Untapped potential of mango

Our very familiar and favourite summer fruit, mango, has been put in a new light by highlighting its health benefits in recent media reports. People of this part of the world have been cultivating this fruit for at least 4,000...

Further disarray likely as 21 new city routes approved

Dhaka's chaotic bus system is likely to worsen as a newly-formed committee, comprising mostly police officials and transport owners, has approved 21 fresh routes for both new and old companies to operate their fleet.The move would severely damage the scope...

World Bank to slash $70.54m from PRIDE Project loan

The World Bank is set to cut $70.54 million from its $500 million loan commitment to the Private Investment and Digital Entrepreneurship (PRIDE) Project, now undergoing restructuring with a proposed two-year extension.The move follows 4.5 years of sluggish implementation, during...

Govt borrows Tk 117.94bn thru T-bills in single day

The government on Sunday borrowed Tk 117.94 billion in a single day by issuing three types of treasury bills to partly finance its budget deficit.The amount borrowed is well above the pre-auction target of Tk 80 billion, according to the...

Insurance regulator eyes CEO removal powers under new rules

The insurance regulator proposes changing regulations to empower itself to remove chief executive officers from insurance companies for the abuse of power and corruption. If the recommended reforms to the regulations for the appointment to and removal of CEOs from...

Looming threat from militants active abroad

The news that as many as 36 Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia have been arrested for their involvement in militancy is unsettling to say the least. They were active in introducing Islamic State (IS)-inspired ideology in the host country and formed...

Focusing on export of agro-based products

Having the requisite amount of foreign currency to meet import bills as well as external debt obligations is a constant challenge being faced by Bangladesh economy. Aside from export of manpower and service, commodity export is the standard affair to...

NBR reform imbroglio disrupts trade delivery, revenue collection

Entire revenue administration of Bangladesh faces an unprecedented disruption amid agitating-staff-government standoff over reform disagreements, threatening to upend the country's macroeconomic rebound process.Finance officials, economists and businesses worry about immediate and long-term consequences of the deadlock as the two sides...

Economic cost of uncertainty

The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) approval of a US$1.3 billion disbursement of the third and fourth tranches of Bangladesh's $4.7 billion loan programme may help improve donors' sentiment and more foreign funds may be released in the coming months. But...

What drives BD money into Swiss banks?

The news that Bangladesh-linked money in Swiss banks increased by around 23 per cent last year has drawn attention of various quarters in the country. The significant rise in deposits has triggered widespread discussions, because of the fact that the...

Investment must for growth

The economy of Bangladesh is not doing well. In fact, it has not been doing well since the second quarter of 2023-24 as should be evident from the chart-1. At this low rate of growth unemployment could have risen and...

Govt orders fixing factors squeezing savings tools investment

A rising reliance on bank borrowing for meeting public financing gaps prompts the government to probe reasons why people are reluctant to invest in savings instruments that feed its funding needs, officials said.The Ministry of Finance has asked the savings...

A blueprint of industrial future

Bangladesh is steadily advancing toward a more export-oriented, employment-generating, and tech-driven economy. In the quiet coastal upazila of Mirsarai, a seismic shift is underway-one that could redefine Bangladesh's economic future. Stretching across 33,805 acres of reclaimed land, the National Special...

Tragedies caused by devious use of social platforms

Leaders and activists of the July-August uprising demonstrated their organisational ability courtesy of social sites. The tech-savvy new generation was a few steps ahead of the establishment in making the most of the digital knowledge to the extent of skirting...

Unlocking working capital solution

Bangladesh is entering a new phase of financial innovation. As global investment into the country increases, the need for flexible, rapid, and non-traditional financing options becomes more pronounced. One such mechanism, Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC) monetisation, holds significant promise...

Advancing sustainability reporting with IFRS standards

In recent years, the global shift towards sustainability has become increasingly evident, prompting a growing recognition of the critical importance of transparent and consistent reporting. As investors demand clearer insights into how companies are managing their sustainability risks and opportunities,...

What SMEs lack to thrive on technology-driven global mkt

There is no denying that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) stand as the backbone of Bangladesh's developing economy, contributing substantially to employment creation, grassroots innovation, rural industrialization, and inclusive growth across both formal and informal sectors nationwide. But what is...

Easy access to funds, policy support must-haves to revitalize SMEs

A great array of over 11.8 million smaller enterprises across Bangladesh are a pivot to its economy, all together contributing around 30 per cent to the country's gross domestic product (GDP). However, they get a negligible amount as loans from...

Relaxed rules not enough to draw banks' special funds into pooled instruments

The recent proposal to relax conditions, attached to the special fund, for boosting investments in pooled instruments has elicited an opposing view that banks will refrain from investing unless fund managers are made accountable. A majority of the mutual funds...

When aggressor turns mediator of peace

The dark episode of the human civilisation involving the Jewish people has become darker with the descendants of the holocaust victims turning the perpetrators of the same crime. A state for the Europe's displaced Jewish was created at the initiative...

Adani seeks finance adviser's intervention to get $900m dues

India's Adani Power Limited (APL) has sought Bangladesh Finance Adviser's intervention in expediting the process of settling its more than US$900 million worth of outstanding dues.Managing Director of the group Anil Sardana recently made a request in this regard in...

Project for textile jute mill named after Hasina to be scrapped

The interim government has finally decided to scrap the project to establish a specialised jute textile mill in Jamalpur, named after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose ouster resulted from a student-led mass movement last year.The Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation...

Funding projects unlocked from Indian LoC looks uncertain

Uncertainty shrouds the fate of 11 projects dropped from the Indian Line of Credit (LoC) as exploring new sources of funding stalls for incomplete exit formalities, sources said. The post-uprising government made the decision last March to unlock these projects...

How to ensure a transparent rice supply chain

Food on the plate is the very first thing people need every day, and with rice being the staple, its price is a matter of overriding concern for the general public. When rice prices soar, the poor and low-income people...

The lights must not go out in Tehran

In depressing clarity, the rules-based international order we have long known or spoken of has been crumbling around us. As the ferocity of the attacks on Iran by Israel and the United States (US) has so conclusively shown, the world...

Can war and peace be two men's decision?

The world order, in terms of war and peace, presents a bizarre spectacle now. Nowhere is this exemplified more starkly than in the middle-east. As if the nearly two-year long genocidal attack by Israel in Gaza, killing more than fifty...

Investors dump shares in hefty losses, unmoved by lofty reforms

The number of beneficiary owner's (BO) accounts with zero share balance surged by 6.8 per cent in the past one year as many investors sold off their entire holdings amid persistent economic challenges and political tensions.The number of BO accounts...

Int'l flights to take off despite terminal woes, capacity crunch

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) plans to launch international flights at Cox's Bazar Airport in July despite the new terminal for international passenger handling still being under construction and not expected to be ready until December.Officials and aviation...

PC flags flaws in Tk 198b health projects

Two ambitious health-sector projects worth Tk 198.09 billion have hit a major scrutiny, as the Planning Commission (PC) has pushed back against their approval citing serious procedural and financial gaps. Concerns range from the 'absence of feasibility studies to vague...

IMF board okays $1.3b payout to BD

Bangladesh is receiving US$1.3 billion from the International Monetary Fund in its lending programme's latest two tranches trapped in unmet reform-related conditions as the IMF board finally nods the payout, sources said. Finance Division officials in Dhaka said the executive...