First a three-day strike at the beginning of January, now an unprecedented six-day strike: German train drivers' actions will hit companies, ports and consumers alike. But what are the actual consequences? The wage dispute between Germany's state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the train drivers' union GDL is entering the next round. The GDL called another strike on Monday, after paralyzing many rail services for three days at the beginning of January. This time, passenger transport will be affected from Wednesday morning (January 24 from 2 a.m. CET) until Monday evening, making it almost six days — and thus the longest strike in the history of the railroads in Germany. In freight transport, the strike is to begin on Tuesday evening and also end on Monday at 6 p.m., a total of 144 hours. The strike is not only hurting Deutsche Bahn. It's also impacting other German firms that transport their raw materials or goods by rail. In addition, the consequences will also be felt in neighboring countries. Nearly 60% of Deutsche Bahn's freight transport services are carried out across Europe. Six out of 11 corridors for freight transport in Europe run through Germany, according to the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. As Thomas Puls of the German Economic Institute put it: "Germany is the logistical heart of Europe." Cost will be hard to quantify The costs of such strikes are difficult to assess. Without actual production losses, the costs would not be deducible from any statistic, according to Puls. Analyses of previous strikes showed that they can cause losses of up to €100 million ($110 million) per day. Michael Grömling, head of economic research at the German Economic Institute, said the costs of a six-day strike would no longer increase linearly but would multiply in some cases. "We are quickly looking at a billion euros in damage," he said. In addition, the impact of the freight transport strike is set to be felt even afterward in the form of traffic disruptions. After the last freight transport strike, it took days for the traffic jams to clear up. Deutsche Bahn is forecasting a loss of around €25 million per day for the company alone. Commerzbank Chief Economist Jörg Krämer estimates the strike will reduce value creation in just the transport sector by €30 million per day, which corresponds to 0.3% of daily gross domestic product. "Much greater economic damage would occur if factories had to shut down their production due to supply problems," warned Krämer. "In addition, the rail strike is putting a strain on people's nerves and tarnishing Germany's already tarnished image as a business location." Frank Huster, managing director of the German Freight Forwarding and Logistics Association, said the strikes could lead to logistics companies losing confidence in rail freight transport. Its reputation was already suffering severely due to repeated technical failures, an extremely decrepit railway network and continuing infrastructure problems, he said. This is not a good starting position for the goal of transporting more goods by rail. According to the 2021 German government coalition treaty, the market share of rail in freight transport is to increase to 25% by 2030. The current market share is 19%.   Freight transport by train is essential A large portion of goods, about two-thirds, is transported via roads in Germany; just under one-fifth is transported by rail. Nonetheless, freight transport by rail was very important, traffic expert Puls told DW. "Even if it's not that clear when we look at the market shares — a lot of rail transports cannot be processed in another way, or only with major difficulties," he said. Large industries like the steel and chemical industry, for instance, are dependent on rail transport. Without black coal, delivered by rail, neither the steel industry's furnaces nor the power stations that secure the production of electricity can be operated. As far as several dangerous goods used in the chemical industry are concerned, rail transport is even required by law because of the reduced risk of accidents on trains. Products used by the car industry, as well as finished vehicles, are also loaded onto trains. All vehicles designated for export are transported by train to the international port of Bremerhaven, where they're loaded onto car ships, said Puls. But what happens when trains are canceled? According to Puls, there aren't enough car carrier trucks to transport that  many vehicles via roads. Other freight service providers could benefit Although Deutsche Bahn is the largest provider of rail freight transport (with a market share of over 40%), there are also many private providers covering the remaining freight transport volume. They won't be directly affected by strikes. "Some 60% of the rail freight traffic is running as usual and often even reaches its destination better due to less rail traffic," said Peter Westenberger, managing director of the association Die Güterbahnen, in which DB Cargo's competitors are mainly organized. The private companies also occasionally pick up goods that DB Cargo is unable to transport due to the strike.  However, if the railroad's signalmen also go on strike, nothing will work. There would also be no more emergency runs, according to Puls. "Without central traffic control, no train will run," he said. Fears of container jams in ports Other parts of the logistics chain — such as ports — are also affected by the strike. "As soon as ports run out of container storage space, there‘ll be huge problems," Puls said. At the port of Hamburg, for instance, most containers coming in on ships continue their journey by train. Puls said switching to road transport isn't a realistic option.  "Probably we don't have enough trucks, and even if we had them, we would not be able to dispatch as many to Hamburg as are necessary to move the number of containers which are usually transported by rail out of the port," he said. A view of containers in the Port of Hamburg German economic slowdown partially alleviates strike consequences However, the currently sluggish economic activity does help to alleviate the effects of the strike. When industrial production is operating far below capacity, it's easier to postpone production if goods are not delivered on time, said Puls. Nonetheless, costs are obviously still incurred for rescheduling production and logistics chains. Moreover, large companies aren't completely unprepared, which will also alleviate the negative effects of the strike. All in all, supply chains have become more resilient in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Huster said. Even in the absence of a strike, it wouldn't be unusual for a freight train to be delayed for a day, he added, so the industry had certain buffers and had set up storehouses for emergencies. Due to the economic conditions, even the situation in the ports is unlikely to reach critical levels very quickly. "In a better economic climate we would, with trains not running, reach the absolute limit after approximately five days," said Puls.  

