Bangladesh-India trade relations

India and Bangladesh have good but unevenly balanced trade relations. India is Bangladesh’s second-largest trading partner after China, and Bangladesh has become one of India’s top export markets in recent years. Two-way trade was about $14 billion in the 2023-24...

Tk 9.81b proposal to be sent back over high costs

After four failed projects over the past decade aimed at eliminating hazardous child labour, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has proposed a new Tk 9.81 billion project to withdraw 0.1 million children from labour and ensure their rehabilitation.The "Child...

May Day: the continuity of human struggle

It is May Day. In these difficult times for the world, for nations almost everywhere, it is a day when those who suffer in a multitude of ways must be talked about. It is a day to speak of the...

Emerging technologies and equitable work conditions in Bangladesh

May Day, or International Workers' Day, began with the struggle for an eight-hour workday and safer job conditions in 1886 Chicago. Over a century later, it still symbolises workers' rights and dignity. Many countries including Bangladesh have made economic progress,...

Old advice in new package of "action plan" to calm market

An "immediate action plan" of the securities regulator has coincided with the suspension of its 21 officials in a seemingly calculated move to contain negative impacts of the punitive action on the equity market. A press release issued by the...

May Day and a call for labour reforms

May Day, also known as International Workers' Day, is a day of recognition and solidarity with the global labour movement. Celebrated annually on May 1st, it honours the enduring struggles and vital contributions of working people worldwide. It stands as...

CAAB goes slow in setting up APIS

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is making slow progress in implementing the "Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS)" at the country's international airports, despite its critical importance in preventing criminals, human traffickers, and smugglers.Initiated in 2016, the project remains...

Fishing in Kaptai Lake banned for 3 months

CHATTOGRAM, Apr 29: The government authorities have imposed a three-month ban on fishing in Kaptai Lake in Rangamati district.According to an official statement, the restriction will remain in force from May 1 to July 31.Meanwhile, local administration has been directed...

RADP fund cut may hit roadwork hard

The interim government is economising development spending, which is likely to hit road development badly as allocations for the sector in the FY25 revised annual development programme (RADP) have been reduced by 39.97 per cent. Besides, the sector's FY26 allocation...

High production of food items leads to fall in price

As prices of onion and potato were high last year, farmers increased their cultivation this year. This has resulted in low prices, according to stakeholders on the ground. The price of eggs also fell, because farmers increased egg production in...

LDC graduation: Bilateral partnership agreements can mitigate loss of preferential access

Graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status to a developing nation is a new milestone in the development journey of Bangladesh. Upcoming graduation in November 2026 is a testimony of the strides that Bangladesh has made over the decades in...

Trump's reciprocal tariff: a threat to global multilateral trading system

US President Donald Trump on April 2, 2025, announced a new 'Reciprocal Tariff' policy designed to revitalise the American industrial base, reduce trade imbalances, and protect domestic jobs. The policy introduced a two-tiered tariff structure: a universal 10 per cent...

Despite police actions, easy bikes running illegally in Ctg

CHATTOGRAM, Apr 28: Over 20,000 battery-run autorickshaws are plying illegally with mostly stolen electricity, causing accidents and traffic congestion in Chattogram, despite recent police efforts to ban them.The vehicles, locally known as 'Easy Bike' and 'Tom-Tom', are running on almost...

No new mass transit in Dhaka, nearby areas until 2045

The capital and its surrounding areas are unlikely to get any new mass- transit services, including metro, subway, and circular train, over the next 20 years, as per the final Strategic Transport Plan (STP) 2025 draft. The STP, being revised...

Refrigerator, AC making poised for redoubled VAT

Local manufacturers of air-conditioners and refrigerators are likely to see a twofold hike in value-added tax (VAT) in the upcoming fiscal year, under government plans for raising revenues.Also poised for coming under higher taxation the local manufacturers of mobile-phone handset,...

Rickshaws of Dhaka city

In the crowded streets of Dhaka, rickshaw is an essential nuisance. A frail, three-wheeled rickshaw, pedaled by a driver who may be in his early twenties or even late sixties and hurling abuse at another rickshaw driver pedalling past him...

Iran should go nuclear to stop Israel

Three rounds of high level indirect talks on Iran's nuclear program have taken place in Muscat and Rome since 12 April, between America and Iran, with Oman as mediator, with the outcomes of the talks shrouded in secrecy. The background...

Revenue harnessing at risk as NBR officials find legal flaws

Splitting tax authority under the newly framed ordinance may put tax-revenue mobilisation in jeopardy as revenue officials say they have found numerous major flaws in the draft law.Even the proposed ordinance is not aligned with the National Board of Revenue...

Government may go frugal on incentive, subsidy handouts

Finance authorities may go frugal on subsidy and incentive handouts in the new budget as the interim government walks a tightrope in making two ends meet in current domestic and global economic realities. Officials say as the government is calculating...

How does BRAC Bank achieve outstanding deposit growth?

BRAC Bank PLC has achieved impressive deposit growth, recording a 35 per cent compound annual growth rate over the past three years-significantly outperforming the industry average of 7.5 per cent. Notably, branches contributed 75 per cent of this growth, said...

Market needs immediate actions, not endless debates: Experts

There is a notable overlap between terms of references (ToRs) set for two separate reform committees of the country's capital market, posing a question as to whose recommendations will get priority during enforcement. Also, there are too many ToRs to...

Developing roadmap for MSMEs' digital transformation

Digital transformation is the transition of process-flow from manual to digital intervention in enterprise management. The world economy is moving towards embracing the digital transformation in every sphere of business practices. The majority of business entities in the global market...

Threat to Padma Bridge posed by river erosion

The embankment built to protect the Padma Bridge project area is under severe threat, according to a report carried in a contemporary. A two-kilometre segment of the embankment at Jajira point of Shariatpur has started experiencing river erosion. The river...

Is water war in the offing?

Shorter winter followed by prolonged summer marked by heatwaves with the level of mercury rising over 40 degrees centigrade has become a new normal. The congested cities like Dhaka with receding greenery and advancing concrete cover, are turning into veritable...

Mamun Agro anticipates transfer to main boards despite financial flaws

Mamun Agro Products looks to move to the main boards of the bourses from SME boards though its latest financial statement exposed the weaknesses in its business operation. Its auditor has already given qualified opinions over its financial statement for...

BD convinces IMF to reduce addl revenue target by Tk170b

The government has successfully convinced the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to relax its ambitious tax revenue mobilization target for the National Board of Revenue (NBR).The IMF has agreed to cut down the additional tax revenue collection target by Tk 170...

Why young achievers still doubt themselves

Do you feel like a character in the "Among Us" game, where at any moment someone will hit the emergency meeting button and scream, "You don't belong here!"? Or, maybe, after you have landed the job or secured the degree,...

How to create a robust pitch deck for VCs

In recent years entrepreneurs have discovered that passion and vision alone rarely open investor wallets. Venture capitalists now insist on evidence of sustainable unit economics, demonstrable product market fit and a clear grasp of regulatory requirements before they commit capital....

Protecting basic rights of the poor, their children

The World Bank's Bangladesh Development Update, released on April 24, painted a gloomy picture of Bangladesh's economic outlook, warning of rising poverty, deepening inequality, and slowing growth. It indicates that an additional 3 million people may fall into extreme poverty...

Trade diversion may benefit LDCs

Global trade is going through a turbulent year due to United States (US) President Donald Trump's tariff coupled with policy uncertainty. Least Developed Countries (LDC), especially export-oriented ones like Bangladesh, will face severe repercussions due to their concentration of trade...