De/Cypher Data Dive 📈
According to the Research and Development (R&D) Survey 2022, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Bangladesh is experiencing a decrease in Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) as a percentage of GDP.
Asia View
The Idle Giant: Can Japan Afford Kashiwazaki Kariwa’s Dormancy?
Written By De/Cypher Team
On Japan’s windy western coast, the Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant stands idle. This massive 4.2-million square meter complex was once central to Japan’s goal of generating 50% of its energy from nuclear power by 2030. But since the 2011 tsunami and Fukushima disaster, its seven reactors have remained shuttered. Japan now spends billions on imported fuels to meet its energy needs, leading to high costs and energy conservation measures for households and businesses. The question is: Can Japan afford to leave Kashiwazaki Kariwa idle?
The Japanese government aims to triple nuclear energy by 2050, yet progress has been slow. Only 12 reactors are operational, with plans to restart more continually facing delays. Safety concerns and recent earthquakes exacerbate public skepticism. The Fukushima disaster and a 2007 earthquake that caused leaks at Kashiwazaki Kariwa have left a lasting impact on public confidence. Restarting this plant could reduce reliance on costly imports and help meet climate goals, but local endorsement and overcoming public fear are critical. Despite advanced safety measures, including 15-meter seawalls and a 20,000-ton water reservoir, skepticism persists. The recent Noto earthquake reminded everyone of the seismic risks inherent to Japan’s geography.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government is reviewing Japan’s energy strategy. While nuclear energy offers consistent, carbon-free power, expanding renewable energy capacity might be a more viable solution given the ongoing challenges with nuclear restarts. Japan’s energy future hangs in the balance. Will Kashiwazaki Kariwa restart to help reduce reliance on costly imports and cut carbon emissions, or will safety concerns and local opposition keep it offline?
Af-Pak De/Cypher
3 June, 2024
Economy
Pakistan growth target 3.6% next year, inflation to dip to 12%, ministry says
Pakistan’s Planning Ministry said on Friday that the economic outlook for the next year was positive, with a growth target of 3.6%, while inflation was likely to moderate to 12%. Pakistan will present its annual budget on June 10, three days later than expected, two government sources said on Friday, as markets wait for details of plans seen as crucial to securing a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan. Pakistan’s fiscal year starts on July 1. Read more: Reuters
Infrastructure development posing serious threat to snow leopards in G-B: study
Infrastructure development, particularly road construction, is threatening the habitat of the elusive snow leopard in the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) region, a recent study by the World Wildlife Federation (WWF)-Pakistan has shown. The WWF-Pakistan’s baseline research study has been undertaken through the project titled Building Ecological and Sustainable Transport/Linear Infrastructure for Snow Leopards in the Hindu Kush Karakoram Himalaya Landscape in Pakistan (BEAST). The study recommended that there was a need to strike a balance between boosting infrastructure development and with conservation of threatened wildlife such as snow leopards in the region. Read more: The Express Tribune
Pakistan’s largest province to ban plastic production, trade from June 5
The government in Pakistan’s largest Punjab province has decided to ban production, distribution and trade of plastic from June 5, the Punjab information ministry said on Sunday, citing plastic as a source of cancer and other fatal diseases. The carbon-intensive production of plastics has been on pace to emit more greenhouse gases than coal-fired power plants across the world, with the global plastic industry releasing at least 232 million tons of these gases annually. Read more: Arab News
Internal Politics 🏛️
PPP CEC to decide whether to join govt in Centre, Punjab: Faisal Kundi
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor and senior leader of Pakistan Peoples Party Faisal Karim Kundi has said that a decision to join the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz governments in the Centre and Punjab will be taken by the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC). Talking to journalists at the residence of PPP leader Aziz-ur-Rehman Chan here on Sunday, the governor said that a committee was working on a power-sharing formula as a pre-condition for joining the ruling coalition. Reports suggest that the PPP is seeking offices of chairmen of standing committees in the National Assembly, Senate and Punjab Assembly instead of slots in the cabinets, apparently to avert taking responsibility for the harsh measures the government is forced to take as part of the conditions for seeking the IMF loan. Read more: Dawn
Pakistan And The World🌐
PM Shehbaz’s visit to bolster ties: Chinese envoy
Chinese ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong has said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to his country would inject strong impetus to upgrade the all-weather strategic cooperation between the two friendly nations, according to a statement issued on Sunday. The premier will leave for China on Tuesday for a five-day visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Li Qiang. Read more: The Express Tribune
Pakistan arrests 11 militants linked to suicide bombing that killed five Chinese engineers
Pakistani authorities arrested 11 Islamist militants linked to the suicide bombing that killed Chinese engineers in March near Afghanistan. The attack led to a halt in two dam projects by Power China and China Gezhouba Company due to casualties. The arrests were announced by Pakistan’s counter-terrorism chief, Rai Tahir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Read more: Ground News
7 Pakistani soldiers, 23 militants killed in separate shootouts during raids along the Afghan border
Pakistan’s security forces engaged in raids in the northwest, resulting in 7 soldiers and 23 militants dead, in a former Pakistani Taliban stronghold. The first clash in Peshawar led to 6 militants and 2 army officers being killed. A subsequent firefight in Tank left 10 militants deceased, with 5 soldiers and 7 militants also perishing in Khyber. Read more: Ground News
Pakistan sends official to Kabul for talks with the Afghan Taliban on a deadly March suicide attack
Pakistan has sent an official to Kabul to share the findings of its investigation into a suicide bombing in March that killed five Chinese engineers and a Pakistani driver with Afghanistan’s Taliban government, the foreign ministry said Thursday.
