Bangladesh has urged Nepal to fix the destination for cargo trade. During a joint secretary level meeting with Nepal, Bangladeshi officials discussed the transportation modality at length with their Nepali counterparts. "Bangladesh is convinced that a destination should be fixed for the cargo trade," said Surya Silwal, joint secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supply -- who led the Nepali delegation to Bangladesh -- after returning from Dhaka today.
This joint secretary level meeting was a revision meeting of the last commerce secretary level meeting. "We discussed three major issues: revision of the last commerce secretary level meeting between the two countries, facilitating the next talks that will be held in October first week and revising the wish list for exports," he added.
Officials from both countries discussed establishing a preferential bilateral trading arrangement and simplifying movement of goods in respective markets. The Bangladeshi private sector also took active part in the bilateral talks.
Dhaka has restricted Nepali exports with a heavy tariff barrier. It has imposed higher customs duty on some agricultural products that are Nepal's main export items. Kathmandu has been requesting Dhaka to provide duty-free entry facility to some 140 Nepali commodities. "We repeated our request for duty free access and Bangladesh responded positively," Silwal said adding that Nepal's suggestion was to start with a couple of items.
Nepali traders describe the Bangladeshi high duty structure as the barrier in expediting the bilateral trade. However, Silwal said that both countries want to expedite trade "but there are political barriers."
Apart from the tariff, transportation is another major hurdle in bilateral trade. Nepal has proposed tripartite talks for smooth transportation link between the two South Asian countries as both Nepali and Bangladeshi traders or tourists have to cross India while using land routes.Additional secretary of the Commerce Ministry of Bangladesh Mustafa Mohiuddin headed the 12-member Bangladeshi delegation while Silwal led the four-member Nepali team.
During the bilateral trade talks yesterday, both sides also agreed to mobilise tour operators and travel agencies of Bangladesh and Nepal to take initiatives to give a boost to the tourism sector of the two countries.
Around three per cent Bangladeshi tourists used to visit Nepal, but the flow of Bangladeshi tourists to Nepal has seen a whopping fall in recent months. "During 2065 BS (mid-April 2008 to mid-April 2009), the Nepali embassy in Dhaka issued 1,547 visas," said Ramesh Prasad Khanal, minister counsellor and deputy chief of mission at the Nepali embassy, Dhaka."
This year, from mid-April 2009 till date only around 500 visas were issued," he added.
The Bangladeshi tourists visiting by land routes need double entry visa as they have to cross the Indian border twice to enter Nepal. India started issuing a single entry visa that has reduced the number of Bangladeshi tourists coming to Nepal by land.
Showing posts with label Dhaka University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dhaka University. Show all posts
Friday, May 29, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Nokia's ovi mail to come in Nepali
You don't know English but want to have an e-mail account. No need to worry, Nokia has launched its Ovi mail that will give Nepali users the opportunity to create their e-mail accounts in Nepali language -- Devnagari script.
"From within one year to one-and-a-half years Nepalis can create Ovi mail usernames in their own language," said Prem Chand, general manager at Nokia Emerging Asia, during the launch in Dhaka of Nokia's own mail service -- Ovi Mail -- that will have 50 languages.
Unlike most other email services, an Ovi mail account can be created and used directly in a Nokia device without ever having to use PC, laptop or fixed landline. "Since the launch of the beta service in December 2008 around 90 per cent of the email accounts have been created on a Nokia phone," Chand said adding that to bring the Internet -- the easiest and most popular means of communication -- closer in emerging markets, Nokia has launched its new technology.Chand also launched Ovi mail compatible entry category devices -- Nokia 2323 classic and Nokia 2330 classic -- that will be available in Kathmandu from June. "However, the Nokia 2730 classic will be available during the third quarter of this year," he added."All these phones come internet ready and work with Ovi Mail, giving first-time email users the opportunity to set up and start using an e-mail account (http://us.mc562.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=username@ovi.com) directly on their mobile phones," said Paula Laine, vice-president, entry category marketing.With a choice of black and dark blue, the Nokia 2323 classic will retail for approximately $60 while Nokia 2330 Classic will be available in black or deep red and will retail for about $50 at all Nokia stores."In 2002, Nokia unveiled a strategy to lower the cost of owning and operating a mobile phone and bring the benefits of mobile telephony to people in emerging markets -- Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bhutan. "The aim of introducing these devices and services is to bring the power of the Internet to the people of this region at affordable rates," Laine said adding that the mobile device and Internet are a powerful combination in connecting people and the service. "These products are not only affordable but also relevant and easy to use," she added.
