Reframing economic governance: from tax collection to wealth creation

Economic growth cannot be sustained merely through increasing taxes, tightening regulations, or expanding compliance requirements. True and sustainable national prosperity is created when entrepreneurs, businesses, industries, and productive sectors are enabled to grow, innovate, employ people, generate exports, and create...

Trump's not so triumphant visit to China

Unarguably, Donald Trump's just concluded visit to China has not been redolent of legendary veni, vidi, vici vintage. Some commentators have described it as a pathetic disaster and a landmark diplomatic faux pas the like of which has not been...

Call money rate exceeds 11pc

The inter-bank call-money rate crossed 11 per cent on Monday due mainly to increase in cash withdrawals from banks ahead of Eid-ul-Adha.The call money rate ranged between 9.95 per cent and 11.25 per cent on the day compared to that...

Qatar eyes BD workers in 4 sectors

Qatar has expressed its intent to recruit Bangladeshi workers for four technical sectors through five designated technical training centres (TTCs).The decision came following the seventh Bangladesh-Qatar Joint Committee meeting held at the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment in...

Furnace oil price hiked again

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has once again hiked the retail price of furnace oil, mainly used in power generation and industrial sectors, by Tk 18.85 per litre, reports bdnews24.comUnder the new directive, the price of a litre of...

Banks closed for 7 days during Eid

Scheduled banks across the country will remain closed for seven consecutive days - from May 25 to May 31 - on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, according to Bangladesh Bank (BB), reports UNB.The central bank issued a notification on Monday stating...

Fat-tailed sheep, known as dumba, are seen at the Popular Agro and Dairy Farm in Keraniganj on Monday

Fat-tailed sheep, known as dumba, are seen at the Popular Agro and Dairy Farm in Keraniganj on Monday ahead of Eid-ul-Azha as buyers visit the country's largest dumba farm where more than 400 animals, priced between Tk 100,000 and Tk...

Five more children die from measles, symptoms in 24 hrs

Five more children have died from measles and measles-like symptoms in the country in the past 24 hours until Monday 8:0am, taking the total casualties to 464 since mid-March this year, said health authorities. Of the total fatalities, 75 were...

April NBR revenues up marginally

The government's revenue authority saw only modest improvement in tax- collection growth in April, with receipts increasing by nearly 7.0 per cent year on year, underscoring the mounting pressure on the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to meet its ambitious...

PM to open Land Service Fair today

Land Minister Md. Mizanur Rahman Minu on Monday said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the "Land Service Fair-2026" on Tuesday (today) at Bhumi Bhaban in the capital's Tejgaon area.Speaking at a press conference at the conference room of the...

Agri absorbs more workers as manufacturing slows

Bangladesh's agricultural sector has re-emerged as a major source of employment since 2017 as the manufacturing sector lost momentum and shed workers, according to a latest World Bank (WB) study.Around seven out of every 10 new jobs created during the...

Planners oppose expensive BRT demolition, suggest bailout

FE REPORT Leading urban planners oppose the recommendation by a BUET expert team to shut down the much-talked-about BRT project, arguing that completion would cost far less than demolition. They estimate the dismantling of the massive structure would require between...

WB nods addl $350m for BD LNG imports

The World Bank (WB) has approved an additional US$350 million in financing to help Bangladesh import liquefied natural gas (LNG) and strengthen the country's energy security amid global market volatility.The fund is being provided as additional financing for the Energy...

Eid-ul-Azha to be celebrated on May 28

Bangladesh will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on May 28 as the crescent moon of the Islamic month of Zilhajj was sighted in the sky over Cox's Bazar on Monday.The National Moon Sighting Committee announced the decision after a meeting held at the...

Near-impossible revenue challenge amid mounting debt, say experts

Bangladesh's proposed budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 faces a "near-impossible revenue challenge" amid mounting debt obligations, subsidy pressures, and growing political commitments, speakers warned at a pre-budget dialogue on Monday.The dialogue, titled "National Budget 2026-27: Political Promises and Citizen...

Stalemate prevails over loan-release negotiations

Government negotiations with the International Monetary Fund on the release of next tranches of its US$5.5-billion credit programme couldn't make tangible progress, sources say, prompting IMF rethink.After returning home from Washington, DC, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury in a...