Pakistan says the attack was planned in Afghanistan and that the bomber was an Afghan citizen, alleging that the Afghan Taliban administration should be held accountable for the attack. Afghanistan’s Taliban government has denied it was in any way responsible. Read more: AP
Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Crisis: Food Insecurity and Malnourishment in Children
Written By Priyanka Garodia, Geopolitical Research Analyst – South Asia
Afghanistan is a state that is staring down a debilitating humanitarian crisis. A Save the Children report has estimated that more than 6.5 million children will reach critical levels of hunger by 2024. The report states that 3 out of 10 Afghan children will be immediate sufferers. The humanitarian crisis is further exacerbated by an environmental crisis, which has left the country highly distressed. The impacts of climate change, including extreme droughts and floods, have had a direct consequence on the population, especially with regard to food security. Severe floods, droughts, and heatwaves raised the risks of crop failure, livestock starvation, crop or animal disease, and pests.
Afghanistan ranks 114th out of 125 countries on the Global Hunger Index, indicating a severe crisis. Food insecurity is not limited to children alone; 28% of Afghanistan’s population is predicted to face emergency levels of hunger. The figures, though abysmal, are better than predictions made in 2023. It is not simply an issue of hunger that Afghanistan faces, but the breakdown of existing structures that remain incapable of meeting the needs of its population.
Food insecurity has disastrous consequences for education as well. The unavailability of food has demonstrably had an effect on access to education, perpetuating a cycle of deprivation and disempowerment. The European Union (EU) has allocated an aid fund of $10.9 million to help mitigate the crisis, but it remains short of the actual funding assistance Afghanistan requires. Only 16% of the funding for the humanitarian response in the region has been met.
The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has led to a policy reorientation in the country, climate change, economic collapse and food insecurity have emerged as challenges that need immediate remedy. The international response to the crisis in Afghanistan has been limited. The economic dimension to the established and continuation of the Taliban government in Afghanistan has been largely ignored including limited aid and development assistance. The immediate response to the Taliban takeover was the freezing of funds by the IMF, the World Bank and the United States. The lacklusture planning in the wake of the Taliban takeover, and a population facing some of the worst crisis of modern times, Afghanistan needs immediate economic redressal.
