Rationing for RMG workers by May 15

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) will start providing ration rice at Tk 16 a kg for garment workers in Dhaka and Chittagong by May 15.

Market price of coarse rice now is more than Tk 20 a kg while the government started procuring rice at Tk 22 per kg on May 1.

“We shall go for ration system at least on an experimental basis,” BGMEA President Abdus Salam Murshedy told The Daily Star on Monday.

Besides, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) Vice President Zahidul Hoq Bhuiya said as rice price is now going up, they will also begin ration programme for their workers. He however did not give any time limit for this.

Both the BGMEA and BKMEA had earlier planned to start food rationing for their workers in the first week of April but did not do so sensing possible complexities in the process as they did not have experience in this field.

Meanwhile, the government had decided to supply ration rice for garment workers in March as part of its plan to expand safety net programmes for low-income people. It proposed to provide ration rice for workers at Tk 18 a kg.

Salam said market price of rice at that time was Tk 22- 22.5 a kg, and around 600 to 700 factories wanted to get ration rice. A few days later, the government launched open market sale (OMS) of rice, which resulted in fall of rice price.

Leaders of the BGMEA and BKMEA then requested the government to lower price of ration rice for their workers since sale of it at Tk 18 a kg was not possible. And the government then re-fixed the price at Tk 16 a kg, which was acceptable to them (leaders).

But, Salam said, they found poor response from the workers to their plans for ration rice since the difference between its market price and ration price was small.

Asked about this, Labour leader Nazma Akhter said the BGMEA and BKMEA are quite active in demanding the government facilities for them but they do not appear to be so in the case of the rationing programme.

“They should not play with the fate of workers. The government has pledged to provide rice at lower price, and they must cooperate with it to ensure that workers are not deprived.”

She said garment workers would be greatly benefited if they get rice at Tk16 per kg.

Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzaque, when contacted on Monday, said, “ Garment factories can get rice from us (government) any time for their workers at the fixed price. We want availability of food to all.”

S: The Daily Star

Essentials Import: Maximum 12pc interest rate fixed on bank loans

Bangladesh Bank yesterday fixed the highest rate of interest at 12 per cent on bank loans for importing a number of essential commodities, including edible oil, to keep the prices of these goods bearable.

The central bank sent a circular to all commercial banks yesterday saying that the order has been issued to keep the prices of essentials under control, especially during the next Ramadan.

The commodities are crude and refined edible oil, gram, pulses, peas, onion, spices and dates.

The Bangladesh Bank circular has also advised the commercial banks to keep the fixed charge, fees and commission at a logical level in case of importing these commodities.

In last two days, the prices of these commodities were going up. According to a TCB report, soybean oil price shot up by about 7 per cent yesterday over the price a month back. The price of palm oil increased by 27 per cent during the period.

Lentil price increased by about 12 per cent while the price of onion fell yesterday.

However, the prices mentioned by the TCB did not match with market price. The TCB quoted price of imported onion at Tk 15 and the local variety at Tk 24 per kg. But on a visit to markets The Daily Star correspondent found that imported onion was selling at Tk 20 while the local variety at Tk 28 per kg.

To bring down the price of edible oil, the commerce minister held several rounds of meetings with the businessmen but the attempt failed.

Bangladesh Bank sources said they have fixed the interest rate and other charges so that the import cost remains low. The central bank will also monitor it, sources added.

S: The Daily Star

Exhibition of Bangladeshi painters in South Korea

The Bangladesh Embassy in South Korea and Korean Foundation are jointly organising an exhibition of eleven Bangladeshi painters at the Korea Foundation Cultural Centre. The exhibition will display around 100 paintings by eleven renowned Bangladeshi artists.

The participating painters are Mohammad Kibria, Rafiquan Nabi, Mahmudul Haque, Kalidas Karmakar, Abdus Shakoor Shah, Shahabuddin Ahmed, Monsurul Karim, Ranjit das, Mohammad Eunus, Rokeya Sultana and Kanak Chanpa Chakma. The exhibition aims to introduce the best of contemporary Bangladeshi art to the Korean enthusiasts. The exhibition will feature pure abstract, semi-realistic, semi-abstract and folk-themed paintings. All participating artists have had solo and group exhibitions in the country and abroad.

This will be one of the biggest exhibitions of Bangladeshi art in Seoul. Korean painters and art connoisseurs have expressed keenness on Bangladeshi art and culture, indicated by their frequent participation in the Asian Biennale held in Dhaka. The exhibition will be inaugurated on May 8 and will continue till May 16.

Bangladesh to introduce daylight saving time likely from June 16

Bangladesh government has decided to switch daylight saving time from June 16 till September 30 in a bid to ensure maximum use of daylight to cope with crippling power crisis. Under the daylight saving time, clocks will be turned ahead by an hour, state minister for power Shamsul Haq Tuku told reporters on Tuesday after An interministerial meeting provisionally had decided to introduce the daylight saving system for an ‘extra hour’ of daylight. The switch will remain in effect from June 16 to Sept 30 but if implemented the next year, it will come in force from April 1, he said adding more meetings will further discuss the issue before a final decision is made in this regard. Electricity supplies to homes, businesses and factories across Bangladesh have been cut for several hours a day over the past few months as the country grapples with a power deficit as much as 7000 MW, by some estimates. Earlier, on April 5 the state minister said the government wanted to introduce daylight saving because it was much easier to conserve 1MW power this way than it was to produce an extra 1MW. The matter was discussed with all official stakeholders and their opinion was solicited. An official of the Power Division, who attended the meeting, said they sought opinions from 18-19 ministries and divisions including labor, planning, industry, foreign affairs, telecoms, information, shipping, law, civil aviation, tourism and education. Most of the ministries responded positively. Representatives of establishment, health, local government, and primary and public education ministries approved of the decision at the meeting, meeting sources said. Besides, the Meteorological Department in its opinion said that the 9am-5pm office hours can be adjusted to 8am-4pm from April 1 to September 30.

S: Asian Tribune