Alo (September 09, 2011)
বাণিজ্য প্রতিযোগিতাসক্ষমতায় এক ধাপ পিছিয়েছে বাংলাদেশ। গতবারের চেয়ে ‘স্কোর’ বাড়লেও অন্য দেশগুলোর বাণিজ্যসক্ষমতা তুলনামূলকভাবে বেশি বাড়ায় বাংলাদেশ পিছিয়ে গেছে। এবার ১৪২টি দেশের মধ্যে বাংলাদেশের অবস্থান ১০৮ নম্বরে, আর গতবার এ অবস্থান ছিল ১০৭ নম্বরে।
ওয়ার্ল্ড ইকোনমিক ফোরামের (ডব্লিউইএফ) ২০১১-১২ সালের বৈশ্বিক প্রতিযোগিতাসক্ষমতা প্রতিবেদন (জিসিআর) ও বাংলাদেশ ব্যবসায় পরিবেশ সমীক্ষা ২০১০-এ বাংলাদেশ সম্পর্কে এসব তথ্য উঠে এসেছে। গতকাল বৃহস্পতিবার ডব্লিউইএফের পক্ষে বেসরকারি গবেষণা সংস্থা সেন্টার ফর পলিসি ডায়ালগ (সিপিডি) এ প্রতিবেদনটি প্রকাশ করে।
১০ কোটি টাকার চেয়ে বেশি সম্পদমূল্যের ৭০ জন ব্যবসায়ীর মতামত নিয়ে সিপিডি প্রতিবেদনটি তৈরি করেছে। ২০১০ সালের জানুয়ারি থেকে ডিসেম্বর পর্যন্ত প্রতিবেদনের তথ্য-উপাত্তের সময়কাল ধরা হয়েছে।
সমীক্ষায় মতামত দেওয়া ব্যবসায়ীরা জানিয়েছেন, বাংলাদেশের ব্যবসায় পরিবেশে সবচেয়ে বড় সমস্যা হলো অবকাঠামো দুর্বলতা। বিশেষ করে, বিদ্যুৎ-সংকটই ব্যবসা-বাণিজ্যে সবচেয়ে বড় প্রতিবন্ধকতা হিসেবে মনে করছেন তাঁরা। ব্যবসায় সুবিধা নেওয়ার ক্ষেত্রে সুশাসনের অভাবকে আরেকটি প্রতিবন্ধকতা হিসেবে দেখছেন ব্যবসায়ীরা।
ধানমন্ডির সিপিডি কার্যালয়ে আয়োজিত সংবাদ সম্মেলনে প্রতিবেদন দুটির মূল অংশ উপস্থাপন করেন সংস্থার জ্যেষ্ঠ গবেষক খন্দকার গোলাম মোয়াজ্জেম। এ ছাড়া বক্তব্য দেন সিপিডির নির্বাহী পরিচালক মোস্তাফিজুর রহমান। উপস্থিত ছিলেন সিপিডির বিশেষ ফেলো দেবপ্রিয় ভট্টাচার্য, অতিরিক্ত পরিচালক ফাহমিদা খাতুন প্রমুখ।
সিপিডির নির্বাহী পরিচালক মোস্তাফিজুর রহমান বলেন, ‘২০১০ সালে গণতান্ত্রিক সরকার ক্ষমতায় ছিল। এ সময় বিভিন্ন সূচকে বাংলাদেশের স্কোর বেড়েছে, কিন্তু অন্যরা আরও এগিয়েছে। তাই প্রত্যাশার সঙ্গে বাস্তবতার পার্থক্য তৈরি হয়েছে। আমরা আশা করি, গণতান্ত্রিক শাসনব্যবস্থায় গণতান্ত্রিক প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলো শক্তিশালী হবে। কিন্তু মতামত জরিপে তা আসছে না।’
বৈশ্বিক প্রতিযোগিতাসক্ষমতা প্রতিবেদনে বলা হয়েছে, বাংলাদেশের ব্যবসা-বাণিজ্যে প্রধান প্রধান প্রতিবন্ধক সূচকের মধ্যে শীর্ষস্থানে রয়েছে অবকাঠামোগত দুর্বলতা। এ ছাড়া দুর্নীতি সূচকটি আগের বছর তিন নম্বরে থাকলেও এবার তা দুই নম্বরে ওঠে এসেছে। এরপরই রয়েছে অদক্ষ জনপ্রশাসন, রাজনৈতিক অস্থিতিশীলতা ও ব্যবসায় অর্থায়ন সূচক।
সরকারি প্রতিষ্ঠানগুলো সম্পর্কে ব্যবসায়ীদের দৃষ্টিভঙ্গির কোনো পরিবর্তন হয়নি বলে প্রতিবেদনে বলা হয়েছে। এতে বলা হয়েছে, কেন্দ্রীভূত নীতিনির্ধারণী ব্যবস্থা, রাজনীতিবিদদের আর্থিক অসততা এবং প্রতিষ্ঠান ও ব্যক্তিবিশেষ পক্ষপাতিত্ব, সরকারি অর্থের অপচয়, উচ্চ করহার ও শ্লথ কাস্টমস প্রক্রিয়াকরণ সম্পর্কে মতামত দেওয়া ব্যবসায়ীদের দৃষ্টিভঙ্গির কোনো পরিবর্তন আনেনি। অর্থাৎ বিষয়গুলো সম্পর্কে তাঁদের দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি আগের মতোই নেতিবাচক রয়েছে।
