BNP's black flag processions today to mark opening of 12th JS

The BNP and like-minded opposition parties are set to take out processions holding black flags across the country, including in the capital, today (Tuesday), when the 12th parliament goes into session, demanding a fresh election under a non-party government, reports...

Arafat for ensuring transparency, professionalism in bodies under his ministry

State Minister for Information and Broadcast Mohammad Ali Arafat Monday said that he will work with utmost sincerity to ensure transparency and professionalism in every sector under his jurisdiction, reports BSS."I can say, in every sector under my jurisdiction where...

Dhaka commuters endure dug-up roads at Nayabazar

Dhaka commuters endure dug-up roads at Nayabazar as protracted utility-service works disrupt traffic. — FE Photo

BRAC University clarifies reason for Asif's sacking

BRAC University has clarified the reason for the sacking of part-time teacher Asif Mahtab Utsha who came to the limelight after tearing pages containing a lesson on the third-gender community in the history and social science textbook for Class VII,...

Two more coaches to come soon in metro rail service

Authorities will increase the number of coaches on metro rail trains running from Uttara to Motijheel from six to eight in a bid to manage the huge crowds of passengers using the service, reports bdnews24.com.The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited...

Fetal gender identity cannot be disclosed

The identity of the unborn babies cannot be disclosed, said a new guideline formulated by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The directorate submitted the guideline to the High Court on Monday complying with its earlier order. According to...

CID finds tech negligence behind BB forex heist

Criminal Investigation Department (CID), a specialized police unit, has found technological negligence for the incident of cyber heist of $101 million from Bangladesh Bank's account in 2016 during their investigation into the case, reports UNB."Investigation of the case is at...

ACC approves charge sheet against Yunus, 13 others

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved a charge sheet against Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus and 13 others for allegedly embezzling Tk 252.20 million from Grameen Telecom's Workers' Profit Participation Fund.The commission at a meeting at its headquarters on Monday...

Onion prices soar even during peak harvest

Onion prices have shot up by at least Tk 15 per kilogramme in just three days, reaching Tk 100-130 per kg on Monday, according to market sources. This surge comes during the peak harvesting season of the kitchen staple, adding...

BD seeks preferential migration of its citizens to Canada

Dhaka has requested Ottawa for preferential migration for its citizens to Canada.Foreign minister Dr Hasan Mahmud made the request when Canadian High Commissioner Dr Lilly Nicholls paid a courtesy call on him at the former's office on Monday.Talking to the...

Cardiac stent supply narrows as importers balk at price cuts

A recent cardiac-stent price cut by the drug regulator has triggered a standoff with some key importers, disrupting treatment for heart patients in major hospitals in Dhaka and exacerbating woes for an already-dollar-strapped healthcare-equipment supply. The halt in supply by...

Briefing 2024-01-30

Prayer Timings (2024-01-30)

Smoke-belching brick kilns on Dhaka's outskirts

Smoke-belching brick kilns on Dhaka's outskirts blamed for worsening air quality. Environment Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury says nearly 500 illegal kilns near the city will be demolished in three months. — FE Photo by KAZ Sumon

Hunt for $6.0b foreign loans launched

A search for pulling US$6.0 billion in loans from foreign lenders gets going as the government now bids for implementing two gigantic MRT-line projects to upgrade Dhaka's still-troublesome traffic system, officials said.The two more metro lines will require Tk 892.36...

Call money costs overflow interest rate corridor

Call-money costs overflow set interest-rate corridor amid banks' scrambles for liquidity refill, prompting suggestion for a rethink on the upper-ceiling cap in lending in such time of fund crunch. The Bangladesh Bank (BB)-implemented interest rate corridor (IRC) comes under extreme...

President addresses inaugural JS session today

President Mohammed Shahabuddin will address the inaugural session of the 12th parliament starting at 3:00 pm today.In line with the parliamentary practice, the President addresses the first parliamentary sitting every year, reports BSS.Earlier, he convened the first parliament session of...

PM directs duty cut on rice, edible oil, sugar, dates before Ramadan

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Monday directed the authority concerned to reduce the import duty on four essential items - rice, edible oil, sugar and dates- ahead of the upcoming Ramadan for price control.The directive came from the cabinet meeting chaired...

Liquidation and mergers loom over frail ins firms

Liquidation and merger loom over some troubled insurance companies, which lost financial abilities allegedly due to flagrant irregularities and embezzlement, as the regulator has recommended such remedy, sources said. These insurance companies even did not make further effort for improving...

SBLC organised a two-day training on `Shari`ah Compliance in Islamic Banking Business'

Standard Bank Learning Center (SBLC) organised a two-day training on `Shari`ah Compliance in Islamic Banking Business' recently. Md Habibur Rahman, Managing Director & CEO of the bank, inaugurated the training as the chief guest while Deputy Managing Director & head...

'Annual business budget strategy summit 2024'

The 'Annual business budget strategy summit 2024' of Institutional Banking Division, SME Division and Treasury Division of Midland Bank, was held at the bank's head office in the capital recently. Md. Ahsan-uz Zaman, managing director & CEO of the Bank,...

MTB and Guardian Life Insurance signed a bancassurance agreement

Mutual Trust Bank (MTB) and Guardian Life Insurance Limited have signed a bancassurance agreement recently. Syed Mahbubur Rahman, managing director & CEO of MTB, and Sheikh Rakibul Karim, CEO of Guardian Life Insurance Limited, were present at the signing ceremony...

Meghna Petroleum's income rises but Padma Oil's declines

Petroleum product marketer Meghna Petroleum gained a higher profit in the second quarter of FY24, compared to the same period a year earlier, despite a decline in earnings from its core operations.On the other hand, Padma Oil saw its income...

Olympic's profit growth slows in Q2

Olympic Industries' profit grew less than one per cent to Tk 591 million in October-December 2023, compared to the same quarter of the previous year.The country's leading biscuit manufacturer's earnings per share stood at Tk 2.96 for the quarter, up...

Beacon Pharma sees slower profit growth in Q2 on higher costs

Beacon Pharmaceutical's profit growth slowed down year-on-year in October-December 2023, despite a higher sales growth, owing to a rise in operating expenses and finance cost.The drug maker's profit growth decelerated to 2.96 per cent between the second quarter of FY23...

Singer's profit soars 615pc on product price hikes

Singer Bangladesh's profit soared 615 per cent to Tk 522 million last year, compared to the previous year, as it increased product prices to offset rising cost. The earnings per share (EPS) went up to Tk 5.24 for the year...

Sweden's economy shrinks by 0.3pc in 2023

STOCKHOLM, Jan 29 (AFP): Sweden's economy shrank by 0.3 per cent in 2023 but technically emerged from recession in the last three months of the year, official statistics showed on Monday.One of the weakest performers in the European Union, the...

European banks' strong run faces major test with earnings

FRANKFURT, Jan 29 (Reuters): European banks' run of soaring profits and record shareholder payouts faces a big test this week when investors assess how fast the boost from higher interest rates is fading, and if a weak economic outlook will...

Qatar records over $5b trade surplus despite export decrease

RIYADH, Jan 29 (Arab News): Qatar reported a positive foreign merchandise trade balance for December 2023, with a surplus of nearly 18.7 billion Qatari riyals ($5.13 billion).Recent data from the Planning and Statistics Authority revealed that the overall surplus represented...

China’s growth model pushes Beijing into trade conflicts

BEIJING/FRANKFURT, Jan 29 (Reuters): Swiss solar panel maker Meyer Burger is facing the brunt of competition from China and is warning it may have to close its loss-making production plant in Germany unless the government steps in with financial support."Chinese...