Bangladesh De/Cypher
3 June, 2024
Economy
Bangladesh a lucrative destination for investment: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has invited the support of US businessmen in Bangladesh’s endeavor to become a developed and smart nation by 2041. Emphasizing the importance of global competitiveness and expanding the export base, she highlighted Bangladesh’s transition from a least developed to a developing country in 2026. Sheikh Hasina outlined Bangladesh’s remarkable socio-economic growth over the past 15 years, attributing it to factors such as good governance, investment in rural economy, women’s empowerment, and advancements in ICT. Read more: The Daily Star
20% co-op society corp tax likely, 15% VAT on 15 products
The Bangladesh government is likely to increase corporate tax for cooperative societies from 15% to 20% in FY2024-25, potentially affecting socio-economic rural development programs. Additionally, VAT on air conditioners, refrigerators, and several products like LED bulbs, juices, and security services may rise to 15%. Supplementary duty on carbonated beverages might increase from 25% to 45%. Meanwhile, source tax on government universities’ income could double from 10% to 20%, while source tax on essential commodities might be halved to 1% to curb inflation and stabilize markets. Read more: Business Post
EU contributes EUR45m to strengthen Bangladesh’s social protection system
The European Union (EU) transferred a grant of EUR 45 million to Bangladesh following successful social protection reforms aligned with the 2015 National Social Security Strategy. This grant is part of a larger EUR 247 million budget support to improve social protection systems and aid vulnerable populations. Recent upgrades in digital governance, grievance redress systems, and benefit programs for mothers and workers in the Ready-Made Garment sector are among the key achievements. Read more: Prothom Alo
WB approves $700m for 2 projects in Bangladesh
The World Bank has approved $700 million for two projects in Bangladesh to support both host communities and the displaced Rohingya population. The $350 million Inclusive Services and Opportunities for Host Community and Displaced Rohingya Population Project will focus on health, education, and gender-based violence prevention, benefiting around 980,000 people. The $350 million Host and Rohingya Enhancement of Lives Project will improve basic services, including water, sanitation, renewable energy, and disaster resilience for approximately 645,000 people. Read more: Bangladesh Pratidin
PM seeks Finland’s support to continue GSP+ facilities
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has requested Finland’s support to extend the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) benefits from the European Union, aiding Bangladesh’s transition from a Least Developed Country to a developing nation by 2026. During a meeting with Finland’s Non-resident Ambassador-designate Kimmo Lahdevirta, she also discussed investment opportunities in energy and IT sectors, including cyber security and electric grid management. Read more: Daily Sun
Big tobacco push drives up per hectare production
Over the last five years, Bangladesh’s tobacco production per hectare has increased by nearly 21%, with production rising from 2.04 tonnes per hectare in 2018-19 to 2.46 tonnes in 2022-23. This consistent growth, driven by big tobacco companies, is achieved through high-yielding varieties and heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. While this boosts profits, it poses significant health and environmental risks, including soil and water pollution and increased deforestation. Despite the government’s commitment to reducing tobacco cultivation, high profits and extensive support from tobacco companies continue to attract farmers. Read more: The Daily Star
Internal Politics 🏛️
Facebook removes coordinated fake accounts linked to Awami League
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has removed a significant number of accounts and pages associated with Bangladesh’s ruling party, Awami League, due to “coordinated inauthentic behavior” ahead of the January elections. These accounts were found to be pretending to support the opposition while posting content critical of them. The Awami League criticized Facebook’s decision, calling it biased and pointing out the platform’s failure to address hate speech and communal violence. Meta’s investigation revealed links to individuals associated with Awami League and the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), a Bangladeshi non-profit. Read more: DT
Catholic archbishop says Church supports Bangladesh, denies reports of ‘Christian State’
Archbishop Bejoy N. D’Cruze of Dhaka refuted rumors of a plan to establish a “Christian State” in parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar, emphasizing the absurdity of such a notion in today’s secular world. He reiterated the Catholic Church’s support for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s efforts to maintain national sovereignty and protect religious harmony. Read more: Crux
Where is Benazir Ahmed?
Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed is currently facing mounting pressure and accusations following reports of his alleged illegal wealth acquisition. Despite the ongoing investigations and legal proceedings against him, Benazir has remained notably silent. Speculations about his whereabouts have surfaced, with conflicting information suggesting he may be in Bangladesh preparing for legal matters or may have traveled abroad. Reports indicate that he may have left Bangladesh with his wife and daughters for medical treatment in Singapore, but his current location remains uncertain. Read more: TBS
Cancer-causing ‘forever chemicals’ in Dhaka water sources: Study
A recent study titled “Persistent Threat: PFAS in textiles and water in Bangladesh,” conducted by the NGOs Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO) and International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), has revealed the presence of cancer-causing PFAS chemicals in Dhaka’s water sources, including rivers, lakes, and tap water, as well as in clothing. These “forever chemicals” are persistent in the environment and have been linked to various health risks, such as cancer, birth defects, weakened immunity, and liver damage. The study found PFAS in 87% of surface water samples from eight areas in Dhaka, with significant levels of globally banned substances like PFOA and PFOS. Read more: TBS
Bangladesh And The World🌐
PM Hasina’s forthcoming China visit will be a game-changer in Dhaka-Beijing ties: Ambassador Yao
