Through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States brought together leaders from youth organizations across the country and the private sector to establish new partnerships for youth employment and greater prosperity.   USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia Michael Schiffer, visiting from Washington, D.C., joined USAID Mission Director Reed Aeschliman and Shikho CEO Shahir Chowdhury to sign a memorandum of understanding to collaborate in building the job skills of Bangladeshi youth and unlock employment opportunities. USAID convened its first-ever youth-private sector marketplace event to connect businesses like Visa and Shikho with youth organizations like Jaago and the Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center to identify and strengthen skills needed to modernize the country’s workforce, while enabling youth to contribute more fully to Bangladesh’s economic growth. “Providing youth with more marketable job skills will make Bangladesh more competitive and help position the country to be the next ‘Asian Tiger’ – a royal Bengal tiger – and deliver on the promise of providing more equitable opportunities for prosperity to all citizens,” said USAID Assistant Administrator Schiffer.  USAID’s education and youth programs are increasingly seeking private sector partners to invest in building the skills of youth in classrooms, communities, and in the workplace.   The United States has partnered with Bangladesh for more than 50 years and provided more than $8 billion to improve health, education, agriculture, food security, and humanitarian assistance, and strengthen resilience to climate change and natural disasters.  

DHAKA, November 28, 2023 – U.S. Embassy Dhaka’s Education USA center hosted a meet-up between American undergraduate students and their Bangladeshi counterparts at the new EMK Center on Gulshan Avenue. The 13 American economics students traveled to Dhaka from Carleton College, one of the top ten liberal arts colleges in the United States (according to U.S. News and World Report).   Carleton students met with Bangladeshi students from several local institutions, including Scholastica, Aga Khan Academy, the University of Dhaka, and Jahangirnagar University to exchange ideas and foster a deeper understanding of U.S. higher education. The session also included a presentation on how the U.S. government supports economic growth in Bangladesh.  For the past decade, the number of Bangladeshi students pursuing higher studies in the United States have increased by more than 300%.  According to the 2023 Open Doors Report, the number of Bangladeshi students in the United States reached an all-time high (13,563) in the 2022-2023 academic year.  Education USA centers across Bangladesh offer free virtual and in-person advising for Bangladeshi students and scholars about the U.S. higher education application process.  Sessions include information on different types of academic programs, funding and scholarship opportunities, and U.S. government-sponsored academic and professional exchange programs.  For more information, please visit:   https://www.facebook.com/EdUSABangladesh or e-mail [email protected]. EMK Center Address: Level 6, CES(A) 1/A, Road, 113 Gulshan Ave, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh

DHAKA, November 28, 2023 – U.S. Embassy Dhaka’s Education USA center hosted a meet-up between American undergraduate students and their Bangladeshi counterparts at the new EMK Center on Gulshan Avenue. The 13 American economics students traveled to Dhaka from Carleton College, one of the top ten liberal arts colleges in the United States (according to U.S. News and World Report).   Carleton students met with Bangladeshi students from several local institutions, including Scholastica, Aga Khan Academy, the University of Dhaka, and Jahangirnagar University to exchange ideas and foster a deeper understanding of U.S. higher education. The session also included a presentation on how the U.S. government supports economic growth in Bangladesh.  For the past decade, the number of Bangladeshi students pursuing higher studies in the United States have increased by more than 300%.  According to the 2023 Open Doors Report, the number of Bangladeshi students in the United States reached an all-time high (13,563) in the 2022-2023 academic year.  Education USA centers across Bangladesh offer free virtual and in-person advising for Bangladeshi students and scholars about the U.S. higher education application process.  Sessions include information on different types of academic programs, funding and scholarship opportunities, and U.S. government-sponsored academic and professional exchange programs.  For more information, please visit:   https://www.facebook.com/EdUSABangladesh or e-mail [email protected]. EMK Center Address: Level 6, CES(A) 1/A, Road, 113 Gulshan Ave, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh

In a transformative collaboration, NSU Startups Next (NSUSN), the startup incubation wing of North South University (NSU) has solidified its partnership with Startup Grind, the world's largest startup community headquartered in Silicon Valley. With a presence in 600 cities across 125 countries, Startup Grind is uniquely positioned to elevate Bangladeshi startups onto the global stage, providing a gateway to international markets, mentors, accelerators, and investors beyond Bangladesh. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony, held at NSUSN's offices, marks a significant milestone for both entities and the Bangladeshi startup ecosystem. This partnership is designed to create an ecosystem that nurtures innovation, fosters growth, and connects startups with a global network of mentors and investors. Key Features of the Global Collaboration: International Market Access: NSUSN incubatees gain exposure to international markets, fostering collaborations and facilitating business expansion beyond Bangladesh's borders. Global Mentorship Network: Incubatees will have access to seasoned mentors from Startup Grind Dhaka's global network, providing invaluable guidance and insights essential for their entrepreneurial journey. Accelerated Growth: Startups incubated by NSUSN can participate in accelerator programs organized by Startup Grind Dhaka, accelerating their growth trajectory and enhancing their potential for success. International Investor Connections: The partnership facilitates connections with potential investors outside Bangladesh, offering startups the opportunity to secure funding and support for their ventures. Special acknowledgment is extended to key figures instrumental in forging this collaboration, including Farihan F. Rahman (Chapter Director, Startup Grind Dhaka, Bangladesh) and Sayma Rahman (Co-director, Startup Grind Dhaka, Bangladesh). The MoU was spearheaded by Dr. Zulkarin Jahangir, Director of NSUSN and Samuel Mursalin, Coordinator of NSUSN. Representatives from both NSUSN and Startup Grind Dhaka express their excitement about the profound impact this collaboration can have on the Bangladeshi startup ecosystem. They extend a warm welcome to aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and stakeholders to join them in this exciting journey of exploration, growth, and global connectivity.       Contact Information:  Startup Grind Dhaka Contact Information: https://www.startupgrind.com/dhaka/  

Indian Ambassador to Kuwait Adarsh Swaika on Thursday apprised Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Jaber Al-Sabah, Chief of the Diwan of the Crown Prince, about the strengthening cooperation and the future prospects of bilateral relations.  Taking to Twitter, Indian Embassy in Kuwait said, "Ambassador called on H.E. Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Jaber Al-Sabah, Chief of the Diwan of His Highness the Crown Prince, today. He apprised him of the current state and future prospects of India-Kuwait bilateral relations, including opportunities for strengthening cooperation." Adarsh Swaika, a joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, was appointed India's next Ambassador to Kuwait in October 2022. He was appointed at a time when India and Kuwait's relationship was deepening.  Notably, the strengthening of cooperation can be attributed to the fact that the First Training Squadron (1TS) of the Indian Navy comprising INS Tir, INS Sujata and Coast Guard Ship Sarathi arrived at the Al-Shuwaikh port in Kuwait in October 2022. Both countries enjoy friendly relations, which are rooted in history. India and Kuwait are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2022. Both nations have maintained regular high-level contacts.  Kuwait stood with India during the second COVID and provided quick support in the form of oxygen and other relief material to India. An air/sea bridge was established between both countries in this regard. Kuwait had sent a special aircraft with 282 oxygen cylinders, 60 oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other medical supplies on May 4, 2021.  Indian Naval Ships, INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, INS Tarkash, INS Tabar and INS Shardul carried liquid medical oxygen in ISO tanks, oxygen cylinders, concentrators and other medical supplies to India.