"The power of the Internet is undeniable, and we have seen mobile technologies catalyse the growth of the informal sector across the world empowering local entrepreneurs and having an immediate and lasting impact on people's lives," Chand said.
According to him, services like Ovi Mail combined with mobile phones bring powerful solutions that can be a gateway to knowledge and entertainment that people can access without the need for a PC.
According to consumer research, nearly half of the emerging market customers wanted Internet connection over a mobile phone than a PC. Ovi Mail has the potential to be the first digital identity for many people in emerging markets like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal where Internet and PC penetration rates are the lowest in Asia.
"From within one year to one-and-a-half years Nepalis can create Ovi mail usernames in their own language," said Prem Chand, general manager at Nokia Emerging Asia, during the launch in Dhaka of Nokia's own mail service -- Ovi Mail -- that will have 50 languages.
Unlike most other email services, an Ovi mail account can be created and used directly in a Nokia device without ever having to use PC, laptop or fixed landline. "Since the launch of the beta service in December 2008 around 90 per cent of the email accounts have been created on a Nokia phone," Chand said adding that to bring the Internet -- the easiest and most popular means of communication -- closer in emerging markets, Nokia has launched its new technology.Chand also launched Ovi mail compatible entry category devices -- Nokia 2323 classic and Nokia 2330 classic -- that will be available in Kathmandu from June. "However, the Nokia 2730 classic will be available during the third quarter of this year," he added."All these phones come internet ready and work with Ovi Mail, giving first-time email users the opportunity to set up and start using an e-mail account (http://us.mc562.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=username@ovi.com) directly on their mobile phones," said Paula Laine, vice-president, entry category marketing.With a choice of black and dark blue, the Nokia 2323 classic will retail for approximately $60 while Nokia 2330 Classic will be available in black or deep red and will retail for about $50 at all Nokia stores."In 2002, Nokia unveiled a strategy to lower the cost of owning and operating a mobile phone and bring the benefits of mobile telephony to people in emerging markets -- Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bhutan. "The aim of introducing these devices and services is to bring the power of the Internet to the people of this region at affordable rates," Laine said adding that the mobile device and Internet are a powerful combination in connecting people and the service. "These products are not only affordable but also relevant and easy to use," she added.
"The power of the Internet is undeniable, and we have seen mobile technologies catalyse the growth of the informal sector across the world empowering local entrepreneurs and having an immediate and lasting impact on people's lives," Chand said.
According to him, services like Ovi Mail combined with mobile phones bring powerful solutions that can be a gateway to knowledge and entertainment that people can access without the need for a PC.
According to consumer research, nearly half of the emerging market customers wanted Internet connection over a mobile phone than a PC. Ovi Mail has the potential to be the first digital identity for many people in emerging markets like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal where Internet and PC penetration rates are the lowest in Asia.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Call for labour diplomacy
Experts today demanded labour diplomacy to empower, safeguard and expand the migrant labourers' market.
"The government should play the role of a watchdog," said Prof Tashlima Siddique from Dhaka University addressing an interaction programme, 'Women in Foreign Employment: Right or Wrong -- Experience from Bangladesh and Nepal' organised by Labour Journalists' Group, Nepal and NIDS here.