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has expressed anticipation that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming visit to China will be a significant milestone, characterizing it as “another historical” event that will reshape Bangladesh-China relations. He emphasized the potential of this visit to be a game-changer and to usher in a new era of cooperation between the two countries. The visit is expected to address issues of mutual interest and explore opportunities for deepening strategic partnership and cooperation. Read more: TBS
16,970 failed to reach Malaysia for mismanagement
Due to mismanagement by government authorities and local recruiting agents, 16,970 migrant workers from Bangladesh failed to reach Malaysia before the deadline of May 31, 2024. State Minister Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury announced that his ministry approved 526,676 workers for migration, but 33,034 fewer workers received approval from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET). A probe committee has been formed to investigate the issue, with actions promised against those responsible. Read more: The Daily Star
Guterres praises Bangladesh as a key UN partner
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has lauded Bangladesh as a vital partner in international efforts, emphasizing its significant contributions across various fronts, including peacekeeping missions and climate change initiatives. Guterres particularly commended Bangladesh’s resilience in addressing challenges like the Rohingya crisis and climate-related adversities. He urged continued global support for Rohingya repatriation efforts and assured the UN’s full support for Bangladesh’s economic growth and resilience-building endeavors. Guterres praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, noting Bangladesh’s remarkable progress and its growing stature as a beacon of development and resilience on the global stage. Read more: Somoy News
Sri Lankan procurement team in Dhaka to learn about e-GP
A seven-member Sri Lankan delegation is visiting Bangladesh to learn about the successful implementation of the electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system by the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA). This three-day visit, led by EA Rathnaseela, aims to help Sri Lanka overcome challenges in fully digitizing its e-GP system. The delegation, which includes officials from various Sri Lankan public procurement entities and representatives from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, will receive detailed briefings from BPPA officials and technical experts and visit the LGED office for practical insights. Read more: Business Post
Research and Development in Bangladesh: A Path to Innovation and Growth
Written By De/Cypher Team
Bangladesh’s research and development (R&D) landscape is undergoing significant transformation, fueled by both government initiatives and private sector investments. The emphasis on R&D is critical for promoting innovation, driving economic growth, and addressing socioeconomic challenges.
The government’s upcoming budget emphasizes the importance of R&D, prioritizing sectors such as education, health, agriculture, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali emphasized the importance of R&D in human resource development to support 4IR initiatives. The budget also intends to allocate Taka 100 crore to the health sector, emphasizing the importance of targeted investment in various sectors to improve overall national capabilities.
In parallel, Bangladesh’s private sector has demonstrated a growing commitment to research and development. According to a survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the business sector employed the most full-time R&D personnel, accounting for 45.65% in FY19, 45.95% in FY20, and 47.10% in FY21. The total R&D expenditure for FY21 was Taka 10,481 crore, up 6% from the previous year. Notably, capital expenditure, primarily in machinery and equipment, accounted for nearly 62% of total R&D spending, demonstrating businesses’ emphasis on increasing productivity and market share.
However, challenges remain, such as financial constraints, inadequate infrastructure, and bureaucratic barriers. Public universities, in particular, face limited funding, outdated facilities, and inefficient administrative processes. This situation limits their ability to conduct high-quality research and generate significant academic output when compared to regional counterparts.
Despite these challenges, there is an urgent need for a more coordinated approach to closing the gap between academic research and practical implementation. Universities must pursue interdisciplinary and community-focused research, fostering stronger collaborations with government agencies and industry. Action research, which involves collaboration between researchers and practitioners, has the potential to generate insights that are directly relevant to vulnerable communities, particularly when dealing with the effects of climate change.
While Bangladesh does face significant challenges in the R&D sector, the combination of government initiatives and private sector investments offers a path to innovation and long-term growth. Bangladesh can maximize the potential of its research capabilities to drive economic development and social progress by addressing infrastructure deficits, streamlining administrative processes, and encouraging industry-academia collaboration.
Headlines Quick Recap
North Korea says it will stop sending trash balloons as South Korea vows strong retaliation
North Korea announced it will cease sending trash-carrying balloons into South Korea, following South Korea’s threat of severe retaliatory measures. Read more: AP
Zelensky says China ‘working hard’ to stop countries from attending peace summit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized China for allegedly working to dissuade countries from attending a peace summit due to Russia’s exclusion. Read more: France 24
Sri Lanka closes schools as floods and mudslides leave 10 dead and 6 others missing
Sri Lanka has closed schools due to heavy rain-induced floods and mudslides across the country, resulting in at least 10 deaths and six people reported missing. Read more: Arab News
Tin Oo, Myanmar activist and Suu Kyi confidant, dies at 97
Tin Oo, a former Myanmar general turned democracy activist and key figure in Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), passed away at 97. He co-founded the NLD in 1988, following mass protests against the junta. Read more: Strait Times
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