DSE frames guidelines for brokers' back office service vendors

Software vendors will have to ensure uniform back-office services for stockbrokers as the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) formulated guidelines for the back offices maintained by the brokers.They will also have to get enlisted with the premiere bourse to ensure security...

Will Putin choose war over Ukraine?

The recent build-up of Russian troops on Ukraine's border has left the Western bloc speculating what Kremlin is up to. Is it purely muscle-flexing or a rehearsal for something bigger-a full-scale invasion of Ukraine? Meanwhile, Russian activities on the Ukrainian...

NBR’s no to pharma cos’ plea for VAT rebate

Promotional gifts of the pharmaceutical companies to doctors, chemists, druggists and others along the trade line will no more be entitled to tax benefit, worth billions.The VAT authority under the National Board of Revenue (NBR) rejected a plea of the...

Govt eyes net zero Feb bank borrowing

The government has no plan to borrow from the banking system in February mainly as there's enough in its account these days, officials say.The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has set zero net bank-borrowing target for the month, according to the...

RHD’s fresh initiative to upgrade Dhk-Ctg Highway

Within six years of completion of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway, a fresh move has been taken to upgrade the country's main economic corridor to a standard regional highway for accommodating its increasing traffic.Sources said the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has...

Tax receipts from DSE jump 51 per cent in seven months

The government revenue earnings from Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) jumped 51 per cent in seven months for July-January period of the current fiscal year compared to the same period last fiscal, powered by rising trading volume.The government bagged revenue worth...

Lata Mangeshkar buried in our chest

A treasure is lost from our earthly world with Lata leaving us forever. She has left for her eternal rest in peace. Our mourning for this loss will never end; it will erupt whenever one would listen to her voice,...

Rohingya refugees abusing host's generosity

Bangladesh has sheltered the Rohingya people out of humanitarian consideration but many of them are abusing the generosity extended to them. Producing false documents, they have already received birth registration, national identity cards (NID) and even passports. Had such manipulative...

Gobbling up incentives for exports

Some people are always out to use their ingenuity to design schemes for embezzling taxpayers' money through fraudulent means. The cash incentive introduced to attract more remittances through the formal channels and boost export earnings is a case in point....

BD to revise double taxation treaties

The tax authority of Bangladesh has taken a move to revise a number of age-old double taxation avoidance treaties with major trading partners and incorporate new protocols commensurate with the digital economy.The revised protocols of DTA agreements (DTAAs) with 13...

Second cargo ship arrives

CHATTOGRAM, Feb 05: A ship carrying huge containers arrived at Chittagong Port Saturday afternoon, around one and a half months after the last merchandise vessel from Europe took berth at the country's prime sea port.Sources at Chittagong Port Authority (CPA)...

Wage crisis hurting workers

Despite all odds, average wage has increased modestlylast year. It is reflected in the national wage rate index (WRI), the only official statistics of the country's wage situation. The index measures the movement of wages of low paid skilled and...

Dhaka air-cargo hustle eases

The hustle and bustle of Dhaka air-cargo shipment now eases with demand for faster transport tumbling over 50 per cent as winter peak is now well over.As such, airfreight rates from Bangladesh to various destinations also fall significantly in the...

SPM may be operational at Maheshkhali this year: PD

CHATTOGRAM, Feb 02: The Single Point Mooring (SPM) which is being built at Maheshkhali upazila of Cox's Bazar district, is likely to be operational in August this year, an official said.Most of the work of the China supported $550.40 million...

When do parents give up babies in exchange for money?

Can a baby be sold or bought? The simple and straight answer is 'no'. But financial and circumstantial compulsion at times proves overpowering for parent/s to part with newborns no matter if this is illegal. There are childless parents willing...

Stocks flat as investors remain hesitant

Stocks ended almost flat in the outgoing week, as cautious investors opted to book profit after some companies reported lower-than-expected quarterly earnings.The week featured five trading days as usual -- the first two days saw massive drop while the market...

Hitching your wagon to a star

According to the UN, the world population will increase from the present 7.5 billion to 9.7 billion by 2050. To feed this additional two billion people, the world will be required to increase food production by 60 per cent. But...

4IR and the role of library professionals

Bangladesh is celebrating 'National Library Day' on Saturday ( February 5, 2022). This year the theme for National Library Day is 'Commitment of Golden Jubilee-- Establish Digital Library' in collaboration with the Department of Public Libraries (DPL) and Ministry of...

Policy pause on freewheeling three-wheelers

A government move on finalising a policy drafted to regulate freewheeling three-wheelers halted in a prolonged pause as various stakeholders gave the cold shoulder to request for their opinions.The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges (MoRTB) drafted the policy to...

Uniform salary structure for private banks

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) circular on salaries of private sector bank officials at the entry-level, issued a couple of weeks back, came all of a sudden. Both bank owners and bankers became surprised, although a salary structure for the officials...

To be on the road to food safety

Mobile courts' drives against adulterated and unsafe foods have become almost a routine, albeit hackneyed. Magistrates under whom the raids are conducted slap hefty fines and at times seal off factories ---mostly in cases of illegal and clandestine operation. Elements...

Entrepreneurs' perception on Bangladesh business environment

Business environment in Bangladesh experienced changes during 2021 when the businesses were at an early recovery phase after the covid contamination had eased. However, there have been some problematic factors in doing business in 2021.There was no major change in...

ISPs for revoking double taxation

Internet service providers (ISPs) have sought steps from the government to resolve the issue of double taxation in providing advertisements to Google, facebook and other social media platforms.Banks deduct 15 per cent VAT at the time of repatriating earnings of...

Forex spending far outstrips receipts

Bangladesh's current-account balance gets under growing strains as import spending far outstrips the country's export earnings and remittance also slims, officials say.Such lower receipts of foreign exchange through the two main channels pushed up the pressure on the balance in...

Brokers' capital shortage puts investors at risk

Insufficient capital adequacy and lack of deterrent penalties, among other frailties, are seen responsible for recurrent embezzlement of investors' money and shares by a section of stockbrokers.A latest incident of defalcation of investors' shares and money in Tamha Securities leads...

Impact of ban on battery-run rickshaws in districts

After the government had decided to ban battery-operated rickshaws for a number of specified reasons, a lack of preparations on the part of the quarters concerned to rehabilitate these rickshaw pullers through alternate job creation became apparent. Those rickshaw drivers...

Jan remittance rises to support reserves

Remittance inflow rose further in January to relieve strain on Bangladesh's reserves, primarily as the government raised cash incentives for remitters, officials say.The money sent home by Bangladeshis working abroad amounted to $1.70 billion in January 2022, up by $...

Search for exit from TIN's dead end

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is mulling excluding inactive tax identification numbers from its database.Both taxpayers and taxmen now feel the necessity of incorporating a provision into the income-tax law or rules to exclude an inactive TIN after a...

BRAC Bank adopts 'phygital' strategy to grow bigger

BRAC Bank Limited has embraced a multi-channel strategy with a combination of physical and digital capabilities to reach out to more people and expand the businesses across the country, the bank's top executive has said. "Bangladesh is definitely moving towards...

Assessing the performance of LDCs' trade growth

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has recently published a comprehensive report on the trading performance of least developed countries (LDCs) during the decade of 2011-20. Alongside performance, the report has also evaluated their integration with multilateral trading system, enhancement of...