Making brokerage firms fall in line
The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission's (BSEC) decision to strengthen digital oversight of investors' assets is a long-overdue step towards restoring confidence in the capital market. According to a report published in this newspaper, the regulator has decided to make use of certified, non-editable back-office software mandatory for all brokerage...
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Facing up to climate-induced food insecurity
In Bangladesh, food security is structurally synonymous with rice security, as the crop serves as the foundational backbone of the nation's nutrition, rural economy and agriculture. Rice constitutes a staggering 94 per cent to 97 per cent of the country's total food grain production. So, it is hardly surprising that...
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El Nino and its adverse impacts
The development of El-Nino conditions in the tropical Pacific threatens to cause extreme weather across the globe, according to the World Meteorological Organisation. Under the influence of the rapidly strengthening El Nino, many parts of the world are likely to experience heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall and other extreme weather events...
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Forward rate agreements to stabilise import costs
The Bangladesh Bank recently issued a circular allowing the Authorised Dealers (ADs) to offer Forward Rate Agreements (FRAs) to importers as an interest rate hedging mechanism. Under this circular, clients can lock in an interest rate to protect themselves against future fluctuations in the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) or...
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The rise in AI-powered robotics
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has greatly increased the adoption of AI-powered robots in industrial production worldwide. This shift has improved manufacturing speed, efficiency, precision and productivity. The World Robotics 2025 report from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) states that about 542,000 new industrial robots were installed globally in 2024....
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