প্রতিবেদনে আরও বলা হয়েছে, ২০১০ সালে উদ্যোক্তারা ঋণপ্রাপ্তির ক্ষেত্রে স্বস্তিতে ছিলেন না। ব্যবসায়ীরা বলেছেন, ঋণপ্রাপ্তি আগের চেয়ে আরও কঠিন হয়েছে। এ ছাড়া আমদানি-রপ্তানিসহ বিভিন্ন খাতে কর প্রদানের ক্ষেত্রে অনৈতিক লেনদেন বেড়েছে। দুর্নীতি দমনসংক্রান্ত কার্যক্রম আরও শক্তিশালী করার তাগিদ দেওয়া হয়েছে।
এ ছাড়া প্রতিবেদনে বাংলাদেশের ব্যবসা-বাণিজ্যে বহির্বিশ্বসংক্রান্ত পাঁচটি সমস্যা চিহ্নিত করা হয়েছে। এগুলো হলো: বৈশ্বিক অর্থনীতির অনিশ্চয়তা, জ্বালানিমূল্যের অস্থিরতা, বাণিজ্য বাধা, বৈদেশিক মুদ্রা বিনিময়মূল্যে ওঠানামা ও প্রাকৃতিক সম্পদের অপর্যাপ্ততা।
প্রতিবেদনে আরও বলা হয়েছে, ভারত ছাড়া বাংলাদেশের পার্শ্ববর্তী ও প্রতিযোগী দেশগুলো বাংলাদেশের চেয়ে অনেক এগিয়ে গেছে। চীন ২৭ থেকে ২৬, মালয়েশিয়া ২৬ থেকে ২১, শ্রীলঙ্কা ৬২ থেকে ৫২, নেপাল ১৩০ থেকে ১২৫, পাকিস্তান ১২৩ থেকে ১১৮ ও কম্বোডিয়া ১০৯ থেকে ৯৭ নম্বরে উন্নীত হয়েছে। তবে ভারতের অবস্থান ৫১ থেকে পিছিয়ে ৫৬ নম্বরে নেমেছে।
Friday, September 9
Remittance supports Bangladesh economy
Express (September 09, 2011)
Bangladesh is a huge labour surplus country in the world due to overpopulation. Hence it belongs to the supply side of the global labour market for unskilled labour. On an average 2,50,000 people annually (1995-2003) migrated to take up overseas employment. The flow of migrant workers is associated with the growing flow of remittance to a country. It was estimated that 60 per cent of global remittances were sent to developing countries in the year 2000. Lower middle-income countries apparently receive the largest amounts, but remittances may constitute a much higher share of the total international capital flow to low-income countries.
To further emphasise the development dimension of migrant transfers, remittances seem to be more stable than private capital flows and to be less volatile to change in economic cycles. It may, therefore, be concluded that monetary remittances play most important role in the accounts of many developing countries and are crucial to the survival of poor individuals and communities around the world. The emphasis of development policy is now firmly on poverty reduction and the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals, which in addition to the eradication of extreme poverty, also envisage improvement of health and education, gender equality and empowerment of women, the reduction of infant and child mortality, access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and the improvement of the lives of both rural and urban poor people.
