Keeping prices at bay

Keeping prices at bay

The prices have soared for almost all food items persistently, sometimes artificially increased through syndicates and sometimes putting up with the international market. An effective strategy is what people look forward from the newly elected government – a strategy that would discuss solutions more than meetings, roundtables and bluffs. Mushfique Wadud asks policymakers and eminent economists for their prescriptions to control the price hike

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith
Former finance minister
At present prices of food items in the international market are stable. I am confident I can control the food prices if I take the helm of finance ministry. How?
We have a six-point programme in our manifesto that will control the prices of food items. Many importers continue to sell goods at a higher price reasoning their sale from earlier stocks. This has to be checked thoroughly.
Read more at

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/jan/02/jan02/xtra_inner3.html

Redefining hand-to-mouth

Redefining hand-to-mouth

Prior to the implementation of the seventh pay commission, Musfequr Rahman and Mushfique Wadud talk to government officials, from five different professions, and find out about their individual battle for survival against rocketing prices of essentials, house rent, educational expenses, with their given salary scales

photo by Prito Reza

The growing financial crisis of the last two years has hit the poorer sections in the country hard, but it has also done damage to those with fixed income salaries who are growing poorer at a higher rate, as the currency devalues and prices shoot upwards. Even in mid-2008, inflation fluctuated to two-digit numbers; accounting for the prices spiral of essentials, house-rent, transportation, education and other necessary items.
Read more at

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/jan/23/jan23/xtra_cover.html

Helping hands that help themselves

Helping hands that
help themselves

Mushfique Wadud reveals the gross irregularities undermining the Mother and Neonatal Health (MNH) project proposal prepared by UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO, challenging the philanthropic appearance of such ventures

photos by Prito Reza

The United Nations agencies in Bangladesh have time and again accused the public departments and other authorities in Bangladesh of irregularities and corruption.

But this time, the project ‘Accelerating Progress towards Maternal and Neonatal Mortality and Morbidity Reduction’ has provided the Bangladeshi counterparts ample reasons to point fingers at these agencies now. Sources from the Health and Family Welfare Ministry inform New Age how the project proposal lacks accountability and transparency.
Read more at

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/jan/16/jan16/xtra_inner2.html

Education inflation

Education inflation

Sharmin Chowdhury and Mushfique Wadud investigate the allegations against education institutions charging over-the-top admission fees in the name of development despite a government declaration regulating such, their defiance of the country’s education laws, and reveal where the excess amount is actually spent

photo by Prito Reza

‘I have to spend Tk 9800 for my daughter’s admission. She began school for the first time this year.

Read more at http://www.newagebd.com/2009/mar/13/mar13/xtra_inner2.html

Our manpower export market is in deep trouble

‘Our manpower export market
is in deep trouble’

President of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) Ghulam Mustafa tells Mushfique Wadud how the labour market is prone to be adversely hit this year because of global recession and that it is high time to reform the Bangladesh missions and embassies

photo by Prito Reza

On February 23, BAIRA expressed the view that the current global recession might cut the outflow of Bangladeshi workers almost by half by the end of 2009. But earlier media reports suggested that global recession won’t have an impact on Middle-Eastern countries and therefore it would not affect our manpower export market. What is your take on this?

From BAIRA, we apprehended such after considering the present situation. In fact Malaysia and Singapore have stopped giving visa to migrant workers.

Read more at http://www.newagebd.com/2009/mar/13/mar13/xtra_inner5.html

Trying to become Dilip Kumar

Trying to become Dilip Kumar

Chashi Nazrul Islam tells Mushfique Wadud that his films on the war of independence are his greatest achievement and reveals where he got his very original name

photo by Al-Emrun Garjon

Little Tinu goes to Mumbai to become a hero like Dilip Kumar, though he has no idea about the place and does not know anyone there.

He leaves his home without letting anyone know of his journey to Mumbai. In Mumbai he meets a well-wisher who tells him to return after completing his Masters degree, after which she would help him become a hero. Tinu returns to his home in Jamshedpur, India.
Read more at

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/apr/10/apr10/xtra_inner6.html

Dissecting an artificial crisis

Dissecting an artificial crisis

Mushfique Wadud and Ahmed Sadek Yousuf Siad reveal that the simulated textbook crisis that has plagued the country’s students for the last two months and regularly recurs each year is a cumulative problem that all parties concerned create

photo by Al-Emrun Garjon

The boy is going from one shop to the other. He asks the salesperson for something and then leaves the shop frustrated.

It can be understood that he did not get the answer he was looking for. Sweating and tired, the boy moves to another shop. A sign of relief comes over his face as he has found what he was looking for.
Read more at

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/mar/06/mar06/xtra_inner4.html