LGED keen to support controversial 'MPs' projects' of past regime

A much-debated project distributing development works for Members of Parliament (MPs) during the deposed Awami League regime makes a comeback with cost and time escalations despite being earlier forsaken by the current interim government, sources say. The Local Government Division...

Restoring trust in BBS data

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has long been facing a crisis of credibility regarding the accuracy and reliability of its data. For various reasons, the public cannot help but take the state-owned agency's data with a grain of salt....

Govt to set up 170 urban health centres

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) will establish 170 Urban Primary Health and Nutrition Centres (UPHNCs) across Dhaka North, Dhaka South, and Chattogram city corporations, aiming to expand access to primary healthcare services.The Health Services Division under the Ministry...

Bangladesh's investors are here

Bangladesh's financial system is facing a paradox that is becoming impossible to ignore. While formal capital markets remain sluggish - with a weak equity market and limited retail participation in corporate bonds and mutual funds - a vibrant, digitally active...

Should every fire take us by surprise?

Probe committees by separate government bodies, namely, the Civil Aviation ministry, the Internal Resources Division of the finance ministry and Biman Bangladesh Airlines, have, reportedly, been formed to investigate Saturday (October 18)'s fire incident at the import cargo section called,...

'Make America Produce Again'

For four decades, the United States (US) embraced free trade, globalization, and lean supply chains. Offshoring was justified as a path to lower consumer prices while American firms concentrated on so-called “high-value” innovation. That approach delivered short-term gains but left...

Many practitioners face regulatory limbo

Bangladesh's financial reporting and audit ecosystem is on the verge of serious disruption as the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has yet to complete the enlistment and renewal process for auditors and audit firms, leaving many practitioners in regulatory limbo.Despite clear...

Strike ends as CPA puts tariff hike on hold

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 19: Transport owners and workers at the Chattogram Port withdrew their strike on Sunday afternoon as the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) agreed not to realise the recently hiked charges for the time being.CPA Secretary Mohammad Omar Faruk told...

Market volatility beyond demand-supply rules

Rain was the pretext for green chilli hitting the Tk 400 a kilo mark. Other vegetables, except green papya, did not lag far behind to the consternation of consumers. Now after the rain has been replaced by sunny days, eggs...

Barriers to a cashless economy

The government has been encouraging people to conduct financial transactions digitally using debit and credit cards, mobile financial service(MFS), mobile wallet, etc., and thus fast move towards a cashless economy. Still, the use of cash is showing no sign of...

DMTCL planning to extend completion timeline until 2035

The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited is (DMTCL) planning a fresh timeline for developing five additional metro rail corridors in the megacity, following a lapse of over a year, as the current target of completing all Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)...

Bangladesh's RCEP bid enters formal evaluation stage

Bangladesh's pursuit of membership in the world's largest trade bloc -- the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) -- has officially entered a structured evaluation process, marking a key step in the country's bid to join the Asia-Pacific trade grouping.A planned...

Government's climate project puts roads before livelihoods

Although the government has branded its latest rural-development scheme as a climate-resilience and livelihood project, most of its spending will go for building roads, markets, and ghats rather than improving the income and adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities.Under the proposed...

Deep-discounted MFs face mandatory liquidation or conversion under draft rules

The securities regulator has proposed liquidating closed-end mutual funds or converting them into open-ended funds before maturity if their units trade at more than a 25 per cent discount to net asset value (NAV) on the bourses.The provision has been...

What is hurting the business climate?

The popular expectation that the present government would take more effective and determined measures than its predecessors to improve the business climate has largely been belied. The latest Business Climate Index (BBX) for FY2024-25, jointly prepared by the Metropolitan Chamber...

Why Bangladesh opts out of plurilateral deals

The multilateral trading system, under the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has been facing a set of complex challenges in producing an optimal outcome over the last couple of years. Prolonged negotiations on various trade issues without any...

A deep dive into Pahartali locomotive shed

"There goes the Meghna Express power," says Anik Bal, pointing at the blue-yellow locomotive slowly moving away. Standing at a safe distance from the tracks, I notice the locomotive number - 2938. Built by South Korea's Hyundai Rotem, it is...

Finance seeks home ministry help to execute arrest warrants

Financial Institutions Division (FID) finally seeks Home Ministry's intervention for executing arrest warrants in 1,025 long-pending loan-default cases that have trapped huge sums of money, sources say. The warrants for arrest of the 'wilful defaulters' have been issued by Money...

Commemorating a great sage

The observance of the135th anniversary of death of Fakir Lalon Shah has a special significance this time. Since the demise of his mortal body on Kartik 1, 1297 Bangla year, the Lalon Academy and the district administration were observing the...

Bangladesh's journey to vaccine self-sufficiency

For decades, the robust immunisation programs of Bangladesh, a cornerstone of its public health success, were entirely dependent on imported vaccines. During the pandemic, this dependency often placed the nation in a vulnerable position, leading to supply shortages and subsequently...

BB's strict LC rules hinder import of foodstuffs

A good number of imported food items, including the nutritious ones for babies and elderly people, are gradually disappearing from the market due to Bangladesh Bank's stringent rules on opening Letters of Credit (L/Cs).Importers said they find themselves in a...

Fire burns down CEPZ factory

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 16: A fierce fire burnt down a multi-storey apparel-factory building in the Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) Thursday, barely two days after a tragic garment blaze in Dhaka. The fire erupted at around 2:20pm from the top floor...

Bangladesh struggles to lure foreign visitors despite natural wonders

Bangladesh's natural diversity, from the world's longest sea beach to the largest mangrove forest, offers all the makings of a thriving tourism economy. Yet, the country remains far from realising its potential as a global travel destination. Industry insiders say...

Beyond observance of the World Standards Day

Observance of the World Standards Day or International Standards Day on October 14 in this country has become routine but its confinement to the official circle and some private agencies has little helped create the mass awareness and spread the...

Two shipping lines row back amid CPA’s tough stance

Two major shipping lines which announced Port Cost Recovery (PCR) Surcharge and Emergency Cost Recovery Surcharge to and from Chittagong have backtracked on realising those following the port authority's tough stand, officials say.They announced the surcharges to adjust the rise...

Bangladesh economy: a case of incipient stagflation?

To state the obvious, an economy at any point of time has three states of being in terms of its gross domestic product (GDP): moving forward, regressing backward and standing still. As is well known, the first is designated as...

'Political will must to make South Asian cooperation a success'

Financial Express (FE): You have been a firm believer in regional cooperation in South Asia for a long time. Despite the growing geopolitical tension and rivalry in the region, do you still think that there is a possibility of enhancing...

Maintenance delays may aggravate road condition

The condition of the country's road network is likely to get worse this year due to multiple complications over starting the periodical and regular maintenance (PRM) works amid unusual rains and delays in contractor selection.Officials say the Roads and Highways...

DMTCL to invite fresh tenders

The Dhaka metro rail company has decided to invite fresh tenders for the universal ticketing service (UTS) at all stations by cancelling the previous one.It says the decision has been made to avoid complications that arose over receiving applications by...

Connectivity row threatens its smooth launch

A prolonged row over mobile network installation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport's (HSIA) new Terminal 3 has dragged into its 21st week, sparking concern that passengers may face poor or no mobile connectivity when the state-of-the-art terminal becomes fully operational...