Govt plans to ban potato export

Amid massive uproar over skyrocketing potato price, the government is planning to suspend export of the key vegetable item for the time being to contain its price spiral, officials have said."Unless the price goes down to a tolerable level, if...

Globalisation after coronavirus

Globalisation has been pointed out by the cynics as the 'usual suspect' for the rapid spread of coronavirus pandemic. For one, the blame has not been entirely wrong. The virus travelled across countries of the world, using human vector. But...

'Herd immunity' --- at what cost?

The findings of the IEDCR-ICDDR, B epidemiological survey have spoken volume about the state of Covid-19 infection in Bangladesh. Those might also prove helpful for the government in designing its next course of action.The numbers that have emerged from the...

Inflation in time of pandemic

That the rich the world over are becoming richer is no longer news. What, however, can cause eyebrows to raise is that there became as many as 3,400 new millionaires in Bangladesh within three months between April and June this...

BR to introduce express train between Rajshahi, Panchagarh today

Bangladesh Railway (BR) is set to introduce a new express train on the Rajshahi-Panchagarh route today (Thursday) as part of its move to extend wider train operations in the country.Railway Minister Mohammad Nurul Islam Sujon will inaugurate the train named...

New rules may toughen tariff preferences

The Indian Customs Rules-2020 is likely to make tariff preference in its market toughest for anyone, fear Bangladeshi trade officials and experts.The rules, issued by revenue department and that took effect in late September, aim to administer the rules of...

Japanese investments unlikely in two years

Japanese investments in two economic zones are unlikely to take place in next two years as those zones are not ready.According to insiders, the Japanese special economic zone on over 1000 acres of land in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj district...

World Food Programme wins the Nobel Peace Prize

The World Food Programme (WFP), a specialised agency of the United Nations, has been awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize. Berit Reiss-Anderson, President of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, announced it in Oslo on Friday, October 9. She claimed that the...

Traders accuse tax officials of harassment

The country's gold traders have alleged that they often face questions by tax officials on the gold they legalised through paying tax.Some VAT officials are seeking previous account details of the gold, although the jewellers have whitened the precious metal...

Biggies look hungry but minnows lose appetite

A major portion of the stimulus package for large industries and services has been implemented while only 24.18 per cent was executed in another package for the CMSMEs until September 30.Nearly Tk 272 billion was disbursed as working capital to...

New look of GRI: Setting new standards of sustainability

Global Reporting Initiative or GRI is the independent international organisation that supports businesses and other organisations take responsibility for their impacts on various aspects through providing them with the global common language to report the impacts of social, environmental and...

Global partnerships for an African recovery

The spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly affected developed and developing countries alike, despite vast disparities in initial response capacities. Global leaders were especially concerned about the disease's potential implications for Africa, given the continent's lack of financial and...

Occupational safety of ship breaking workers

Traumatic deaths and injuries have become part of the work life of the ship breaking workers in Sitakunda. By dismantling around 47.20 per cent of world vessels, Bangladesh became the world's top destination for retired ships. A report 'Review of...

Protecting new extreme poor

The World Bank in its last projection painted a gloomier global poverty picture than it did in its earlier August report. The report fears, globally, the Covid-19 pandemic might cause between 88 million and 115 million new extreme poor to...

Conflicts over height of MRT-1 still remain unresolved

Conflicts between the two government agencies over maintaining the elevated height of separate infrastructures in Purbachal area have not yet been resolved, sources said.Though the prime minister has given green signal to keep the height of elevated part of mass...

Flag vessels law to spell woes for feeder operators

The container feeder vessels calling at the Chattagram port are set to face fresh troubles as the Bangladesh Flag Vessels (Protection of Interest) Act has made it mandatory for them to obtain waiver certificate.It must be secured 15 days before...

Taxmen help privileged evade taxes

The revenue board has found evidence of nexus between its staffers and some taxpayers for evading taxes by forming fund or showing assets with backdates in their tax files.Resorting to such a malpractice, a number of influential taxpayers legalise their...

BD Finance to launch innovative products

Bangladesh Finance and Investment Company Ltd or BD Finance is planning to introduce innovative and customized lending and deposit options to pull together NBFI-designed funding and lending base, top executive of the non-bank financial institution said.To materialize the plan, the...

Forging a stronger post-pandemic ASEAN plus-3 economy

The modern international financial system emerged from the devastation of World War II. Since then, it has continued to be shaped by historic slumps - most recently, the 2008 global financial crisis.Today, the Covid-19 pandemic is putting the global financial...

Nurturing mental health of children

One of the greatest challenges before parents of children these days is to nurture healthy growth of minds in healthy bodies of their young ones. The problem started with the breakdown of joint families, only more so where a couple...

Preparing for the 'second wave'

None but the head of the government has very recently raised the issue of a possible 'second wave' of Covid in the coming winter and the preparations to tackle it.She made it clear that this time the focus is on...

The core of the ECB's new strategy

Following in the footsteps of the US Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank (ECB) has launched an in-depth review of its monetary-policy strategy. But as central banks contemplate fundamental changes in their approach, they should be mindful of possible disruptions...

New customs law on anvil

The new customs act, containing a number of provisions designed to automate the customs administration and facilitate cross-border trade, is expected to be passed in the next session of parliament (Jatiya Sangsad), scheduled to start in December.According to the draft...

BKB seeks Tk 103b zero-coupon bond

The Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) has requested the government to issue redeemable zero-coupon bond worth Tk 103.18 billion to meet its capital shortfall.Officials said the state-owned BKB has sought the redeemable 10-series zero-coupon bond under re-capitalisation at a 4.0-per cent...

How to beat the lack of data on illicit outflows draining Africa of capital and tax

Africa loses at least $40 billion each year from the underinvoicing of commodity exports from the continent, according to the latest comprehensive data available. The size of trade gaps varies by country, but is relatively consistent by commodity group, with...

Covid-induced excess screen time may affect youths' mental, physical health

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is forcing many children and youths to go for excessive use of screen time, which could cause an adverse impact on their mental and physical health both in the short and long run, according to experts.They...

Stocks back in red on profit booking sell-offs

Stocks slipped back into the red last week, after a single-week break, as shaky investors opted for profit booking on quick-gaining stocks.Week-on-week, DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went down by 78.35 points or 1.57 per...

Culture of organised sexual violence

The frequency of gang rapes seems to have increased to epidemic proportions in recent weeks in Bangladesh and India. Circumstances of each of such organised sexual attack on women may be different, but certain features of both the victims and...

President Trump's ailment signals a constitutional crisis

President Trump exhibited all plausible symptoms of Covid-19 infections early in the last week, but he dismissed advice of his health advisors and carried on business as usual. On Friday morning he developed high fever, severe coughing and shortness of...

Unholy alliance between drug addiction and sexual violence

According to the Department of Narcotics Control, drug addicts are involved in the country's 80 per cent cases of rape and murder after rape. Sources of the law enforcement agencies, according to a report, also confirm this unholy alliance. Here...