From 1976 to 2008, a total of about 3.92 million people migrated temporarily from Bangladesh. The systematic recording of information on migration of Bangladeshi workers began in the mid-seventies. The Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) of the Labour Ministry maintains the record. Now BMET has classified temporary migrant population into four categories. These are professional, skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled. Doctors, engineers, nurses and teachers are professionals; manufacturing or garments workers are considered as skilled workers while tailor,
Flow of remittance in Bangladesh during 1975 to 2011
Source: BAIRA- 2009 & BER- 2011
mason etc as semi-skilled workers. Housemaid, cleaner, labourers are classified as unskilled workers. The skill composition of those who migrated over this period, in general, indicates a consistent level of comparatively high proportion of semi and unskilled migrant workers too. The statistics said that in 1990, 40 per cent of the migrant workers were in professional and skilled category and the remaining 60 per cent were in semi-skilled and unskilled category. In 2004, 44 per cent workers were in professional and skilled category, and the rest of the 56 per cent were in semi-skilled and unskilled category. The manpower export increased gradually after 1990, as well as the number of skilled workers also increased; but it was not significant compared to the number of semi-skilled and unskilled workers.
During the period between 1976 to 2009, Bangladesh received about US$ 67.68 billion as remittance. However, the amount of remittance would have been much higher if the country could send more professional and skilled workers.
The remittance received by Bangladesh in 1976 was only US$ 23.71 million. Then it continued to increase until 1983. The remittance showed a downward trend during the next couple of years. However, the remittance gained momentum in 1992 and showed a persistently increasing trend until 2010 when the country received US $10987.40 million as remittance. A relatively large share of Bangladesh's remittance came from the Middle-Eastern countries. If one looks into the sources of remittance at least for the last ten years, obviously the countries of the Middle-East, Malaysia and Singapore constitute major sources of the total remittance for Bangladesh.
For the year 2009, it is observed that the countries in the Middle-East constituted a large part (59.45 per cent) of the total remittance. Of the amount, the highest (26.67 per cent) came from Saudi Arabia, 16.37 per cent and 9.05 per cent came from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait respectively. Besides, Bangladeshi migrants in the USA contributed 14.67 per cent, the UK 7.36 per cent, Malaysia 2.63 per cent and Singapore 1.54 per cent. The remaining 14 per cent came from other countries.
Since 1976, remittance has been playing a significant role in the economic development of Bangladesh. The role of remittance has in fact been quite obvious in the last decade. In 1999, remittance was 1.17 times higher than the foreign aid received and 9.12 times higher than the foreign direct investment (FDI). In 2009, the 'times' went up to around 5.90 for overseas assistance and 11.39 for FDI. This means that yearly remittance has always been exceeding foreign aid and FDI in Bangladesh
Statistics shows that increasing flow of remittance has been reducing Bangladesh's external aid dependency. It particularly attracted the development partners and had a major influence over the policymaking process of the country. The growing formal inflow of remittance, equivalent alone to more than 50 per cent of total government revenue, has also been reducing dependency on FDI in Bangladesh.
In 1999, remittance as part of GDP and export was 3.74 per cent and 32.04 per cent respectively. In 2009, formal remittance as part of GDP and export stood at 10 per cent and 68.37 per cent respectively. This means that the amount of remittance in terms of GDP and export earnings increased over the period 1999 to 2009. Such growing contribution of remittance inflow to GDP and export has not only assisted to meet the increasing trade deficit but also maintain a stable foreign currency reserve.
Foreign currency aspect of remittance is especially important as Bangladesh runs a trade deficit and is currently suffering from a foreign exchange crisis. Growth in remittance is one of the key factors in maintaining foreign exchange reserves. The steady growth of inward remittance and falling import payments has contributed to the higher growth of reserves. The growing contribution of inward remittance to foreign exchange reserve has been helping Bangladesh to make up the deficit between total export and import and to maintain the balance of payments, and thereby also economic stability.
The economic development of Bangladesh is very much dependent on increasing investment opportunity and reducing poverty. There are many areas where remittance has been used as productive investment including human capital development. Nevertheless, remittance has helped Bangladesh to make investments for manufacturing expansion, modernise its agriculture and industries by importing high-tech machineries for export-oriented production. Now it is a timely demand that policymakers take care of the temporary migrants, look after their problems and support them for their betterment. Therefore, more labour will be interested to go abroad and Bangladesh will be able to earn more foreign exchange (FC). We must have to keep in mind that the remittance is an important source of investment without the traditional cost of capital, and it can perform as a key driver for economic development in Bangladesh.