A book titled “The Immense Cost of the Naga Struggle from British Rule to Statehood,” was released in Wokha on April 3 at the residence of late P.E. Ezung. Dr. Jan Ezung Nienu, daughter of late P.E. Ezung revised the original book “NKOLO NCHUNG,” (Ancient Today) with the help of her siblings. The book was launched by E.T. Ezung, former speaker along with the family members and friends. The programme was chaired by Dr. Nsanthung Ezung, director Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services who paid heartfelt tribute to his late father along with E.T. Ezung, Abeni T.C.K and Dr. Jan Ezung Nienu. Late P.E Ezung served as Agriculture Officer who resigned from service and joined active politics along with A.Z. Phizo and other Naga leaders. Ezung played a vital role who strived for peace and statehood of Nagaland. He was also one of the signatories to the 16 Point Agreement, and served as an Interim Body Member (IBM) from 1961 to 1963. Source: nagalandpost.com

The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) said that the cost of living in the capital Dhaka increased by 11.08 percent in 2022. The report published on Saturday said that around 17 products have directly related to the rise in inflation as well as the cost of living last year. The urban lower-income group of people has compromised their diet chart and lifestyle due to the increase in the prices of essential commodities, fish and meat. The report was presented on behalf of CAB by Mahfuz Kabir, research director of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS). According to the report, the cost of living in the capital increased by 6.88 percent in 2020 and 6.5 percent in 2019. Mr. Kabir has prepared the result, which was collected from 11 markets across Dhaka (Dhaka North and South City Corporation). It has covered 141 food items, 49 non-food items and 25 services. Rice, flour, pulses, bakery products, sugar, fish, eggs, domestic poultry, edible oil, imported fruits, tea and coffee, local and imported milk, washing and personal hygiene items, and transport costs are included in the CAB price monitoring. The CAB has proposed policy recommendations in the analysis of inflation trends. In the recommendations, the association said the government has increased support under subsidised food aid and social protection to reduce inflationary pressure on the poor and disadvantaged. But the government should extend social protection schemes in urban areas to protect low and middle-income consumers from rising inflationary pressures. The government has significantly increased OMS activities during Covid-19, which has been extended further in 2022 to protect this consumer groups from the economic slowdown and inflationary woes. But there is an inadequacy of food supply through OMS against extremely high demand and a lack of proper monitoring to ensure equitable distribution of OMS food products among low-income people. The CAB recommendation has also opposed the decision to increase gas and fuel oil prices at the retail level as the bulk price hike of gas and oil would affect the lower-income people. CAB President Golam Rahman, Vice President SM Najer Hossain, General Secretary Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, joint secretary Dr. Md. Shahnewaz Chowdhury and Md. Qazi Abdul Hannan were also present at the press conference held virtually.