Immense opportunities for Bangladesh unveiled in Andalusia, the Spanish province of glorious Islamic heritage. Bangladesh's Ambassador to Spain Mohammad Sarwar Mahmood, ndc joined a series of meetings in Seville, the capital city of the Spanish province of Andalusia renowned for its rich and glorious Islamic heritage, the historic city of Granada, trans-European commercial hub Malaga and in the tourists' destination Marbella with a view to advancing economic and public diplomacy, cultural relations, academic collaboration and facilitating consular and welfare services for the expatriate Bangladeshis living in the province. Counsellor (Commercial) Redwan Ahmed and Counsellor (Political) Imadul Hoque of the Embassy of Bangladesh in Madrid accompanied the Ambassador during these meetings. In the meeting with the President of the Seville Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services Francisco León and other officials held on 19 June 2023, the Ambassador briefed the Chamber about the spectacular developments achieved in Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and called upon the Andalusian business community to take advantage of the vast business and investment opportunities in Bangladesh, particularly in the Export Processing Zones (EPZs), Specialized Economic Zones (SEZs) and High-Tech Parks. The Embassy, in partnership with the Seville Chambe, will undertake elaborate “Bangladesh Branding” programmes in the future to enhance bilateral trade and investment in some specific sectors. Later, the Ambassador held meetings with the General Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Regional Government of Andalusia and influential politician Enrique Rocher, the Director General of Andalusia Global Francisco Navarro and other officials of the Ministry of Presidency, Public Administration and Home Affairs of Andalusia. The two sides reiterated their pledge to work closely to consolidate bilateral relations. On 20 June 2023, the Ambassador held a meeting with Jose Ignacio Bidon, the Honourary Consul General of the Philippines and proprietor of the Bidon Abogados, a reputed law firm specialized in providing legal counsel on commercial, labour and immigration issues.  The Bidon Abogados offered to provide legal assistance to expatriate Bangladeshis for free or at a nominal cost. Later, the Ambassador held a meeting with Professor Francisco Oliva Blazquez, the Vice Chancellor of the Pablo de Olavide University of Seville. During the meeting, the Ambassador gave a visual presentation entitled “Bangabandhu's Bangladesh in Seville” on the political legacy of the Father of the Nation, the birth of Bangladesh, ongoing development projects and sensitized the University on the gravity of the Rohingya issue.  Vice Chancellor Blazquez proposed to ink an MoU with Bangladesh to facilitate academic exchange programmes.  The Ambassador also held a diaspora engagement meeting with the expatriate Bangladeshi entrepreneurs in Seville and had dinner with them. On 22 June 2023, the Ambassador held a meeting with the Secretary General of the Granada Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services Isabel Contreras and the Director for External Affairs Luis Nebot.  The Ambassador presented a detailed visual account of the untapped business and investment potentials and the lucrative incentives for foreign investments in various thematic sectors in Bangladesh.  The two sides agreed to soon undertake joint initiatives in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders to connect and engage the thriving service sectors of Granada and Bangladesh, particularly the ICT professionals and freelancers. On 23 June 2023, the Ambassador held a meeting with Francisco de la Torre, the Mayor of the touristic city and international trade hub Malaga.  They discussed the enhancement of bilateral political, economic and cultural relations. On the same day, the Ambassador also held a meeting with Felix Romero Moreno, the Deputy Mayor of Marbella, another city excelled in tourism.  The two sides converged on the need to share experience on the state-of-the-art tourism promotion activities and best practices.  Later, in the afternoon, the Ambassador exchanged opinions with several expatriate Bangladeshi entrepreneurs of Marbella and had dinner with them.

A 12-member Business Association of Nagas (BAN) delegation, currently on a five-day business trip to Bangladesh, held a series of meetings with industrialists and business bodies of Bangladesh to explore business opportunities. According to BAN general secretary Dr. Yan Murry the delegation is on a visit at the invitation of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI). The delegation led by president L Mongkum Jamir were also the first business group to use the Dawki land port on May 5, which was inaugurated by Union Minister of state for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on May 4. The land port, located in the West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya along the international border between India and Bangladesh, will serve as an important economic and transportation hub between India and Bangladesh. After crossing the border BAN delegation were received by the secretary general of IBCCI Abul Kalam Azad.  BAN held a meeting with Tamabil Limestone and coal importers group and president of Meghalaya International Exporters Chamber of Commerce, Dolly Khonglah. Later the delegation visited Nitol-Niloy industrial park where they held a meeting with industrialist Abdul Matlub Ahmad, chairman of Nitol-Niloy Group and president IBCCI. The delegates also toured the industrial park and its facilities including Nitol Curtis Paper Mill Limited, which has a production capacity of 84 MT per day. During the business meeting at the industrial park with Sunamgan chamber of commerce and industry, BAN delegation had a B2B meeting on trade prospects and signed 10 MoUs. The delegation is also accompanied by Ababe Ezung OSD (Transport). Source: Nagaland Post 

