United Finance partners with IFC to strengthen SME Financing

United Finance PLC has entered into a strategic partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), marked by the signing of an agreement at the United Finance's head office in Dhaka on Saturday, says a press release.This collaboration aims to enhance...

Eastern Housing approves 25pc cash dividend

The 61st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Eastern Housing Limited was held on a virtual platform on Thursday, says a press release.The AGM was presided over by Chairman Manzurul Islam. Members of the board of directors Suraiya Islam, Abu Luthfe...

BIDA restructuring to ensure proactive investor service

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the apex investment promotion agency of the Government of Bangladesh, has undertaken a major internal reform to restructure its organisation in alignment with the investor lifecycle, reports BSS.The restructuring is aimed at ensuring proactive investor...

Shippers' Council Chairman leaves for Indonesia

Md Rezaul Karim, Chairman of Shippers' Council of Bangladesh (SCB), and Vice-Chairman, Asian Shippers' Alliance, left Dhaka for Bali, Indonesia on Sunday for attending Asian Shippers' Alliance (ASA) and Global Shippers' Alliance (GSA) Annual Meeting which will be held on...

SIBL Securities Limited relocates Agrabad branch

SIBL Securities Limited has relocated its Agrabad branch in Chattogram to Frox Tower in the area.Shafiuzzaman, managing director of Social Islami Bank PLC (SIBL), inaugurated the branch at its new location on Sunday, according to a press release.Mohammed Shoeb, head...

Rehana Rahman re-elected as Southeast Bank vice chairperson

Rehana Rahman, a prominent female entrepreneur in Bangladesh, has been unanimously re-elected as vice chairperson of the board of directors of Southeast Bank in its 777th board meeting.Mrs. Rahman holds various key roles across several organisations, including managing director of...

Rupali Bank slips into deep loss as non-performing loans surge

Rupali Bank has reported hefty losses for the third quarter through September this year due to rising non-performing loans.The lone listed state-run lender suffered a loss of Tk 1.68 billion in the quarter to September this year, as against a...

BSEC seeks to remove IPO discounts for retail investors, tighten valuation

The revised public issue rules propose the removal of the provision that allows retail investors to purchase primary shares at a discount to the cut-off price determined by eligible investors (EIs) through institutional bidding.The market watchdog has sought public opinion...

IFIC Bank Promotes Its Officials in Recognition of Professional Excellence

In recognition of professional Excellence, 74 employees of IFIC Bank PLC, working in various positions, were promoted in November. With this, the total number of employees promoted in different positions at IFIC Bank PLC in the current year has risen...

Board of Directors’ Meeting Held at NCC Bank

The 548th meeting of the Board of Directors of NCC Bank PLC was held at the bank's head office recently. Alhaj Md. Nurun Newaz, Chairman of NCC Bank, presided over the meeting while Vice-Chairman Abdus Salam, Director and Past Chairman...

Youth urged to spread insurance’s positive impact

Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) Chairman Dr M Aslam Alam has called on the younger generation to explore career opportunities in the insurance industry, highlighting its growing importance to Bangladesh's economy."The insurance sector in Bangladesh is expanding rapidly. If...

Abdur Rahim Khan takes over as FBCCI administrator

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Md. Abdur Rahim Khan has officially taken charge as the Administrator of the country's apex trade body-- Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).To this effect, the FBCCI issued a press...

Bank Asia partners with Guardian Life

Bank Asia PLC has signed a partnership agreement with Guardian Life Insurance Limited to provide exclusive privileges for its customers. Under this partnership, Bank Asia's Star Savers and Remitters will now enjoy exclusive insurance facilities from Guardian Life Insurance -...

Govt extends factory licence renewal to five years

The government has approved a proposal to extend the renewal period for factory, shop, and establishment licences issued by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) from one year to five years. The change, introduced in the draft...

GADGETS & SERVICES _2025-11-03

Sophos launches new advisory services to strengthen cybersecurity defences Sophos has unveiled its new Advisory Services suite, offering a range of advanced security testing solutions-including external and internal penetration testing, wireless network assessments, and web application security evaluations-to help organisations...

A guide to ensuring your mobile handset stays legal under Bangladesh's new NEIR system

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has called on mobile phone users across the country to ensure their devices are legally registered before 16 December, when the government will begin systematically blocking illegal and cloned handsets from accessing mobile networks.The...

Growing concern over e-waste in Bangladesh: laws exist, action lax

Electronic waste or e-waste is emerging as one of the fastest-growing waste streams in Bangladesh, mirroring a global trend driven by technological proliferation and shorter device lifespans. As the usage of mobile phones, televisions, computers and home appliances surges amid...

Why upholding child rights is important for every country

The conflicts taking place in different parts of the world- Gaza, Ukraine and many other countries in Africa, South Asia and South East Asia have raised once again the need for all countries to remember that the rights of children,...

Deceptive e-commerce practices

Bangladesh's e-commerce industry has developed remarkably over the past few years, and the growth was mainly due to the increasing number of internet users, easy-to-use online payment methods, and the rising of the electronic shopping option demand. Nevertheless, the rapid...

Dark side of gym culture

With the advancement of modernity, many aspects of human life have changed. Our lifestyles have evolved and old customs have gradually been replaced by new trends. One such trend is the growing gym culture. About five years ago, gyms were...

Lax enforcement of laws and security of life

The Odhikar and the Manabadhikar Sangskriti Sangstha, two human rights organisations, in their latest reports have come up with alarming pictures of the lax law and order and worsening security of life in the country. While the number of extrajudicial...

Is the world closer to the doomsday?

As Trump directed his country's Department of War to what he said start testing their Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis in response to other countries' testing programmes, the world is going to enter the insanely competitive era of nuclear...

Fast-tracking land dispute resolution

The Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act, 2023 was enacted to expedite the resolution of land-related disputes outside the courtroom through an administrative process. However, its enforcement remains pending so far. It is heartening to know from a recent Financial...

Dhaka's air quality continues to be 'moderate'

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked 20th on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 81 at 09:09 am on Saturday morning, reports UNB.Dhaka's air was classified as 'moderate,' referring...

Dhaka mobile court fines noisy vehicles

The Department of Environment (DoE) held a mobile court in Kakrail, Dhaka, on Friday to control noise pollution, reports UNB.During the mobile court operation, a total of six vehicles were fined Tk 23,000 for violating Rule 8(1) of the Noise...

CA directs armed forces to prepare for election security

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has instructed the chiefs of the three armed services to take all necessary measures to ensure flawless security ahead of the 13th National Parliament election, scheduled for the first half of February, reports UNB.He gave...

Over 2,600 BJMC staff await eight months' unpaid wages

The Ministry of Textiles and Jute (MoTJ) has sought Tk 941 million from the Ministry of Finance to clear eight months of unpaid salaries for officers and employees of the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC). The request follows months of...

Eight-month ban on Jatka fishing begins

An eight-month nationwide ban on catching juvenile Hilsa (Jatka) began on Saturday and it will remain in effect until June 30, 2026, aiming to boost Hilsa production and ensure sustainable conservation. Supervised by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and...

Only four tourists show up as tight rules deter visitors

The revival of St Martin's Island has fallen flat on reopening day. Despite the government reopening the coral island to tourists from Saturday, not a single ship departed from Cox's Bazar on the first day.Silence prevailed throughout the morning at...

E-commerce card transactions jump 28.8pc YoY in Aug

The use of cards in e-commerce transactions in Bangladesh rose 28.8 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in August 2025, reflecting growing consumer preference for online shopping, according to Bangladesh Bank (BB) data.Transactions surged to Tk 21.93 billion in August 2025 from...