Why are so many expatriates dying abroad?

Remittance inflow hit a record high of US$3.29 billion in March, marking 65 per cent year-on-year increase compared to the same period last year. However, behind the glossy figures lies a grim reality: when juxtaposed with a growing procession of...

Rising risk of Indo-Bangla trade retaliations

The government withdrew restrictions on yarn imports from India through the land ports around two decades ago. Earlier, the restriction had been imposed on the pretext of infrastructure weakness, smuggling, and tax evasion at the land ports. The ban, effected...

Structural, policy flaws clip pvt airlines' wings

Notwithstanding some infrastructural development in Bangladesh's aviation sector over the decades, local airlines have been struggling to achieve sustainability for reasons that include policy flaws and cost escalation. Officials say at least eight airlines that entered the market have been...

Premium default begets claim-payment crisis in general insurance

Premium default begets claim-settlement crisis in general insurance that prompts the state-owned Sadharan Bima Corporation (SBC) to reinvent legal instrument to realise reinsurance premiums from private insurance companies, officials said. From the current treaty year (April-March) in the insurance business,...

Ways to ensure sustainable work environment

Labour unrest is a persistent issue in Bangladesh's industrial sector. It is particularly prevalent in the garment industry and other production-oriented sectors, posing a significant challenge to industrial productivity and the economy. Addressing this issue requires a strategic and humane...

In search of the elusive compatibility

If natural selection has gone into the survival of the living organisms through a process of adaptation and change relative to a particular environment, compatibility between individuals with variations in traits should also play a part in continuation of life...

The green gold of BD: a sustainable investment opportunity

In an era where sustainability is no longer optional but essential, bamboo has emerged as a versatile, eco-friendly, and economically viable resource. Known as "green gold," bamboo is fast becoming a cornerstone of global sustainable development. With its rapid growth,...

From fear to trust

During Sheikh Hasina's sixteen-year reign of despotism, nearly every institution in Bangladesh suffered severe degradation.Bureaucrats, politicians, businessmen, law enforcement agencies, bankers, and even the media-all succumbed to systemic corruption and decay, albeit, some more readily than others. Yet none disgraced...

Korea now offers Tk 449.23m maintenance grant

Bangladesh Railway (BR) is struggling with 30 substandard class 3000 locomotives imported from Korea, with nearly half of them often out of service due to technical issues and a shortage of spare parts.To address the ongoing faulty locomotive maintenance crisis,...

No sign of taming inflation and getting at the root of problems

In this country what the businesses demand, they get and they get it at the cost of the consumers. The public are a disparate lot and in the absence of a unified platform, their demands are met with indifference. Contrary...

BIDA sees gas tariff hike as 'discriminatory'

The investment promotion authority found the recent gas tariff hike as 'discriminatory' for new investors and apprehended that it would put an adverse impact on its ongoing efforts to attract new investment.The hike just after the investment summit would 'undoubtedly'...

Karnaphuli Tunnel’s daily losses hit Tk 1.2m amid low traffic

Almost a year and a half since its inauguration, the Karnaphuli Tunnel continues to incur huge losses due to much lower traffic than the estimation amid a lack of initiatives to implement the "one city, two towns" concept. According to...

Govt plans to dig deeper into existing gas fields

The Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) is set to implement two development projects worth Tk 9.11 billion to reduce import dependence by tapping into domestic mineral resources. One project titled 'Drilling of Two Deep Exploration Wells at the Titas...

BB to start buyback in FY '26, asks PDs to get ready

The central bank has asked the primary dealer (PD) banks to prepare for the buyback arrangement of the government securities (G-Sec) from the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2025-26).The instruction came at a quarterly tripartite meeting held at the Bangladesh Bank...

IMF may disburse $1.14b in twin tranches

Bangladesh may receive US$1.14 billion in two instalments together from a package loan extended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), finance officials expect as a latest review of the lending terms concludes.An announcement to this effect will be given today...

Gas price hike couldn't come at a worse time

The government's decision to raise gas prices for new industries by an average of 33 per cent, defying strong opposition from industrialists and business leaders, is being widely criticised for a multitude of reasons. First of all, the industrial gas...

The sartorial in political leaders

Of late much has been made of the less than elegant appearance of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House during his meeting with US President Donald Trump. The meeting, which quickly degenerated into a verbal joust, with Trump...

Banks' deposit, pvt credit growth falls due to high inflation

The growth of overall bank deposits decelerated in February 2025, following weaker credit growth in the private sector, officials said.The aggregate deposit growth in the country's banking system came down to 7.88 per cent in February 2025 from 8.29 per...

Investment summit ushers in a paradigm shift

The four-day Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 concluded recently with a blend of optimism, critical reflections and strong participation from global and local stakeholders. While not every expectation was met, the commitment to delivering a summit of global standards remained at...

Bangladesh economy in transition

Unarguably, Bangladesh economy pivoted into transition after the regime that was in power for over a decade and a half was ousted violently, leaving little by way of continuity in economic policy making. Restructuring and re-configuring the shattered financial sector...

Pvt off-dock investors allowed to handle 12 more imported goods at Ctg port

The government has allowed private off-dock investors to handle 12 more imported goods in Chittagong Port.Currently, some 19 private off-docks are allowed to transfer, unstuff and deliver 38 imported goods while they release all of the export goods.The long-cherished demand...

Foreign investors exit equity market as fresh concerns replace optimism

Foreign investors have retreated from Bangladesh's equity market once again over persistent economic challenges and political uncertainties after signs of a return following political changeover in August last year. Economic reform measures taken by the interim government gave rise to...

Bangla calendar and Pahela Boishakh

Life is a ceaseless voyage over time – from the cradle to the grave; but the starting point of the cosmic phenomenon called time is still a mystery. Some people claim that it started with the big bang of creation....

Old wine in a new bottle won't do

The showdown between two groups of the same political party at Milonghat ferry point of the river Bangshi in Savar exposes the prevalence of the degenerative politics for which the country has paid through its nose. Ever since the ouster...

Investors want to see positive change

If economic growth and creation of jobs for close to the projected 4.0 million unemployed people in Bangladesh in 2025 are to be the primary concern for the policymakers, then the recently held investors' summit in Dhaka bears special significance....

Japanese consortium set for operation, maintenance job

A Japanese consortium is likely to get operation and maintenance work of the newly-built third terminal of the country's prime international airport for 15 years as the preliminary bid discussion went on successfully.However, the consortium is likely to monitor Biman...

25 dev projects lined up for foreign funding

The Economic Relations Division (ERD) under the Ministry of Finance is set to host a meeting of the "foreign assistance search committee" today to finalise foreign funding for 25 development projects proposed for inclusion in the Annual Development Programme (ADP)...

AB Bank boosts focus on SMEs, retail banking

AB Bank PLC plans more focus on SMEs and retail banking, aiming to strengthen its ongoing financial inclusion initiative and bring more unbanked people into the banking system, the bank's top executive has said."We'll prioritise SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises),...

Shaping up the future of business leadership

The Islamic University of Technology (IUT) hosted one of the most prestigious national business case competitions-SMC Plus Presents BizNation 2.0 recently. Organised by IUT Career and Business Society (IUT CBS), the event brought together some of the most promising young...

Stop encroachment of playgrounds

Every afternoon, children from Old Dhaka's Lakshmibazar neighbourhood would gather in the area's only playground-a small open space amid a concrete jungle-to play and get a breath of fresh air. But on March 20, a local resident named Habibur Rahman...