Taka falls further

The exchange rate of Bangladesh taka (BDT) further drops against US dollar mainly due to higher demand for the greenback for settling import-payment obligations.Taka lost its value by 25 paisa in the inter-bank foreign exchange (forex) market on Tuesday in...

A revival of non-aligned movement?

Of so many phenomena across the world happening now centring Russia-Ukraine war, the most curious incident is perceptible in Asia. Especially, India's stance surprises many. Despite disagreements on many fronts, China and India, among many other Asian countries, chose to...

Tackling corporal punishment of children

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which oversees the Convention on the Rights of the Child, has defined corporal or physical punishment as "any punishment in which physical force is used and intends to cause some degree...

Imports across board won't get duty cut

Local manufacturing industries are no longer entitled to enjoy a rate in importing capital machinery and spare parts, meant for the use as raw materials or production inputs, customs officials said.Currently, all types of capital machinery, as listed in customs...

Credit flow rises on demand rebound

Credit flow into Bangladesh's private sector rebounds, after a downturn, on a demand surge for loans largely for trade financing amid rise in economic activity.Sources say settling higher import-payment obligations has led to demand growth for credits since March, after...

Place import tax on computer, laptop

The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology has proposed imposing taxes on the import of computers and laptops in the fiscal year (FY) 2022-23, in order to facilitate development of local industry.The ministry has recently put forward the recommendation...

Passengers throng Sadarghat terminal

The Dhaka River Port (Sadarghat Launch Terminal) in the capital witnessed a substantial number of passengers on Monday, who were travelling to different destinations to avoid last-moment rush during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr holiday.Visiting the terminal on the day, the FE...

New policy curbs ministry control on imports

Local manufacturing industries will also enjoy duty-free facility through the bonded-warehouse window under new import policy the government issued Monday to ease controls on the trade. The duty-free import facility under the bonded-warehouse mechanism used to be enjoyed by export...

3+5+1 sits in June for review

A high-level 3+5+1 meeting is likely to be held in June to review the implementation of a roadmap on Bangladeshi worker rights issues prescribed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).No meeting of the group has been hosted in the past...

Changing needs of digital era education

Many often express their deep concern about our education system, especially about its relevance to the needs of our knowledge-and-skill-seeking students. The common question asked is: can the education imparted to the students in the schools/colleges/universities provide them with the...

Budget for Covid-19 recovery

The country is still in the phase of recovery from the Covid-induced adverse implications that visited the economy over the past two years. In this connection, the national budget for fiscal year FY2022-23 (FY23) needs to accommodate measures to support...

Ctg Port Day today

CHATTOGRAM, Apr 24: Today (April 25) is the Chittagong Port Day, and the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is observing its 135 years of formation. The CPA is handling the cargoes and containers of the Chittagong Port, the country's prime seaport...

Call money rate increases further

The inter-bank call money rate increased further on Sunday despite injecting fresh funds by the central bank into the money market to keep it stable before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr festival.The call money rate rose slightly, ranging between 3.50 per cent...

Cut taxes on expensive cooking oils

Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) suggests cuts in taxes on sunflower, olive and canola oils to help dilute dependence on widely consumed soybean and palm oils.Sunflower, olive and canola oils are expensive in Bangladesh because of higher duty and...

'No' to overhead cables

Overhead cables are making a greater mess with time for reasons understandable. With sprawling housing complexes popping up, multi-storied residential and commercial buildings dotting vacant city spaces and replacing smaller accommodations, the networks of electric cables, dish, telephone and internet...

Sri Lankan lessons: as you sow, so you reap

Economic experiences of some of the South-East Asian countries like South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan had long been taught in courses on economic development. In fact, developing countries like Bangladesh were advised to follow the paths of the so-called emerging tigers....

Govt moves to shape strategies

A move is underway to prepare strategies for branding Bangladesh abroad, aiming to present correctly the country's image including its overall economic strength as a nation.To this effect, a Terms of Reference has already been prepared in order to appoint...

A framework for the private hospitals to build institutional research capacity

With the establishment of several high-end, profitable, very large private sector tertiary care hospitals in Bangladesh, it is time for them to start thinking about undertaking in-house research initiatives to improve their care delivery performance, increase clinicians' efficiency, raise service...

Central bank should act to arrest inflation

Persistent rise in inflation in Bangladesh has now been officially recognised by the national statistical agency. The monthly rate of inflation crossed 6.0 per cent level in February last to hit a 16-monht high mainly due to rise in prices...

Keeping a comfortable reserve of foreign currency

With the low-income earners' back to the wall as the cost of living is going up irrationally, the government is learnt to have decided to control import of luxury items. Though not having any direct impact on the lives of...

Govt imposes fishing ban in Kaptai Lake from May 1

CHATTOGRAM, Apr 22: The government will impose a three-month ban from May 1 on fishing in Kaptai Lake, the biggest man-made lake in Bangladesh and largest breeding place of carp fish in Chattogram division. The ban will stay in force...

Iran seeks to buy BD ro-ro ships, hire cruiser

An Iranian company eagerly seeks to purchase six roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ships and hire a cruiser from Bangladesh.TT Tejarar Gostaresh Kish, a member of Kish Merchant Association, has recently shown its purchasing interest to Bangladesh mission in Iran.The Bangladesh embassy...

Stocks snap two-week losing streak on regulatory steps

The market bounced back in the gaining streak last week, snapping a two-week losing streak, as some investors put fresh stakes in lucrative stocks in later part of the week due to regulatory stances.Market analysts said the stocks rebounded with...

The sustaining power of rains

Tumi ele, jeno anek diner pare bristi elo …. This melodious romantic song sung by Hemanta Mukherjee has captured the ecstasy of arrival of the beloved after a long wait. But then the most cherished presence has been equated with...

Fiscal measures to support green transition

Green fiscal policies are an important component of attempts to address global concerns and transition to an inclusive green economy. Such policies can assist in achieving the Paris Agreement by reflecting externalities in prices, aligning government expenditures with environmental goals,...

Self-financing by city corporations

In her presidential address at the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instructed the city corporations to self-finance them. The urban local government bodies, Planning Minister Abdul Mannan elaborated later on, have to...

Revenue concern forces NBR to lift exemptions

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has asked the government agencies to add duty and taxes to the cost of their development projects that have been enjoying exemptions so far. "All government ministries, departments and wings are requested to obtain...

Eid shopping gains momentum in port city -

CHATTOGRAM, Apr 21: Eid shopping is gaining momentum in the port city as buyers are rushing to different shopping centers to purchase dresses of their choices for them and their near and dear ones.There are 200 permanent shopping centres and...

Lankan crisis: lessons for Bangladesh, other developing countries

Island nation Sri Lanka is sinking in the worst economic crisis in its history. Ballooning foreign debt, low foreign-exchange reserves, high inflation, shortage of food, fuel, medicine, and other essential items and long hours of loadshedding made citizens' life a...

Combating cyber-bullying of women

Cyber-bullying is a form of bullying or harassment that uses the electronic media for targeting victims. It is also known as online bullying, and has proliferated enormously in recent years among the younger generation in keeping with rapid expansion of...