The Titanic, a submersible ... and voices of the dead

The news is distressing. As we write, an OceanGate Expeditions submersible, with five people on board, has gone missing. Frantic efforts are on to locate the machine, which was meant to carry those five people to the vicinity of the...

Rising undernourishment

The ‘Global Food Policy Report (GBPR) 2023: Rethinking Food Crisis Responses', confirms the general notion that the combined adverse impacts of the pandemic, climatic turmoil and war in Ukraine have forced more people to go hungry and suffer undernourishment across...

The outdated cold war model and the Sino-US conflict

A sort of "cold war" is on between the US and China. Since the 2000s when the Chinese economy exploded and began to reach the US shores, tensions have been rising. In 2008 when the North American economy hit the...

Not only exporters, importers too will benefit from market-driven exchange rate

All businesses are expected to benefit from market-driven exchange rate even if that entails a further devaluation of the taka against the dollar. Market experts, economists and asset managers unanimously welcome the central bank's move to allow the currency to...

Over – dependence on imported fuels and dollar crisis

Dollar shortage is now a regular topic of discussion in the country. The shortage is the result of higher outflow of US dollars through the banking systems compared to their inflow. The dollar crisis has been restricting import of raw...

Himalaya may lose up to 75pc of its ice by 2100

Glaciers in Asia's Hindu Kush Himalaya could lose up to 75pc of their volume by century's end due to global warming, causing both dangerous flooding and water shortages for the 240 million people who live in the mountainous region, according...

Water level in NE region continues to rise

Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) recorded a rise in water level at 91 stations while a fall in 15 others after monitoring the country's rivers at 109 stations in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, reports UNB.The water level at...

Rajuk area to be expanded up to Padma, Meghna: JS told

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has planned to extend its jurisdiction to the Meghna River in the East of Dhaka and Padma Bridge in the West, reports UNB.State Minister for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed said this on Tuesday in...

BB relaxes LC margin on imports of particular products

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has relaxed the cash margin rate against the opening of import letters of credit (LCs) for 10 categories of products, in a bid to help ease the import of the goods.The central bank issued a circular in...

China for BRICS expansion as BD shows interest

China on Tuesday announced its openness to new members joining the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) alliance for its expansion. "China is committed to advancing the BRICS expansion and stands ready to bring more like-minded partners into the...

Tax waiver for pvt power cos on terms

Private power-generation companies except for the coal-fired ones have got tax-waiver facility on certain conditions.Such tax-waiver facility has been given under section 44 of the Income Tax Ordinance-1984, according to a statuary regulatory order (SRO), issued by the National Board...

Cheap labour, big young population bounties for investment in BD

Bangladesh is becoming an attractive destination for foreign investment for its steady economic growth, growing young population with cheaper labour market, incentives for FDI and increasing domestic consumption, says an expert evaluation report. PricewaterhouseCoopers Bangla-desh Private Limited released Tuesday its...

Rajshahi, Sylhet city polls today

Elections to Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) are scheduled to be held today (Wednesday), reports BSS.In Rajshahi, the city corporation election is being held for the seventh time since its establishment in 1987.For the first time...

A-Challan use gathers pace

The 'A-Challan' or automated challan system, introduced under the strengthening public financial management programme, has revolutionised resource mobilisation for the government exchequer. In less than one year spanning from July 2022 to May 2023, an impressive total of Tk 1.058...

Briefing 2023-06-21

Both exporters, importers to reap benefit of market-driven exchange Exporters and importers are expected to benefit from a market-driven exchange rate, despite the potential devaluation of the local currency. The central bank's decision to allow the currency to float freely...

Prayer Timings (2023-06-21)

BB lifts NBFIs' rate cap

The existing ceiling on lending and deposit rates of the non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) has been withdrawn, giving a sigh of relief to these institutions.The Bangladesh Bank (BB), in a circular on Tuesday, issued a guideline regarding a new lending-rate...

Loans against movable assets to be allowed

The Secure Transaction (Movable Assets) Bill 2023 was placed in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) on Tuesday - to pave the way for getting bank loans by mortgaging movable assets as collateral.While placing the bill in the JS, Finance Minister A H...

BB eases provisions for loan classification

Bangladesh Bank (BB) on Tuesday relaxed loan-classification provisions requiring the borrowers to pay at least half of their payable installments by June 30 to avoid being classified.The Banking Regulation and Policy Department (BRPD) of the central bank issued a circular...

ECNEC approves huge spending on infrastructure in rural areas

The government on Tuesday endorsed 16 development projects involving a total cost of Tk Tk 243.62 billion that include mostly rural and urban infrastructure development-related ones.The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the projects — at least...

Dev projects line up for revision amid dollar-driven cost overruns

Development expenditure in Bangladesh is set shoot beyond limits as projects line up for revision following mainly dollar-driven cost overruns as the taka loses value to the costly US currency.Officials said most of the project-evaluation committee (PEC) meetings at the...

Weather (2023-06-21)

Light to moderate rain/thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at most places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions and at many places over Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions in the next 24 hours...

JU 'A' unit entry test held

Undergraduate (Honours) entry examination of 'A' unit under the Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Institute of Information Technology (IIT) of Jahangirnagar University (JU) for the academic year 2022-23 was held on Tuesday. Acting Dean of the faculty, Professor...

Central Hospital, not me responsible for deaths of Akhi, her newborn

Gynaecologist Dr Sangjukta Saha has blamed Central Hospital for the deaths of Mahbuba Rahman Akhi and her newborn due to 'wrong treatment', reports UNB.Claiming that Akhi was not her patient, she said, "Central Hospital made false statements about me."Dr Saha...

Vice chancellor of ISU Prof Dr Abdul Awal Khan poses with other guests and students

Vice chancellor of International Standard University Prof Dr Abdul Awal Khan poses with other guests and students, among others, at the 'ISU Tex Carnival-2023', organised by the university's Textile Club of Department of Textile Engineering on its Mohakhali campus in...

Experts for preventive measures against dengue outbreak

Health experts stressed the need for taking adequate preventive measures instead of giving importance only on expansion of medical facilities to contain outbreak of dengue disease in the country, reports BSS."We have to take preventive measures particularly destroying breeding sources...

HC rejects Evaly's stay plea on cheque dishonour

The High Court on Tuesday rejected an application of the controversial e-commerce platform Evaly Limited that sought a stay order on the proceedings of cheque dishonour cases filed against it.An HC bench of Justice Khizir Ahmed Choudhury passed the order...

Vice chancellor of BUP Major General Md Mahbub-ul Alam poses for photograph with senate members

Vice chancellor of Bangladesh University of Professionals Major General Md Mahbub-ul Alam poses for photograph with senate members, including Muhammed Faruk Khan, MP, Rafiqul Islam (Bir Uttam), MP, Nurul Islam Nahid, MP, and HN Ashiqur Rahman, MP, at the 15th...

Students of 7 DU affiliates want results within 90 days

Students of seven Dhaka University-affiliated colleges on Tuesday blocked Nilkhet-New Market intersection for hours to press home a seven-point demand.The demands included publication of results within three months into exams.The agitating students took to the street around 11:00 am and...

SAARC Food Bank in focus

The SAARC Food Bank should be activated as a regional approach to deal with the crisis relating to food security in South Asia (SA).Apart from the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), another regional entity, named BIMSTEC (Bay of...