The writers B M Sajjad Hossain
Bangladesh is a huge labour surplus country in the world due to overpopulation. Hence it belongs to the supply side of the global labour market for unskilled labour. On an average 2,50,000 people annually (1995-2003) migrated to take up overseas employment. The flow of migrant workers is associated with the growing flow of remittance to a country. It was estimated that 60 per cent of global remittances were sent to developing countries in the year 2000. Lower middle-income countries apparently receive the largest amounts, but remittances may constitute a much higher share of the total international capital flow to low-income countries.
To further emphasise the development dimension of migrant transfers, remittances seem to be more stable than private capital flows and to be less volatile to change in economic cycles. It may, therefore, be concluded that monetary remittances play most important role in the accounts of many developing countries and are crucial to the survival of poor individuals and communities around the world. The emphasis of development policy is now firmly on poverty reduction and the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals, which in addition to the eradication of extreme poverty, also envisage improvement of health and education, gender equality and empowerment of women, the reduction of infant and child mortality, access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and the improvement of the lives of both rural and urban poor people.
From 1976 to 2008, a total of about 3.92 million people migrated temporarily from Bangladesh. The systematic recording of information on migration of Bangladeshi workers began in the mid-seventies. The Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) of the Labour Ministry maintains the record. Now BMET has classified temporary migrant population into four categories. These are professional, skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled. Doctors, engineers, nurses and teachers are professionals; manufacturing or garments workers are considered as skilled workers while tailor,
Flow of remittance in Bangladesh during 1975 to 2011
| Year | Remittance earned (in million US$) |
| 1975-76 | 23.71 |
| 1979-80 | 301.33 |
| 1984-85 | 500.00 |
| 1991-90 | 781.54 |
| 1994-95 | 1201.52 |
| 1999-00 | 1954.95 |
| 2004-05 | 4249.87 |
| 2008-09 | 10720.20 |
| 2009-10 | 10987.40 |
| 2010-11 (up to April) | 9587.15 |
mason etc as semi-skilled workers. Housemaid, cleaner, labourers are classified as unskilled workers. The skill composition of those who migrated over this period, in general, indicates a consistent level of comparatively high proportion of semi and unskilled migrant workers too. The statistics said that in 1990, 40 per cent of the migrant workers were in professional and skilled category and the remaining 60 per cent were in semi-skilled and unskilled category. In 2004, 44 per cent workers were in professional and skilled category, and the rest of the 56 per cent were in semi-skilled and unskilled category. The manpower export increased gradually after 1990, as well as the number of skilled workers also increased; but it was not significant compared to the number of semi-skilled and unskilled workers.
During the period between 1976 to 2009, Bangladesh received about US$ 67.68 billion as remittance. However, the amount of remittance would have been much higher if the country could send more professional and skilled workers.
The remittance received by Bangladesh in 1976 was only US$ 23.71 million. Then it continued to increase until 1983. The remittance showed a downward trend during the next couple of years. However, the remittance gained momentum in 1992 and showed a persistently increasing trend until 2010 when the country received US $10987.40 million as remittance. A relatively large share of Bangladesh's remittance came from the Middle-Eastern countries. If one looks into the sources of remittance at least for the last ten years, obviously the countries of the Middle-East, Malaysia and Singapore constitute major sources of the total remittance for Bangladesh.
For the year 2009, it is observed that the countries in the Middle-East constituted a large part (59.45 per cent) of the total remittance. Of the amount, the highest (26.67 per cent) came from Saudi Arabia, 16.37 per cent and 9.05 per cent came from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait respectively. Besides, Bangladeshi migrants in the USA contributed 14.67 per cent, the UK 7.36 per cent, Malaysia 2.63 per cent and Singapore 1.54 per cent. The remaining 14 per cent came from other countries.
Since 1976, remittance has been playing a significant role in the economic development of Bangladesh. The role of remittance has in fact been quite obvious in the last decade. In 1999, remittance was 1.17 times higher than the foreign aid received and 9.12 times higher than the foreign direct investment (FDI). In 2009, the 'times' went up to around 5.90 for overseas assistance and 11.39 for FDI. This means that yearly remittance has always been exceeding foreign aid and FDI in Bangladesh
Statistics shows that increasing flow of remittance has been reducing Bangladesh's external aid dependency. It particularly attracted the development partners and had a major influence over the policymaking process of the country. The growing formal inflow of remittance, equivalent alone to more than 50 per cent of total government revenue, has also been reducing dependency on FDI in Bangladesh.
