing World Bank chief David Malpass, an economist and former US Treasury official who served in the Trump administration. He starts the new job on June 2.

The election came after World Bank board members interviewed Banga for four hours on Monday. Malpass' last day at the bank will be June 1. The decision came in a vote by 24 of the board's members, with Russia abstaining, instead of the usual consensus-based process, a source familiar with the process said.Biden congratulated Banga on his "resounding approval" to run the World Bank, which he described as "one of humanity’s most critical institutions to reduce poverty and expand prosperity around the globe."

"Ajay Banga will be a transformative leader, bringing expertise, experience, and innovation to the position of World Bank President," Biden said. "He will help steer the institution as it evolves and expands to address global challenges that directly affect its core mission of poverty reduction — including climate change."

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Banga brought the "right leadership and management skills" to the job, and would play a critical role in pushing forward with additional reforms, including by forging partnerships between the public and private sectors and nonprofit groups.

"Ajay understands that the challenges we face – from combatting climate change, pandemics, and fragility to eliminating extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity – are deeply intertwined. He has effectively built a broad global coalition around his vision for the Bank over the course of his candidacy," Yellen said in a statement.

Katie Malouf-Bous, interim head of Oxfam International’s Washington office, said the bank needed "serious reform" to tackle the widening gap between rich and poor, but that would require huge new public investments and "guardrails around private finance that has run riot for too long."

One senior US official said Banga's election came at a critical moment marked by emerging debt distress in lower- and middle-income countries and ongoing problems in food and energy markets as a result of Russia's war in Ukraine.

"It is a challenging moment, but it's a moment where the World Bank remains more vital than ever, and where getting the evolution of the World Bank is absolutely critical," the official said.

The bank already loans out hundreds of billions of dollars to developing countries but is working to increase its lending to help them address overlapping global challenges such as climate change, conflict and brace for future pandemics."The Board looks forward to working with Mr. Banga on the World Bank Group Evolution process ... on all the World Bank Group’s ambitions and efforts aimed at tackling the toughest development challenges facing developing countries," the bank said.