Power Grid: Return from network expansion with foreign loans looks far off

Higher borrowings to expand transmission lines across the country are costing Power Grid more than expected, as the taka has kept losing value against the dollar, and that wiped out its profit in FY23. Its debt burden swelled 29 per...

Impostors and impersonators rule the roost

The news is that an additional deputy commissioner of the police invites a 'deputy director' at the national telecommunication monitoring centre for a tete-a-tete over a cup of tea because a visiting card bearing the latter's name was brought by...

Youths looking to improve existing order

A recent sample survey on the youths of the country has come up with some interesting, though not revealing, results. The results were not revealing in the sense that the survey outcome only confirmed the general perception of the people...

Shopping bags won't be a freebie!

Shopping bags in the country's supermarket outlets may be no longer a freebie as a move is well underway to put out feelers before charging for such tote bags.The Bangladesh Supermarket Owners Association in a recent meeting has decided to...

CU celebrates 57th founding anniversary

CHATTOGRAM, Nov 18: Chattogram University (CU) observed its 57th founding anniversary today (Saturday), commemorating the university's glorious inception on November 18, 1966. The CU authorities brought out a procession led by Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Shirin Akter on this...

Can SAFTA impasse be ended?

Economic cooperation among South Asian countries is primarily driven by increasing intra-regional trade. That's why, within less than a decade of signing the charter of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Dhaka, the member countries also decided...

Dhaka weighs option to transact with Yangon

Bangladesh is considering an option for resuming financial transactions with an alternative bank, UAB, of Myanmar following US sanctions on two commercial banks in the neighbouring country.As part of the process, sources said, commerce ministry has asked the Bangladesh Bank...

CEPA, anti-dumping duty, commodity quota top agenda

Opening talks on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), lifting anti-dumping duties on jute exports and India's allocation of annual quota for the export of essentials to Bangladesh are to dominate bilateral talks shortly, officials said.The imposition of export duties, abrupt...

A journey towards universal access

Health, in fact, is a fundamental human right, and it is the responsibility of the state to ensure this right of all its citizens. However, a critical examination reveals that not all South Asian governments are effectively ensuring this right...

The other side of deceptive season hemanta

The season hemanta comprising Kartik and Agrahayan on the Bangla calendar, usually cuts a low profile except for the harvest of Aman paddy and the popular agrarian festival Nabanna. It can be called an introvert season with little colour and...

Islamic finance in Southeast Asia: navigating the path to critical mass and growth

Islamic finance has been making significant strides in Southeast Asia, riding on the back of a sizable Muslim population and a burgeoning middle class. With Malaysia and Indonesia leading the charge, the region holds substantial potential for the expansion of...

BRT opening delayed by another year

Opening the first bus-based mass-transit corridor from Gazipur to Dhaka Airport has been delayed by another year, as officials have decided to cancel the tender to purchase buses for the 20-kilometre Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor over alleged irregularities in...

Kohinoor Chemical on growth path, while peers take a blow

Kohinoor Chemical stands out among its peers, with a 19 per cent year-on-year profit growth in FY23 driven by sales of finished goods of its well-known brands of soaps, cosmetics, and toiletries. On the other hand, five other companies that...

Exporters push for economic zone near Dhaka airport

Local exporters have sought a special economic zone near the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) for the sake of easier export of edible aquatic species such as live mud crab and eel fish, maintaining their standard and quality. The Bangladesh...

UN resolution on Gaza tragedy hardly serves any purpose

Is there none to stop this marauding Israel? The country created artificially on Palestinian land has proved it is a disgrace to human civilisation. But the wonder of wonders is that the Western powers including the United States of America...

Businesses fret over container terminal teething troubles

Slow progress in making the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) operational has disappointed the businesses as they could not reap its benefits despite completion of construction, industry-insiders have said.Construction of the container terminal, inaugurated by the Prime Minister on Tuesday, was...

Commercial train run on Dhaka-Cox's Bazar route begins on Dec 1

CHATTOGRAM, Nov 14: Commercial train run on the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar rail route will begin on December 01. Initially, the railway authorities decided to run two trains, one from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar via Chattogram and another from Chattogram to Cox's...

Exploring influence of AI and technological progressions

Especially amid the Covid-19 pandemic, we have observed shifts that substitute certain traditional HR tasks, compelling an adaptation to technological advancements. It resembles a butterfly effect, where even the slightest alterations can generate ripples, leading to a significant impact on...

Harmonious coexistence of profit and planet

In an era where the world is more conscious than ever, the clamor for sustainable practices to preserve our planet and protect humanity has reached a crescendo.In the last decade, Bangladesh has made rapid social and economic progress. The World...

The beauty of Westminster government

The Westminster form of government is often a surgical operation. And surgical operations are what efficient government is about. Governance is all about keeping the levers of government running in the interest of an entire nation.It is a truism which...

The good and the evil in Gaza war

Wars are known to throw up the good and the evil in men and women involved in or affected by it, directly or indirectly. Few wars have brought out these contrasting sides of human persona so starkly and consequentially as...

No scope for conflict of interest between income tax practitioners, agents

There is hardly any scope for conflict of interest between the income-tax practitioners and tax-return preparers (TRPs) as the latter are not authorised representatives of the taxpayers, taxmen said.The TRPs or tax agents are not entitled to attend hearings before...

Rail-based trade connectivity in BBIN region ahead

Moves get going on bolstering cross-border trade in BBIN region, and ultimately beyond, through rail connectivity as the World Bank has launched railway-ecosystem assessment. Officials say Bangladesh is being deemed as a major beneficiary of the train transit within this...

Defying global fall, edible oil refiners push for price hike

The country's edible-oil refiners have proposed a price review, citing the appreciation of the US dollar against the local-currency taka. However, market experts argue that the proposal is ill-timed due to recent declines in global edible-oil prices, which are around...

Chambers deplore economic cost of political unrest

Leading trade-promotion organisations deplore that the prolonged political impasse over polls is weighing on trade and economy, thus undermining Bangladesh's unfolding economic prospects.According to them, the blockade programmes are disrupting the supply chains largely by way of affecting movement of...

Struggles of newly married couples

Setting out on the path of marriage marks a significant milestone. Sharing your life with someone, creating a home, and nurturing a family is exciting and heartwarming. However, this beautiful phase often comes with its own challenges, especially when managing...

Business data & analytics for sustainable financing

Bank financing to business firms occupies the largest portion of total lending portfolio in Bangladesh. Non-Banking Financial Institutions (NBFIs) come next. The analysis of financing viability by financial institution at times seems to be ambiguous due to lack of industry-specific...

Banglalink ready for IPO, awaits favourable market conditions

Bangladesh's third-largest mobile operator Banglalink is fully ready to launch an initial public offering (IPO), but currently adopts a "wait-and-see" approach due mostly to current market conditions."The situation is not favourable right now," said Taimur Rahman, chief corporate and regulatory...

Higher asset class with poor financials raises questions about stock labelling

Zaheen Spinning has recommended only 0.25 per cent cash dividend for FY23 so that it can retain its status as 'B' stock. Having invested Tk 10 per share in Zaheen Spinning, a shareholder would get Tk 0.025 from the investment....

Sri Lanka’s full economic recovery will take time

After a year of the worst economic crisis in history, Sri Lanka's economy is struggling hard to recover from its deep wounds. Though there are some signs of recovery, it will take more time for obvious reasons.A leading economist of...