When male migrant workers are harassed, the government does not take any action. "But when a women migrant worker is harassed, it becomes a tool for the government to ban women migrant workers from having economic freedom," she said adding that the government should lift such bans and facilitate and inform women migrant workers to make it more secure for them.
"Nobody can dismiss women migrant workers' rights," social scientist Ganesh Gurung said adding that they should be given the option of informed choice.
"Women migrant workers should be trained and given orientation for better perks and safety before going out," the experts said while agreeing that the fates of Nepali and Bangladeshi women are not much different as both the countries' governments have similar attitudes towards women.
"Along with political freedom, economic freedom is a must for women empowerment," Gurung said adding that they not only contribute to the economy but also to bringing about change in society.
"Choice of profession is a personal matter," said Prof Siddiqi while sharing Bangladeshi experience on lifting the ban on women migrant workers. Both Bangladeshi and Nepali male migrant workers in Gulf countries have protested against sending women migrant workers asked their respective governments to ban women workers from going abroad.
There is a huge demand for women migrant workers but government officials are confused and they take decisions based on a single case, which cannot be a benchmark. "If the governments do not facilitate the women migrant workers, they will be trafficked and become more vulnerable," Prof Siddiqi and Gurung both said.
The Bangladesh government has put various restrictions on women migrant workers and so has the Nepal government, though in practice they have not banned them from going out.
"According to the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), there are only 40,000 women migrant workers. But the actual number is double," said Gurung.
Nepal's situation corresponds to that of Bangladesh. Every year 3,00,000 Nepalis enter the domestic labour market and 40 per cent of them are women. Nepal could not employ them all and finally they land up in the foreign labour market -- either legally or illegally.Prior to 1997, there was no any restriction on women migrant workers but Nepal put a ban on their going out in May 1997 after a woman Kami Sherpa's death in Saudi Arabia.
"The government should play the role of a watchdog," said Prof Tashlima Siddique from Dhaka University addressing an interaction programme, 'Women in Foreign Employment: Right or Wrong -- Experience from Bangladesh and Nepal' organised by Labour Journalists' Group, Nepal and NIDS here.
When male migrant workers are harassed, the government does not take any action. "But when a women migrant worker is harassed, it becomes a tool for the government to ban women migrant workers from having economic freedom," she said adding that the government should lift such bans and facilitate and inform women migrant workers to make it more secure for them.
"Nobody can dismiss women migrant workers' rights," social scientist Ganesh Gurung said adding that they should be given the option of informed choice.
"Women migrant workers should be trained and given orientation for better perks and safety before going out," the experts said while agreeing that the fates of Nepali and Bangladeshi women are not much different as both the countries' governments have similar attitudes towards women.
"Along with political freedom, economic freedom is a must for women empowerment," Gurung said adding that they not only contribute to the economy but also to bringing about change in society.
"Choice of profession is a personal matter," said Prof Siddiqi while sharing Bangladeshi experience on lifting the ban on women migrant workers. Both Bangladeshi and Nepali male migrant workers in Gulf countries have protested against sending women migrant workers asked their respective governments to ban women workers from going abroad.
There is a huge demand for women migrant workers but government officials are confused and they take decisions based on a single case, which cannot be a benchmark. "If the governments do not facilitate the women migrant workers, they will be trafficked and become more vulnerable," Prof Siddiqi and Gurung both said.
The Bangladesh government has put various restrictions on women migrant workers and so has the Nepal government, though in practice they have not banned them from going out.
"According to the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), there are only 40,000 women migrant workers. But the actual number is double," said Gurung.
Nepal's situation corresponds to that of Bangladesh. Every year 3,00,000 Nepalis enter the domestic labour market and 40 per cent of them are women. Nepal could not employ them all and finally they land up in the foreign labour market -- either legally or illegally.Prior to 1997, there was no any restriction on women migrant workers but Nepal put a ban on their going out in May 1997 after a woman Kami Sherpa's death in Saudi Arabia.
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