In 1999, remittance as part of GDP and export was 3.74 per cent and 32.04 per cent respectively. In 2009, formal remittance as part of GDP and export stood at 10 per cent and 68.37 per cent respectively. This means that the amount of remittance in terms of GDP and export earnings increased over the period 1999 to 2009. Such growing contribution of remittance inflow to GDP and export has not only assisted to meet the increasing trade deficit but also maintain a stable foreign currency reserve.
Foreign currency aspect of remittance is especially important as Bangladesh runs a trade deficit and is currently suffering from a foreign exchange crisis. Growth in remittance is one of the key factors in maintaining foreign exchange reserves. The steady growth of inward remittance and falling import payments has contributed to the higher growth of reserves. The growing contribution of inward remittance to foreign exchange reserve has been helping Bangladesh to make up the deficit between total export and import and to maintain the balance of payments, and thereby also economic stability.
The economic development of Bangladesh is very much dependent on increasing investment opportunity and reducing poverty. There are many areas where remittance has been used as productive investment including human capital development. Nevertheless, remittance has helped Bangladesh to make investments for manufacturing expansion, modernise its agriculture and industries by importing high-tech machineries for export-oriented production. Now it is a timely demand that policymakers take care of the temporary migrants, look after their problems and support them for their betterment. Therefore, more labour will be interested to go abroad and Bangladesh will be able to earn more foreign exchange (FC). We must have to keep in mind that the remittance is an important source of investment without the traditional cost of capital, and it can perform as a key driver for economic development in Bangladesh.
The writers B M Sajjad Hossain
One-stop tax service centre to be opened in city
Express (September 09, 2011)
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is going to introduce tax information and service centre in the city to offer one-stop service to the income taxpayers of the capital.
The NBR will launch the service centre tomorrow (Saturday) at the Segun Bagicha (12-storey building) office on pilot basis.
The centre will be inaugurated by NBR Chairman Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed, income tax member Syed Aminul Karim and tax commissioner Quader Sarker.
"The taxpayers will get TIN certificates and free advisory services in the service centre," Aminul Karim told the FE Thursday.
The main objective of the centre is to remove the fear factor among the taxpayers and encourage voluntary tax payment by ensuring better service, he said.
There will be facilities for online submission of income tax returns, issuance of the Taxpayers Identification Number (TIN) etc in the service centre, he added.
"Initially the service will be limited for taxpayers of some selective zones to avoid rush. Gradually, the service will be available for all the taxpayers," he said.
The service centre is established with the financial assistance of the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK under the Tax Administration, Capacities and Taxpayers Services (TACTS) project, he added.
Officials said the NBR will outsource the work to ensure smooth services.
Usually, people feel uncomfortable to visit tax offices for obtaining services or submitting tax returns for fear of harassment. The taxpayers will be able to get services from the centre instead of going to tax offices.
The centre will provide all necessary support to the taxpayers and give one-stop service.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is going to introduce tax information and service centre in the city to offer one-stop service to the income taxpayers of the capital.
The NBR will launch the service centre tomorrow (Saturday) at the Segun Bagicha (12-storey building) office on pilot basis.
The centre will be inaugurated by NBR Chairman Dr Nasiruddin Ahmed, income tax member Syed Aminul Karim and tax commissioner Quader Sarker.
"The taxpayers will get TIN certificates and free advisory services in the service centre," Aminul Karim told the FE Thursday.
The main objective of the centre is to remove the fear factor among the taxpayers and encourage voluntary tax payment by ensuring better service, he said.
There will be facilities for online submission of income tax returns, issuance of the Taxpayers Identification Number (TIN) etc in the service centre, he added.
"Initially the service will be limited for taxpayers of some selective zones to avoid rush. Gradually, the service will be available for all the taxpayers," he said.
The service centre is established with the financial assistance of the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK under the Tax Administration, Capacities and Taxpayers Services (TACTS) project, he added.
Officials said the NBR will outsource the work to ensure smooth services.
Usually, people feel uncomfortable to visit tax offices for obtaining services or submitting tax returns for fear of harassment. The taxpayers will be able to get services from the centre instead of going to tax offices.
The centre will provide all necessary support to the taxpayers and give one-stop service.
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