• Dhaka Sun, 15 DECEMBER 2024,
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468 Tons of Potatoes Imported from India through Benapole
Vegetable Prices Begin to Drop
Vegetable prices in the capital markets have started to drop. Traders say the markets are now filled with winter vegetables, bringing some relief in prices. While some vegetables are still being sold at Tk80 to 150 per kg, most are now priced between Tk50 and 60. Although winter vegetables are expected to be more cheaper during this season, the low market prices of vegetables are offering some respite. A visit to several markets in Kawran Bazar, Agargaon, Shyamoli, and Kallyanpur on Friday (December 13) revealed this scenario. Traders noted that within a few days, more winter vegetables would arrive in the markets, likely reducing prices further. In Kawran Bazar, new potatoes are selling at Tk100 per kg, tomatoes at Tk120, green chilies at Tk100, hyacinth beans with seeds at Tk100, bitter gourds at Tk100, cucumbers at Tk80, carrots at Tk80, radishes at Tk30, and spring onions at Tk80 per kg. Other vegetables include string beans at Tk100 per kg, round eggplants at Tk80, long eggplants at Tk60, medium-sized cauliflowers at Tk50 per piece, cabbages at Tk50 per piece, papayas at Tk50 per kg, lady's finger at Tk80, pumpkins at Tk40 per kg, regular hyacinth beans at Tk50, turnips at Tk50, and onion flowers at Tk30 per bundle. According to vegetable vendor Zakir, prices have not decreased as much as expected. "In previous years, vegetable prices used to drop to Tk30 to 40 per kg, but this year they haven't. However, prices are lower than before," he said. Shahin, a shopper from Farmgate, remarked "Tomatoes are still around Tk150 per kg. Cucumbers and carrots are also expensive. Where is the price reduction?" Homemaker Fatema Akter commented, "While some vegetables are cheaper, many are still overpriced. Only if vegetables were priced at Tk30 to 40 per kg could we truly say prices have dropped." Meanwhile, in Kawran Bazar's wholesale market, local onions are selling for Tk70 to 120 per kg, and Indian onions for Tk70 to 80. Pabna's local onions are being sold for Tk120 per kg. Additionally, Chinese ginger is priced at Tk160, Chinese garlic at Tk210 to 220, fresh ginger at Tk100 to 110, and garlic from Natore at Tk230 to 240  per kg. An analysis of the market over the past few months shows a slight decrease in wholesale ginger prices, while garlic prices remain mostly unchanged. In terms of meat, beef is selling at Tk750 per kg, and goat meat at Tk1,100 per kg. Farm chickens are being sold at Tk180, Pakistani chickens at Tk310 taka, and local chickens at Tk520 per kg. Chicken vendor Kalam noted that poultry prices have risen slightly, selling for Tk190 per kg, an increase of Tk10 in just two days. Meat prices in other markets are almost the same. Eggs are being sold at Tk145 to 150 per dozen.
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White Paper: Report Finds Several Dominant Channels For Corruption
The White Paper Committee identified several dominant channels of corruption including banking loan scams, misappropriation of loans, and politically motivated unviable projects, appearing to be a wide-ranging and deep-rooted manifestation of corruption during the deposed Awami League regime. The White Paper Committee head and Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya today (December 02) formally unveiled the report to the media exposing the dominant channels of corruption at the NEC conference room in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. Other members of the committee were present. The dominant channels are described below which include banking loan scams, fraudulent practices in illusory bank loans, and misappropriation of loans. Bank Takeover: Forced takeover of ownership of banks with the help of state machinery. Illicit financial outflows: Ill-gotten money is laundered out of the country in large volume. Politically Motivated Unviable Projects: Resources are wasted on unviable projects, prolonging timelines and inflation costs. Inflated Project Costs: Systematic cost overestimation to siphon funds. Project Cost Escalation Post-Approval: Costs are artificially escalated after project approval to divert funds. Non-Competitive Tender Processes: Cronyism and favoritism dominate procurement, excluding qualified bidders. Unnecessary or Poorly Designed Projects: Resources are wasted due to weak feasibility studies, prolonging timelines, and inflating costs. Nepotism in Appointments: Project management, particularly Project Directors, is often appointed based on political connections rather than merit. Illegal Land and Asset Acquisitions: Land and assets are seized or acquired through illegitimate means. Misappropriation of Land Acquisition Funds: Politically weak landowners are coerced into unfair deals, and funds allocated for land acquisition are misused. Awarding Overpriced Contracts: Contracts are often granted to politically connected contractors at inflated prices and given without