EHLatifee, BKMEA calls for in-depth study to realize Non Tariff Barriers faced by Exports from Bangladesh

Did participate in meeting titled "Non Tariff Barriers (NTB) faced by Exports from Bangladesh in Brazil, Mexico, and Chile" today (14 November, 2016) along with my senior colleague Mr. Md. Moazzem Hossain, Sr. Joint Secretary (Administration), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association-BKMEA, organized by Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC).

A moment from the meeting, when I felt like capturing that 

It was my pleasure to meet Mr. M Abdur Rahman, Deputy Chief at Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dhaka, there in the occasion.
Many things came forward from the meeting that I would like to note below,
1. Existing Language Barrier between Latin American countries and Bangladesh
2. Different and Complex Banking Systems
3. Trust Factor
4. Lack in extensive marketing from Bangladesh side
5. Lack in cooperation between Bangladeshi Embassies (i.e., govt. appointed commercial counselors) and our exporters
6. Minimal representation of Bangladeshi personnel at mid-level management of Latin American importing agencies and private stakeholders.
7. Lethargic Visa obtaining process

A moment from the meeting, me and  Mr. Md. Moazzem Hossain, Sr. Joint Secretary (Administration), BKMEA from left-hand side.

However, NTBs for a specific country are such barriers which are not generally imposed on all other countries but unto only a specified country or region, systematically which narrow down export. In line with this and concerning the meeting topic, I simply ask in-depth study to take place under mutual cooperation of apex trade bodies, BTC, and Ministry of Commerce, for conducting a survey upon Bangladeshi Ready-made Garments exporters and other exporters to those countries with a view to digging out real scenario.

~ #EHLatifee

Gaza Abacus

The changing geographical map between Palestine & Israel over the decades.

With a hat-tip to Harper’s Magazine, which invented this kind of index, here are some enlightening numbers regarding the fighting in Gaza, as of 8.00am GMT on November 19th.

Number of Israelis killed by fire from Gaza between January 1st 2012 and November 11th 2012: 1
(Source: Wikipedia)

Number of Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli fire during the same period: 78(Source: United Nations)

Number of Israelis killed by fire from Gaza, November 13th-19th 2012: 3(Source: press reports)

Number of Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli fire, November 13th-19th: 95 (Source: IDF)

Number of those killed in Gaza under 15 years of age: 19
(Source)

Total number of Israelis killed by rocket, mortar or anti-tank fire from Gaza since 2006:47(Source: Wikipedia. This is disputed; another source says 26)

Number of Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli fire from April 1st 2006 to July 21st 2012: 2,879
(Source: United Nations)

Number of Egyptian schoolchildren killed when a train hit their bus on November 17th 2012: 53(Source: press reports)

Number of people killed in traffic accidents in Israel in 2011: 384(Source: Wikipedia)

Number of Syrians killed in fighting between November 13th-19th 2012: 646 (Source: Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) 

Estimated deaths in Syria since beginning of unrest in March 2011: 40,000 (Source: SOHR)

Estimated deaths from all Israeli-Arab wars between 1945 and 1995: 92,000 (Source: Wikipedia)

Number of targets in Gaza struck by Israel, November 13th-19th: 1,350(Source: IDF)

Number of projectiles fired at Israel from Gaza from November 13th-19th, 2012: 848 
(Source: IDF)

Number that did not fall in "open areas": 35(Source: IDF)

Number intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defence system: 302
(Source: IDF)

Percentage of projectiles targeted by Iron Dome shot down, as claimed by Israeli military: 80-85% (Source: IDF)

Reported cost in dollars of one interceptor missile fired by Iron Dome: 62,000
(Source: Ha'aretz)

Estimated cost in dollars of one short-range Qassam missile built in Gaza workshop: 800 (Source: News reports)

Cost in dollars of one Iron Dome battery; Israel has deployed five and plans 13 in total: 50m
(Source: AFP)

Number of kilos explosive equivalent in payload of Iranian-supplied Fajr-5 longer-range rocket deployed by Hamas: 90 (200lb)(Source: Wikipedia)

Number of kilos explosive equivalent of Israel Military Industry’s MPR-500 advanced-penetration precision-guided bomb: 900 (2,000lb)(Source)

Area in square kilometres of Gaza: 365 (141 square miles)

Area in square kilometres of Israel: 20,700 (7,992 square miles)

Population of Gaza: 1.7m

Number of Israelis within range of Fajr-5 missiles: 3.5m(Source: IDF)

Jewish population of Israel/ under Israeli jurisdiction (ie including West Bank settlements): 5.9m(Source)

Non-Jewish population under Israeli jurisdiction (ie including Gaza and West Bank): 6.1m(Source)

Per capita GDP of Israel in 2011, in dollars: 31,000(Source: Wikipedia)

Per Capita GDP of Gaza in 2011, in dollars: 1,483 (Source)

Verse of Exodus containing the phrase “Pillar of Cloud”, the official codename for Israel’s current Gaza operation: 13:21

Verse of the Koran containing the phrase “Stones of Clay”, Hamas’s codename for its current operations: 105:4

Number of days before Israeli general election: 64

Data & News Source: Israel and the Palestinians: Gaza abacus