Ambitious ADP holds huge block allocations

Government's highest economic-policy body Monday endorsed an ambitious Tk3.0-trillion annual development programme (ADP) for the upcoming fiscal year with nearly one-third of the money earmarked as block allocations.Economists forewarn that such huge block allocations could create room for misuse of...

Lankan conglomerate bets on Bangladesh's services market

Sri Lankan conglomerate Softlogic Group plans to enter Bangladesh's services sector with the acquisition of a life-insurance company and a hospital to begin with.Chairman of the group Ashok Pathirage told The Financial Express on Monday about initial progress they have...

Shwapno brings mega offer ahead of Eid-ul-Adha

With Eid-ul-Adha approaching, the country's largest retail chain Shwapno has introduced its "Eid Mega Offer" to make festive shopping more affordable, convenient, and accessible.Under the campaign, Shwapno Online and its official mobile application are offering discounts of up to 55...

SBAC Bank joins BB's Tk 30 billion CMSME cluster fund--

SBAC Bank joins BB's Tk 30 billion CMSME cluster fundSBAC Bank PLC has signed an agreement to participate in the Bangladesh Bank Refinance Fund of Tk 30.00 billion to the Cluster Financing Scheme for the CMSME sector, aimed at accelerating...

Citizens Bank holds training on Islamic banking operations

Citizens Bank holds training on Islamic banking operations Citizens Bank arranged a training programme on Islamic banking operations at its Training Academy recently. Alamgir Hossain, Managing Director of the bank, inaugurated the event as the chief guest and delivered an...

Trust Bank signs deals with BB for two refinance schemes

Trust Bank PLC has signed two agreements for refinance schemes initiated by Bangladesh Bank to support the development of CMSME clusters and MSMEs across the country.The signing ceremony presided over by Nurun Nahar, Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank, was held...

Excessive reliance on indirect taxes pushing up inflation: Speakers

Excessive dependence on indirect taxes is placing an additional financial burden on the public through inflationary pressure as well as discouraging investment growth, speakers at a discussion on Monday said.Keeping this in view, they suggested bringing massive structural reform, digitisation...

BRAC Bank leads low-interest loan disbursement

BRAC Bank and the participating banks have extended instant loan facilities to marginalised farmers and smallholder traders in Sirajganj under Bangladesh Bank's refinancing scheme for Tk 10/50/100 account holders. Under the guidance of Bangladesh Bank's Financial Inclusion Department, BRAC Bank,...

High taxes fuelling illicit tobacco market: Experts

FE REPORTThe government continues to lose revenue due to the growth of the illicit tobacco market amid higher tax rates, said researchers at a programme on Monday. The purposes of the higher taxes on cigarettes are to generate revenue and...

Transport ministry seeks Tk 4.0b grant to procure 100 EVs for BRTC

REZAUL KARIMThe road transport and bridges ministry has sought a Tk 4.0 billion grant from the finance ministry to procure 100 electric buses for the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) fleet.The move is aimed at developing an environmentally friendly and...

'Ucchash Card' of IPDC brings new dimension

IPDC Finance PLC has officially launched "IPDC Ucchash Cards," a new customer privilege platform designed to provide exclusive lifestyle benefits, special discounts, and value-added experiences for its customers.The newly introduced card is non-payment and non-credit privilege card that enables IPDC...

Guests attend a programme titled 'Bangladesh Development Update: Special Focus - A Business Environment

Guests attend a programme titled 'Bangladesh Development Update: Special Focus - A Business Environment that Delivers Jobs' at the PRI conference room on Monday. PRI Chairman Dr Zaidi Sattar and senior economist at the World Bank Dr Dhruv Sharma were...

Death anniv of Mujib-Rabeya Rahman today

Today (May 19) is the sixth death anniversary of Md. Majibur Rahman Patwary (87) and Rabeya Begum (73), parents of Md. Anowar Habib Kazal, senior assistant director (public relations) of Daffodil International University. They died of Covid-19 on this day...

JU students block Dhaka-Aricha Highway

JU CorrespondentStudents of the Jahangirnagar University (JU) blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway on Monday afternoon, expressing resentment over the law-enforcement agencies' failure to arrest the suspect involved in the attempted rape of a female student.Under the banner of the Jahangirnagar University...