Botswana just made a major move with its money that has economists talking. The African nation decided to let its pula currency lose value much faster than before. Officials announced the pula will drop 2.76 percent over the next twelve months. The government had previously planned a much smaller decline of just 1.51 percent back in December. The change comes as the country faces serious economic trouble from falling diamond sales around the world.
Diamond prices have been crashing for months and Botswana depends heavily on the gems for income. The economy actually shrank by 3 percent last year and might shrink again before things get better. President Duma Boko gave his approval for the currency change after finance officials warned...
Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote plans to build massive fuel storage tanks in Namibia. The billionaire wants his petroleum refinery to dominate gas and diesel supplies across southern Africa. Sources tell Reuters that the tanks will hold at least 1.6 million barrels of fuel. The project will reshape energy trade and give countries like Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe better access to refined products. Construction will start soon at the port city of Walvis Bay.
Dangote spent $20 billion building his refinery that can process 650,000 barrels per day. The plant started operations last year and keeps ramping up production while hunting for new customers. The company wants to supply petrol and diesel to Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and...
Dhaka University kicked off a massive debate festival celebrating the July student uprising that changed the country forever. Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan opened the two-day event at the R.C Majumder Arts Auditorium with students packed into every seat. The university picked the theme Voice of Youth to honor brave students who fought against the old government exactly one year ago. Officials wanted to keep the revolutionary spirit alive through academic competitions and public events. The debate festival serves as the main attraction among several programs planned for the anniversary.
University bosses teamed up with the Dhaka University Debating Society to make the event happen fast. They scheduled the main competition rounds...
The International Crimes Tribunal has charged ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with crimes against humanity. Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun face the same serious accusations. The charges stem from deadly violence during last year's July and August student uprising. Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder led the three-judge panel that rejected attempts to throw out the case. The formal trial against Sheikh Hasina has officially started for the first time.
Prosecutors appeared in court while state lawyers defended the accused politicians. Sheikh Hasina and Kamal remain fugitives after ignoring court orders to surrender. The tribunal published notices in newspapers giving them...
Government bosses held emergency talks about deadly floods hitting two major districts. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus led the crisis meeting at his office while heavy rains kept pounding Feni and Noakhali areas. Top officials from different ministries rushed to brief the professor about rescue efforts already underway. The floods have left thousands of families trapped in their homes with rising water levels. Local authorities are scrambling to help victims while the situation gets worse by the hour.
Water experts told the meeting they need to finish building two major flood control projects fast. The Musapur Regulator and Bamni Closure designs must get final approval before more damage happens. Engineers also want to complete...
BNP bigshot Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir praised Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus for pushing election prep forward. The party boss called Yunus helpful after the professor ordered authorities to get ready for voting by December. Fakhrul spoke at the National Press Club and said his party wants fair elections. He dismissed worries about whether voting will happen on time. The BNP leader insisted people deserve elected representatives after fighting for democracy.
Yunus met with BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman in London back in June. Both sides agreed the next parliamentary election should happen one week before Ramadan starts in February. Fakhrul said the Election Commission needs to work fast and create the right environment. He wants...
Nearly a thousand schools achieved perfect exam results as students across Bangladesh received their Secondary School Certificate scores. Officials counted 984 secondary schools where every single student passed the tough exams. The education ministry reported a dramatic drop from last year when 2,968 schools managed perfect scores. More than 30,000 schools participated in the nationwide testing program. The gap between top performers and struggling institutions continues growing wider.
Students faced much tougher conditions during the exam period compared to previous years. Girls dominated the results by outperforming boys in nearly every category measured by education officials. Female students grabbed 676,445 passing grades while...
Government officials sound the alarm over a plastic crisis choking Bangladesh waters. Environmental experts reveal that 87,000 tonnes of plastic waste flood into the country's marine areas every year. The Department of Environment joined with international groups to tackle the growing disaster at a major meeting on Thursday. Top brass from across the region gathered to hammer out solutions before the pollution gets worse. They want to slash plastic waste and boost recycling rates fast.
Bangladesh has set tough targets to fight back against the plastic invasion. The government plans to cut plastic waste by 30 percent and recycle half of all plastic materials. Officials also want to ban 90 percent of throwaway plastic items by 2026...
Professor Ali Riaz told political leaders that everyone agrees on the big changes coming to Bangladesh. The Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission spoke at the Foreign Service Academy during heated talks with party bosses. Riaz said the July Charter will be finished before the month ends. Political parties and the commission are working together without any major fights. The professor wants to wrap up the issues that have already made good progress.
The commission has been talking with political groups for two months and many big decisions have been made. Riaz said they must agree on the most important changes to how the government works. The country needs strong rules that will stop any dictator from taking control again...
