Maintenance delays may aggravate road condition

The condition of the country's road network is likely to get worse this year due to multiple complications over starting the periodical and regular maintenance (PRM) works amid unusual rains and delays in contractor selection.Officials say the Roads and Highways...

DMTCL to invite fresh tenders

The Dhaka metro rail company has decided to invite fresh tenders for the universal ticketing service (UTS) at all stations by cancelling the previous one.It says the decision has been made to avoid complications that arose over receiving applications by...

Connectivity row threatens its smooth launch

A prolonged row over mobile network installation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport's (HSIA) new Terminal 3 has dragged into its 21st week, sparking concern that passengers may face poor or no mobile connectivity when the state-of-the-art terminal becomes fully operational...

Dithering clouds solar power future

Bangladesh's solar ambitions seem losing steam as 17 recently proposed solar-power plants, each offering the reduced tariffs ever, have been left waiting for approval while some previously contracted ones lie in limbo. Sources say the "bureaucratic dithering" is frustrating sponsors,...

Chevron Bangladesh: Advancing SDGs through community empowerment

Chevron Bangladesh has long demonstrated a commitment to sustainable development, aligning its community engagement efforts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through strategic partnerships and targeted social investment initiatives, the company has made significant contributions in improving health,...

Falling yields give fresh bout of energy to T-bond secondary market

Trading in Treasury bonds in the secondary market has surged by 64 per cent year-on-year to Tk 537 million in the July-September quarter, against the backdrop of declining yields of the debt securities.Bond prices are inversely related to interest rates,...

Protesting teachers and some pertinent questions

At a time when students' final exams are just two months away, classes in non-government secondary educational institutions across the country are being badly hampered as thousands of MPO-listed teachers of these intuitions are protesting in Dhaka demanding a hike...

Foreign investors flee Bangladesh stocks amid political turbulence

Foreign investors have retreated from Bangladesh's equity market once again amid persistent economic challenges and fears of political friction during the electoral transition.Economic reform measures taken by the interim government after the political changeover had given rise to optimism about...

5-year bond yield dips below policy rate

The yield on five-year treasury bonds fell below the central bank's policy rate on Tuesday, as banks channelled surplus liquidity into government securities amid subdued private sector credit demand in the run-up to the national election.According to auction results, the...

Bending NTBs must to unlock BD-EU trade bonanza

On a note of readiness to expand trade and investment with Bangladesh, the European Union (EU) has listed out 60 types of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) as major hindrances and sought remedies. The 27-nation economic bloc has outlined such barriers under...

Empowering rural women beyond donor dependency

Every year, International Rural Women's Day reminds us of the indispensable role rural women play in ensuring food security, sustaining families, and driving the local economy. Yet, behind this celebration lies an uncomfortable truth: many of the initiatives that have...

Bangladesh at the Crossroads

Bangladesh finds itself at a watershed moment in its economic life today. Previously regarded with disdain, as a frontier economy beset by inherent problems, Bangladesh has registered tangible gains in its efforts to eliminate obstacles that had discouragingly deterred investment...

Fully paperless customs in Bangladesh by 2028

Bangladesh is advancing towards a fully paperless customs system by 2028 with the move to expand the digital window for the clearance of imports.Recently, the Chief Adviser's Office instructed the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to include 18 more public...

BIWTA cuts components after tenure ends

After the end of the project's tenure, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has decided to cut the procurement of some dredgers, a key component of the scheme, as execution drags on for seven years, insiders said on Saturday.Since...

A baby formula that can heal acute malnutrition

International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), which first started as Cholera Research Laboratory (CRL) in 1960 in Dhaka to study the microbiology of cholera, earned international fame by innovating Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) in mid-1960s.The findings of the...

How Bangladesh's Nano SMEs can conquer global markets

Trade and competition are fundamentally linked, with exports serving as an important component of the gross domestic product (GDP) and a key driver of global economic integration. Export competitiveness refers to a country's ability to produce goods and services that...

Bangladesh Bank at crossroads

Bangladesh today stands at a monetary and financial crossroads. The country is grappling with persistent inflation, exchange rate volatility, dwindling reserves, and external debt obligations that feel heavy in a fragile global economy. At the centre of these challenges is...

Trade bodies protest Ctg port tariff hike effective from October 15

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 12: After a one-month deferral, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is set to implement a tariff hike on port services from 15 October, marking the first increase in nearly four decades. The move has drawn strong opposition from...

NPC assessing govt's ability to hike public servants' pay

The National Pay Commission (NPC) is now assessing the government's fiscal ability before it recommends pay hikes for the government employees, which is scheduled for December 2025.The move came as the government's fiscal space had shrunk due mainly to its...

Films on Hasina family swallow half of ICT project budget

A government project that set out to train young Bangladeshis to build mobile apps and video games has ended up spending nearly half its budget making animated films about ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family.The flagship "Mobile Game...

Abdul Monem Group seeks 12-year loan rescheduling, policy supports

Debt-burdened Abdul Monem Group, a local business conglomerate, has sought a set of policy supports including a 12-year loan rescheduling facility with a two-year grace period from the government, aiming to restructure its overall business and restore financial stability, sources...

Child marriage and sexual violence against girls

Much as the nation strives to bring an end to child marriage, the unlawful matrimony continues in this country. The consequences of such premature marriage for underage girls with adult youths or men are devastating. It is the brides who...

How reliable are methods of measuring poverty?

Poverty has occupied the central stage of development thinking. In fact, development is about improvement in the income level and basic living standards of the common people. It should focus first and foremost on addressing poverty among the masses. It...

Three days of debate and discussion

Mohammadpur Preparatory School and College(MPSC) hosted MPSC Nationals 2025 from October 09 to 11. Thirty-six teams from twenty-four institutions took part, including several from outside Dhaka. The three-day event brought together students to debate, exchange ideas, and test their arguments...

Inflation that defies reason

After showing a downward trend for a month or two, inflation rose again in September, renewing concerns among consumers who have been severely affected by high prices over the past three years. Taming this persistent inflation has been one of...

The saga of plurilateral trade deals

Over the last couple of years, several members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have been negotiating issues still not covered by the multilateral trade negotiations under the WTO framework, thereby bypassing the multilateral approach. The result of the move...

Should Bangladesh Bank be buying dollars right now?

Not so long ago, just over a year, Bangladesh Bank (BB) was criticised for failing to meet the rising demand for US dollars. Foreign exchange reserves had fallen from a peak of about $48 billion to less than $20 billion,...

Energypac Power follows familiar pattern - bright before listing, bleak after

Energypac Power Generation has joined the ranks of companies that share an uncanny resemblance in their way of doing business - a rosy picture painted before listing, which faded soon after, much to the dismay of investors.Its profit fell 33...

Japanese projects stall amid political transition

Most Japan-funded projects and investment plans in Bangladesh have lost momentum since the interim government took office, as officials admit there is little room to move things forward before a new administration is in place.With national elections approaching, Japanese investors...

TCB seeks Tk 14.11b from govt to offset its losses against subsidised commodity sale

Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has sought over Tk 14.11 billion as subsidy from the government to help offset its financial losses on account of selling essential commodities at subsidised rates, sources said.The state-run agency in a letter recently requested...