KOICA & BBS unveil Master Plan for integrated data warehouse to strengthen data-driven governance

Business DeskThe Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in collaboration with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), successfully hosted the Dissemination Ceremony of the Master Plan for the Integrated Data Warehouse (IDW) under the project “Capacity Development of Statistics Service Based on Platform (2023–2026, USD 9.65 million)”.The event marked a significant milestone in Bangladesh’s efforts to modernize its national statistical system and strengthen data-driven governance.The Master Plan provides a comprehensive roadmap for establishing a centralized, secure, and interoperable statistical data platform, enabling improved data integration, analysis, and dissemination across government institutions.The ceremony was attended by Jihoon Kim, Country Director of KOICA Bangladesh, the Deputy Chief of Mission from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, along with the Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division (SID) and the Director General of ...

Bangladesh faces rising energy import costs amid global volatility: Muktadir

Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Monday said Bangladesh has to purchase liquefied natural gas (LNG) at nearly double the earlier price and crude oil at sharply higher rates due to volatility in the global energy market triggered by the Middle East conflict.“Under G2G contracts, we used to buy LNG at $10 per unit, which now has to be purchased at $20. On the other hand, crude oil was priced at $50-60 per barrel, which has now crossed $110. Soon after the formation of the govern...

Saudi keen to launch ‘Riyadh Air’ operations in Bangladesh

Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in launching operations of its new airline, Riyadh Air, in Bangladesh, aiming to enhance air connectivity between the two countries.Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer H. ...

Message of harmony on pohela boishakh: Chattogram glows with 1.5 km of alpana art

Chattogram has come alive with vibrant colors ahead of Pohela Boishakh celebrations. Marking the occasion, the district administration organized a unique alpana painting event stretching around 1.5 kilometers along city streets, creating a festive and artistic atmosphere.The route of the artwork started from Circuit House and extended through Love Lane and Kazir Dewri to the historic DC Hill. Students and artists enthusiastically participated in the event. With contributions from the University of Chittagong, District Shilpakala Academy, and Shishu Academy, traditional Bengali motifs such as vines, flowers, birds, and folk designs were beautifully depicted.The alpana festival was inaugurated on Sunday at 11 PM by District Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mia. He said, “This initia...

Preventing misinformation equally important: Info Minister

Politicisation of cricket looks set to continue under new government

In Bangladesh, cricket is far more than a national obsession. Combined with its enormous commercial appeal, the game has been converted into the ultimate political currency.The recent dissolution of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the lightning-fast installation of a politically connected ad-hoc committee exposes a harsh reality: governments may change, but the state or ruling dispensation's suffocating grip on the country's most popular sport remains completely unbroken.For decades, ruling regimes have understood that controlling cricket is a way to control the masses. During Sheikh Hasina's long period of rule, which is often called an authoritarian regime by political analysts, the BCB functioned as little more than a direct wing of the state machinery.The partisan dominance was absolute. It spread into every level of the administration, from the high-level boardroom decisions down to the stadium gates. It reached a point where the national team was actually led by sitting members of parliament. This wasn't a coincidence; it was a strategy to use the sport as a populist tool, designed to unify a fractured public under the ruling party's banner while masking the government’s deeper failures.When the Awami League government collapsed in August 2024, the BCB naturally fell into chaos.The power vacuum led to the emergence of a new board headed by Aminul Islam Bulbul, formed under the watch of the interim government. It was sold to the public as a necessary transition to keep the sport stable. However, in the tough landscape of Bangladeshi spo...

Take early steps to eradicate breeding hotspots of Aedes

It is high time, people from all strata of society and the health sector as well should remember the maxim- forewarned is forearmed as early spells of rain in Dhaka and several other districts have in...

Move to stop waterlogging hailed

Waterlogging in the city of Dhaka has become a perennial problem. Decades passed, but little has been done to remove this nagging trouble. As a consequence, public sufferings compounded over the years.Now it augurs well that Dhaka South City Corporat...

KFC's 'Eidi for Angels' Spreads Eid Joy to Underprivileged Kids

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