When it is right time to open up economy

With Covid-19 cases and deaths dropping substantially, many European countries have started easing lockdowns and opening up their economies -albeit on a limited scale. Even Germany and Russia have begun relaxing lockdown rules amid an unrelenting upsurge in coronavirus cases...

Taking the German constitutional court seriously

The German Federal Constitutional Court's (GCC) ruling against the European Central Bank's (ECB) pre-pandemic asset-purchase program has stunned policymakers and other observers outside of Germany. Many will be tempted either to ignore the ruling altogether, or to escalate the legal...

Wealth of billionaires and the poor

Forbes published the 2020 list of the richest Billionaires amidst Covid19, as of March18, 2020. It stated, as we all know, that the richest people on earth are not immune to corona virus. "As the pandemic tightened its grip on...

Pandemic and the test of economic growth

While it is undisputed that consistent higher economic growth helps countries to reduce poverty and improve lives of the people, it is also well recognised that such progression doesn't happen automatically. Economic growth needs to be geared in a way...

Users go digital to beat virus-induced lockdown

Mobile phone recharge has gone digital by up to 40 per cent from less than 15 per cent as the pandemic is increasingly pushing people into home while retail outlets are shut after lockdown.Given the situation, the customers have opted...

Reinsurers loath to take risk

With the number of both infections and fatalities on the rise, none of global reinsurers has agreed to partner with Sadharan Bima Corporation (SBC) to launch an insurance scheme for physicians and other health workers fighting Covid-19.The lone state-run company...

BB introduces spl repo to ease funding pressure

The central bank has introduced 360-day special repo facility to help banks and financial institutions secure funds needed to implement the economic relief packages.Both rate and auction amount of the special repurchase agreement (repo) facility will be fixed by the...

Prof M Khairul ends his 9-yr tenure as BSEC chief today

The ever longest period of a chairman of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) ends today (Thursday) on completion of his era of nine years.Professor M Khairul Hossain is the only one chairman of the securities regulator whose tenure...

Vanishing rivers deserve a better deal

It's an old story in a deltaic land, crisscrossed by innumerable rivers, called Bangladesh. Pledges are often made from different levels of the government for protecting the rivers - the lifeblood of the country's agriculture and environment. The courts occasionally...

The new empty argument against trade

The Covid-19 crisis has emboldened advocates of protectionism and deglobalisation. Familiar concerns about lost manufacturing jobs and rising inequality, or the desire in some circles to "punish" (scapegoat) China with higher tariffs, have now been augmented by an argument against...

Covid-19 and new realities

We are in the fifth month with Covid19. Within five months or 130 days, it has become the most fearful name in every household in every country. It has infected over 4.0 million global citizens and killed more than 0.29...

Another DU professor set to become BSEC chair

A professor of the banking & insurance department at the University of Dhaka has been chosen as the chairman of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), sources said.Asked, Md. Ashadul Islam, senior secretary of the financial institutions division (FID) of...

CPA for spl incentive for Ctg port staff

CHATTOGRAM, May 12: Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is going to request the government to provide special incentive to the officials and workers of Chittagong Port for their dedicated service during the ongoing government holiday due to coronavirus outbreak. CPA Member...

Q4 incentives released for exporters

The government has released the fourth installment of cash incentives amounted to Tk 4.0 billion for disbursement among the exporters for the outgoing fiscal year.The money will be distributed among the exporters for April-June 2020, according to a notice issued...

BSTI orders recall of substandard products

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has asked the authorities concerned to withdraw 43 products, including Suresh mustard oil, Danish curry powder, Promi mustard oil and Pubali salt, from the markets. The surveillance teams of BSTI purchased the products...

Conditions set aside for milk food import

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh has put on hold some conditions again to facilitate the import of milk food products like baby milk, officials said.Importers can bring in all types of milk products without mentioning composition and...

US President blames China falsely for Covid-19

Perhaps the United States (US) establishment and think tank has taken a decision to consider China as their number one enemy. So, the US government, media and its ally are making the concerted effort to propagate fabricated and fictitious news...

Post-pandemic supply chain shift

Post-pandemic fashion industry is expected to see the biggest paradigm shift in supply chain in decades. Being socially responsible and offering competitive pricing will no longer be enough during such uncertain days ahead in the fashion world. Flexibility is a...

Post-pandemic job market outlook

Like many other countries in the world, the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the business models in Bangladesh which will have an impact on the employment landscape, and the job market. Many industries are expected to experience a significant effect on...

BR getting ready to resume train service

Bangladesh Railway (BR) has started taking preparation to resume train service after withdrawal of the lockdown amid the challenge of checking the spread of coronavirus among passengers with its limited resources.Sources said even though the state-owned train operator has not...

Big taxpayers targeted to beat shortfall

The National Board of Revenue, or NBR, will step up its focus on large taxpayers until June of the current fiscal year after it has found VAT collection slipped by nearly 40 per cent last month.The board has decided to...

BB makes banks' dividend payments conditional

The central bank on Monday suspended the payment of cash dividends by the banks until September 30 this year, officials say.Even the banks, which have already declared their dividends for 2019, will have to revise it if it clashes with...

Reverse migration can help create agrarian industry

Now industries, trade and transport are under shutdown and people are mostly held in lockdown. In consequence, agriculture can be a saving grace with redoubled production and opening safeguarded supply chain to deficient countries. Fisheries sub-sector is not a labour-intensive...

Challenges of revenue mobilisation, deficit financing

The fiscal framework for FY21 will need to break free from the traditional mould given the magnitude and impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and its short-term impacts and medium-term footprints. Adverse impacts of domestic and export-oriented activities and likely...

Overflowing empty containers making off-docks congested

Thousands of empty containers have created congestion at private off-docks, fast making it a taxing job for the shipping sector to fix the problem.Seventeen off-docks, located in Chattogram, are now housing some 40,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) empty containers, hurting...

Delay execution of non-priority projects

A public-private forum has suggested the deferment of 12 "non-priority" government development projects worth Tk 2.50 billion, considering the fast-spreading virus situation.The Business Initiative Leading Development, or BUILD, has singled out the projects analysing 1,475 projects in the Tk 2.06...

BB waives risk rating provision for biggies

The banks will not have to follow the internal credit risk rating system (ICRRS) while providing loans to large industries and services companies under the Tk 300 billion stimulus package announced by the government amid Covid-19 pandemic.The Bangladesh Bank (BB)...

Govt to fulfill vacancies of top officials at BSEC

The government will fulfill the vacancies of the top officials at the securities regulator timely to avoid disruptions in the operations of regulatory affairs.A top official of the financial institutions division (FID) of the ministry of finance (MoF) said this...

Reason behind rush at ferry ghats

Ferries at Paturia and Mawa are abuzz with passengers on their way to the capital city. The rush of people coming from south and south-western districts at the ferry ghats (wharves) on both sides of the Padma, as shown on...

Problems of falling sick

The management of the country's health system has never been perfect. It has lots of weaknesses and there has been no serious effort from any quarter to amend those. So, when a health emergency of an immense proportion like that...