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Wednesday (local time) pitched for increasing engagements with the US that will provide new opportunities to India for combating challenges in supply chains. Addressing media at San Francisco he said, "The visit and engagements in the US will open up opportunities for us to work in partnership with each other, and ensure that during challenges supply chains remain open and businesses don't suffer and people of both the countries don't suffer." Goyal is on a six-day visit to San Francisco and Los Angeles to attend the India-US Strategic Partnership Forum conference and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) ministerial meeting. Insisting on the importance of IPEF, he said, "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework brings together a group of friendly countries who collectively believe in the need to ensure that Indo-Pacific region remains secure and open for business." He also highlighted strong business relations between India and the US. "We share strong business relations and the US is our largest trading partner. There is a lot of investment flow between the countries. The visit is a follow-up on our ties with the US," said Goyal. India and US relations are strengthening by the day. The 2+2 ministerial dialogue has become very robust and vibrant. "Our engagement in several areas is expanding. The leaders, businesses and people of both the countries are closer than ever before," said the Union Minister. All the countries meeting for the IPEF ministerial have a lot to offer to each other in terms of trade, investment, technology etc and will be working together on all these fronts. Underscoring India's economic stability, he said that India is an attractive destination for investment. "India offers a huge market with 1.3 billion aspirational minds, honest governance, transparent economic policies, rule of law, media and judiciary to safeguard interests of the investor or anybody working with India, making India an attractive destination for investment," said Goyal. "We have had record Foreign Direct Investment in India for the last 8 years. Last year we had the highest ever goods and services exports. Despite all the challenges, India continues to be a preferred trading partner and investment destination," he added. He said that engagements with the US will provide Indians with increased job opportunities and will give thrust to India's economic activity. "All of this will lead to the well-being of the people of India, providing them job opportunities, thrust to economic activity and growth which is very essential for our long term development. India's increasing international engagements and trade ties are leading to more employment opportunities and greater economic activity," said Goyal. Source: ANI  

    The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed demand and clients understand that every work does not have to be done onsite, which is expected to open a lot more offshoring opportunities from large global markets going forward, according to a top Infosys' executive. The Bengaluru-based company, which logged a 23 per cent jump in its December 2021 quarter revenue, also said its portfolio of services and capabilities, especially on cloud and digital, are resonating well with clients and it sees a good pipeline for that. "In the long run, if you see, COVID-19, while it had a huge impact on demand, the entire ability for the supply side to deliver in a remote environment really will shine up, and that has opened up the eyes of many of our clients that every work does not have to be done onsite. "It can be done in a near-shore location, it can be done offshore," Infosys chief financial officer Nilanjan Roy said during an analyst call. He added that this will help the industry in much larger offshoring at an overall level, and part of that benefit will be shifting more work to offshore locations. "I think there can be short-term impacts like we saw this quarter, 10-20 basis points here and there, but the secular trend – we think we will continue to see that the large global markets will open a lot more offshoring opportunities," he said. Infosys CEO and managing director Salil Parekh said the mix has changed over the past 18 months with a lot of the remote working that was put in place and work from home allowing the work to be delivered from a different location with tremendous yields and efficiency. "What we saw in the last quarter was, some things have opened up in terms of travel and we are also being extremely optimal in what we have done in the previous quarters and this is something that has given us more ability to drive connects with clients and growth. "We see in the medium term tremendous opportunity for an efficient mix because clients have also seen that once the work is done remotely or work from home that more opportunity exists, there are works to be done from a location further away," he said. Parekh added that as a medium-term trend, the company sees that as a positive trend and there will be ups and downs each quarter but as a longer-term trend, it sees that as a positive trend. On the back of strong demand from businesses going digital, the country's second-largest IT services firm has raised its revenue growth outlook to 19.5-20 per cent on a constant currency basis in the financial year ending March 31, 2022, up from 16.5-17.5 per cent forecast of October. Parekh said the demand environment remains strong and Infosys' portfolio of services and capabilities, especially on cloud and digital, is resonating well with clients, so it sees a good pipeline for that. "We have seen a steady expansion of our clients over $50, $100, $200 million and so on. "We have seen that expansion within clients is working well and also our new client wins and new accounts are working well. "So, overall, we have the various elements of continuing this demand environment strongly," he added.   Source: PTI