competitive bidding. Abuse of Project Resources: Misuse of vehicles, travel budgets, and other project resources for personal or political gain. Bribery as a Standard Management Practice: Bribes are routinely exchanged to expedite processes or secure favors. Misallocation of Public Funds: Funds intended for development are diverted to serve political and/or personal objectives by the leaders. Tax Exemptions for Elites: Tax policies disproportionately benefit influential groups. Distorted Supply Chains: Manipulated supply chains lead to unfair pricing and market inefficiencies. Sharing Insider Information: Policy decisions are leaked to select groups for financial gain. Collusive Corruption: Collaboration between public officials and private actors for mutual benefits. Extortion-Based Corruption: Coercion is used to extract bribes or enforce unfair deals. Monopolistic Corruption: Market conditions are manipulated to favor specific individuals or entities. Pre-emptive Information Sharing Corruption: Early access to critical information is exploited for undue advantage. Information Concealment Corruption: Withholding important information to mislead stakeholders. Corruption by Inaction: Deliberate delays are used to create opportunities for rent-seeking. Corruption for Career Advancement: Bribes and connections are leveraged to secure promotions or influential positions. Commission-Sharing Corruption: High-level officials demand a share of commissions for approvals. Corruption for Political Favour: Resources and decisions are manipulated to secure political allegiance or favor. Legislative Manipulation Corruption: Laws and policies are tailored to serve vested interests. The review of the White Paper puts the banking sector on top of the most corruption-ravaged sector, followed by physical infrastructure, and energy and power. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was also identified as one of the most corruption-affected sectors by its operational and technological novelty. This non-exhaustive list of pervasive corrupt practices highlights the urgent need for systemic reforms and robust accountability mechanisms to restore governance integrity and economic resilience, the paper said. Source: BSS
China Discovers World's Largest Gold Deposit Worth $83 Billion
A massive deposit of high-quality gold ore, containing an estimated 1,000 metric tons (1,100 US tons) of gold, has been uncovered in central China. Valued at approximately 600 billion yuan or US$83 billion, the discovery could be considered the largest and most lucrative reservoir of gold ever uncovered, surpassing the 900 metric tons estimated to lie within the mother of all gold reserves, South Deep mine in South Africa, News Az reports, citing foreign media. The Geological Bureau of Hunan Province announced the detection of 40 gold veins within a depth of 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in the northeast Hunan county of Pingjiang. These alone were thought to contain 300 metric tons of gold, with 3D modeling suggesting additional reserves may be found to a depth of 3 kilometers. "Many drilled rock cores showed visible gold," says bureau prospector Chen Rulin. Core samples suggest every metric ton of ore could contain as much as 138 grams (nearly 5 ounces) of gold – an extraordinary level of quality considering ore excavated from underground mines is considered high grade if it contains more than 8 grams. China already dominates the world's gold market with reserves considered to be in excess of 2,000 tons earlier in 2024 with its mining industry contributing around 10 percent of the global output. Announcements of the findings have contributed to a further increase in the already skyrocketing gold price as demands for the resource continue to rise amid global uncertainty. Based on these latest findings, we might be far from exhausting economically viable reserves. Core samples taken around the periphery of the Hunan site hint that the deposit may extend even further than initial predictions, making the reservoir beneath its soil a true dragon's haul. It's been a notable year for gold discoveries. In March, a treasure hunter in England found what was estimated to perhaps be the biggest gold nugget ever found in the country. And just two months ago, research by scientists in Australia discovered a new mechanism that may lead to the formation of gold, suggesting the seismic activity of earthquakes actually plays a role in the creation of large nuggets. But that's not all. In addition to learning more about how gold naturally forms, scientists are also investigating new things that can be done to manipulate the precious resource. A study published in April reported the creation of a new kind of two-dimensional gold called 'goldene', measuring only a single layer of atoms in height, which has some interesting properties not seen in the three-dimensional form of gold. While gold is an ancient metal that has been prized all throughout human history, there's clearly a lot we're still finding out about it.