Due to the pandemic Corona Virus throughout the world, Certain number of people got the opportunity to perform Hajj in the last three years.  However, since there is no such situation, there are no obstacles and rules. The cost of Hajj package has also been reduced compared to last year. According to Dr Amr bin Reda Al Maddah, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for Hajj and Umrah Services, said that pilgrims will have the opportunity to perform Hajj this year at 30 percent less cost than last year. Al Maddah said that about 90 percent of the "Economic Hajj Package" has already been sold. He said that the local pilgrims from Saudi Arabia can pay for the Hajj package in three installments. Those interested in Hajj must pay 20% within 72 hours of registration to secure the place. The next 40 percent must be paid by January 29 and the remaining 40 percent by April 23.

Ceravac, an indigenously developed vaccine for cervical cancer caused by the human-papillomavirus (HPV), will be priced between Rs 200-400 per dose and available in a few months, said manufacturer Serum Institute of India on Thursday.   “Initially, the vaccine will be supplied to the government programme and then from next year onwards, some private partners may also be involved,” said Serum India CEO Adar Poonawalla. The vaccine is given as a two-dose or three-dose regimen depending on age.   Two HPV vaccines are available in the private market presently, both made by foreign companies: Gardasil by Merck and Cervarix by Glaxo Smithkline. HPV vaccines sell for Rs 2,000-3,500 per dose now, and Serum India’s entry is expected to bring down prices.   Announcing the scientific completion of the vaccine that took more than a decade to develop, the central government said that around 2,000 volunteers had participated in the country for clinical trials. Pune-based Serum India developed Ceravac in collaboration with the government’s biotechnology department.   Work started in September 2011 and the vaccine was approved by India’s drug regulator in July this year. “Partnerships between private-public are becoming very important in such research, this co-creation is what is going to make all the difference in the world,” said Rajesh Gokhale, secretary in the Department of Biotechnology.   Covid-19 had raised awareness about preventive healthcare and Ceravac will help such efforts, said Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of Science and Technology.   Ceravac, which is based on virus-like-particle (VLP) platform technology, has demonstrated a robust antibody response nearly 1000 times higher than the baseline against all targeted HPV types and in all dose and age groups.   HPV types--16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58--are considered as high risk for cancer. Type 6 and 11 are considered low-risk types. SII’s quadrivalent HPV vaccine works against type 6,11,16,18.   It means the vaccine protects against four different strains of the HPV, and approximately give coverage against 90 percent of HPV prevalent in the developing world.   Cervical is the second most frequent cancer among women in India. About 5 percent of women in the general population are estimated to have cervical HPV‐16/18 infection, and 83.2 percent of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPVs 16 or 18.   India has 483.5 million women aged 15 and older who are at risk of cervical cancer. Current estimates say that every year 123,907 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 77,348 die from the disease. Cervical is the second-most frequent cancer among women in India.   The standing technical sub-committee of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) has recommended including cervical cancer in the National Immunisation Mission (NIM).   According to the 2011 Census, around 114.8 million girls were between the age of 10-14 years. The numbers would be slightly different now, however, one can estimate around 100-120 million female children to be in the target age group for HPV vaccination under the NIM.   Umesh Shaligram, executive director of Serum India and who was involved in developing Ceravac, said the vaccine could also be given to males once there are enough doses. The vaccine can be used to cover other HPV-caused diseases and not just cervical cancer, he said.   Source: Business Standard  