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Thursday) invited the investors of the United Kingdom (UK) to be part of the developmental journey of Bangladesh by investing in a host of lucrative sectors. "… energy, renewable energy, shipbuilding, automobile, light engineering, agro-processing, blue economy, tourism, knowledge based hi-tech industries, ICT are awaiting foreign investment, and British investors can choose any of these and beyond,” she said. Sheikh Hasina also urged the expatriate Bangladeshi to come in Bangladesh partnering with British Investors, saying, " You will get all opportunities, and if any barrier, I will be there to see it." The premier was addressing the inauguration ceremony of “Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnerships and Roadshow” at Churchill Hall, Queen Elizabeth Center in London. She joined the event virtually from her place of residence in London. Besides, prerecorded video messages of Prince Charles and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson were played at the event. British Minister of State for Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt also spoke at the programme. Sheikh Hasina also offered exclusive economic zones where companies of a specific country can invest, adding, “ the UK investors can take one such a zone for themselves." As many as 100 Economic Zones and 28 High-Tech Parks are being made ready for overseas and domestic investments, she said.  Referring to demographic dividend, she said they focus on developing skilled manpower so that the investors get skilled human resources at competitive wages. “Let me assure you that our government agencies, including the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, will do their best to ensure a congenial business environment for you,” she added. The Prime Minister said her government will provide the British investors with ample opportunities for the best possible returns on their investment. Mentioning that quite a few major business organizations are operating successfully in Bangladesh, she said, “I would thus like to welcome more companies to come forward and invest in the capital market of Bangladesh.” Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh and UK have been enjoying the best of relations since the birth of the new nation in 1971, and in fact, the UK was a leading country to lend a generous hand in rebuilding war-ravaged Bangladesh. “And thus today, the United Kingdom is the 3rd largest export destination of Bangladesh, and the 2nd largest investor in Bangladesh," she said, mentioning that the relationship has been growing from strength to strength. She expected that Bangladesh Investment Summit will make two countries business relations even more fruitful. The premier said, “The Roadshow would, of course, get impetus by displaying Bangladesh’s potentialities with rewards of high returns from business and investments.” Narrating that Bangladesh today is a changed  country, she said it has undergone huge transformations on socio-economic fronts in last one decade and the UN declared Bangladesh eligible for graduation from LDC to a developing country due to governments efforts in realizing “Vision 2021”, and moving forward to be a developed country by fulfilling “Vision 2041”. According to ADB Outlook 2019, she said, Bangladesh is the fastest growing economy in the Asia-Pacific region. She mentioned that ADB attributes this to the strong leadership, good governance, stable government, political stability, sound macro-economic policy and right development priorities. Already Bangladesh is the 31st largest economy in the world based on PPP, she said. Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has become an attractive investment destination recently due to rapid urbanization, increasing consumption of electricity, rapid growth of middle class consumers with increasing purchasing power; growing connectivity with massive markets in South and South East Asia. “We have been heavily investing in development of infrastructures, including energy and power, and road and railway communication,” she added. She mentioned that the government is, with its own fund, constructing the Padma Bridge having railway track connecting the untapped southern Bangladesh with the rest of the country. “Bangladesh is entering into the era of Metro-rail shortly,” she said. To feed the current and future growth of industries and overall development, she said, electricity production capacity has reached over 24,000 Megawatts (MW) with the target of 40,000 MW by 2030 and 60,000 MW by 2041. “We are also constantly improving our legal and financial infrastructures. Bangladesh has already become the most liberal investment regime in South Asia. And foreign investment is protected by Acts of Parliament, and bilateral treaties,” she said. She also mentioned that Bangladesh’s ICT sector is growing fast now with a billion-dollar export to 60 countries.  “The ICT industry is expected to grow nearly five folds to reach five-billion dollar mark by 2025.With more than 600 thousand free-lance IT professionals, Bangladesh is the right place to invest in ICT sector,” she said. The Prime Minister added Bangladesh now stands in the world as the 2nd largest RMG exporter; 3rd largest producer of vegetables; 3rd largest producer of inland fisheries; 3rd largest in internet freelancing; and 4th largest producer of rice. Source: BSS AH