The government expects to recover the Padma Bridge’s construction cost in next 35 years through a “well calculated” toll rate, officials said today. “The toll rate has been fixed in a calculated way so the construction cost of the country’s biggest bridge could be recovered in next 35 years,” an official of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) said. He said the bridge was constructed with domestic financing, discarding foreign loans or grant of any type while the finance ministry provided BBA an amount of Taka 30,000 crore as credit, which “we will have to repay with one per cent interest rate in 35 years”. “We will have to repay the loan with one per cent loan in 140 quarterly installments,” the official said adding that the toll rate was fixed also considering the issues of the VAT and tax, the bridge’s management and maintenance alongside the occasional river training. A BBA statement later substantiated his remarks saying an additional amount of Taka 340 crore would be repaid against the loan of Taka 211 crore taken during design framing of the mega-structure. It said the vehicle operators using the bridge would have to pay on an average 50 per cent more than the fare they used to pay for ferry transportation. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) earned Taka 5.60 crore in November 2020 from vehicles which it ferried between Mawa and Jajira route while the BBA took the figure as one of the baselines in fixing the Padma Bridge’s toll expecting to collect Taka 8.65 crore monthly. “But this is an initial estimation for now and the amount is not enough to realise the construction and subsequent maintenance costs in 35 years,” Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project’s director Md. Shafiqul Islam told BSS. He added that the vehicular movements would be enhanced and the toll rate would be re-fixed time to time as well in the coming years to realize the expected amount “as it happened in the case of Bangabandhu Bridge. BBA officials said Bangabandhu Bridge by now realized the construction cost ahead of the expected timeline. According to a Detailed Economic and Financial Analysis by a project consultant firm in 2010, the monthly toll collection will eventually stand at Taka 133.66 crore and annual at Taka 1603.97 crore in coming years. The 35-year loan repayment schedule under the agreement between the Finance Division and the BBA, Taka 596.88 crore will have to be paid in the first year of launching vehicular movements through the bridge, which would be increased up to Taka 1475 crore annually. The government has issued a gazette notification on May 17, 2022 fixing the toll rates for the Padma Bridge, which is scheduled to open for the traffic movements on June 25. According to the notification, the toll rate for a motorcycle is Taka 100, a car and a jeep Taka 750, a pickup van Taka 1,200, a microbus Taka 1,300, a small bus (31-seat) Taka 1400, a medium bus Taka 2000, a large bus (3-axel). Taka 1,600 has been fixed for a small truck (up to 5 tons), Taka 2,100 for a medium truck (5-8 tonnes) and Taka 2,800 for a truck weighing 8-11 tonnes, Taka 5,500 for a truck (up to Three-axel), Taka 6,000 for a trailer (four-axel). The notification also said that Taka 1,500 will be added to Taka 6,000 for each extra axel of a trailer over four-axel ones. Source: BSS AH

The students of primary and secondary schools are not able to participate the ‘book festival’ on the very first day of the new year due to coronavirus pandemic situation in the country. In that case the teachers are bringing new books at the door steps of the students. Taking books students are engulfed with joy. Teachers are thinking that this is a new initiative to distribute books. Learning activities are not stopped in this pandemic situation due to different initiatives taken by the government. Teachers are taking classes through online and television. Cumilla High School has taken an exceptional initiative to distribute new books in the new year. Teachers of the school are bringing books at the door steps of the students boarded on rickshaw van. On Friday a group of teachers of Cumilla High School reached at the homes of students with books on rickshaw van at Chanpur area of Cumilla town. They distributed books according to the list. They also brought books on hands where road for rickshaw was not available. After getting the new books a student of Cumilla High School Abul Hasan said, we used to go to school to collect new books in the new year but in this year teachers are giving books going door to door. This is not bad. In this regard Headmaster of Cumilla High School Md. Humayun Kabir said, book festival was not held due to corona pandemic. So we are delivering books at the door steps of the students. Education is the most affected sector in this pandemic situation. In spite of that education ministry is handing over textbooks to the students. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the activities on Thursday. AH   

Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said, Oxford invented three crore doses of coronavirus vaccines will be distributed among the people of Bangladesh after buying those from the Serum Institute of India. He delivered the information after informing the virtual cabinet meeting about the latest development of facing second Covid-19 wave and vaccine procurement situation with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair on Monday. On October 14 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved the proposal of selling 3 crore doses Oxford invented Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh produced by Serum Institute of India. In this regard on November 5, a tripartite memorandum of understanding was signed between Health Services Division and Serum Institute of India and Beximco Pharmaceuticals. Later on November 16 the financial division allocated taka 735 crore 77 lakh 50 thousand to health services division. The Cabinet Secretary said, these vaccines will be distributed free of cost. The government has paid the amount. Three crore vaccines will be distributed for free. Anwarul Islam said, the World Health Organization (WHO) has a guideline. They have developed a program regarding who will get the vaccine at first phase or who will get it on the second phase. There is a protocol like frontline workers- police, administrative officials who work in field level, then elderly people, children and vulnerable groups. AH  

The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft Hajj Package-2020, fixing the minimum cost for an intending pilgrim at Tk 3.15 lakh under package-3 of the government. Pilgrims will have to pay Tk 4.25 lakh to avail package-1 and Tk 3.60 lakh under package-2 under the government management which is Tk 6500 and Tk 16,000 more than the previous year respectively. Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam disclosed this at a press briefing at the Secretariat after the Cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. This year, a total of 1,37,198 people will go to Saudi Arabia to perform hajj and 17,198 of them will go under government management while the rest under private management. Source: UNB AH

The construction cost of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge over the Jamuna River is likely to go up by about Tk 3,216 crore as the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase (CCPP) has given conditional approval to award the contract to a Japanese firm. Briefing reporters about the outcomes of the CCPP at the Cabinet Division on Thursday, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the committee approved the Japanese firm’s tender proposal with condition that the project with increased cost has to be approved again by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). According to official document, Japanese firm OTJ JV, Shinagawa Intercity, Japan quoted a cost of Tk 12,950.06 crore for the construction works, divided into two packages, while the project was approved by ECNEC at an estimated cost of Tk 9,734.07 crore on December 6, 2016. The cost quoted by the Japanese contractor is excluding customs duty and value added tax (VAT). “The project’s project profile, DPP (development project proforma) and revised DPP have to be approved by the ministry concerned and then the increased cost must be approved the ECNEC,” Mustafa Kamal told reporters. The document reveals the three contractors bid for the project in two packages—Eastern part of civil works and western part of civil works. The OTJ JV, Shinagawa Intercity, Japan, came out to be the lowest bidder.   The tender evaluation committee of the Railway Ministry, after evaluation of bids and negotiation with the bidders, recommended the lowest bidder’s offer for placing to the Cabinet body. The committee also approved eight other proposals placed by different ministries. Four separate tender proposals from Local Government Division of the LGRD Ministry to award contract for construction of 136 multipurpose cyclone shelters received the nod of the committee. Of them, 36 will be constructed in Patuakhali district while 50 in Pirojpur and 50 in Chattogram districts. A joint venture of Civil Engineers and Nabaru Traders won the contract of 36 cyclone shelters at a cost of Tk 240.32 crore while another joint venture of Rafia Construction, Khandoker Shahin Ahmed and SB Traders obtained the contract of 50 cyclone shelters involving Tk 319.50 crore. The Sharker Steel Limited, Dhaka won the contract for the construction 25 steel frame building cyclone shelters in Chattogram at a cost of Tk 103.75 crore while the same company obtained the works of another 25 steel frame building in the same district at a cost of Tk 107.05 crore. The committee also approved a proposal of the LGRD Ministry to extend the construction cost of a 600 meter bridge over the Kaliganga River at Nesarabad in  Pirojpur district by Tk 5.11 to Tk 119.15 crore. The committee approved a tender proposal of the Power Ministry for rural electrification network expansion project involving Tk 94.70 crore. Source: UNB AH