Apparel sector undergoes major restructuring

During the pre-Rana Plaza period, firms usually maintained physical and social compliances taking into account the national rules as well as the guideline followed by buyers/brands/retailers under their codes of conduct (CoCs). Usually, these codes of conduct are partially compliant...

Ensuring a better deal for farmers

Media reports have it that boro is sold below its production cost this season. While cost of production of a metric tonne of boro was around Tk 20,000 on an average, its market price is Tk13,500 now. Excessive cultivation and...

Compliance in RMG sector and GSP

Bangladesh is in great shock and suffering deep frustration after Obama administration announced on June 29 that it was not among the countries that had been granted GSP facility till December 2017. The trade facility under which duty on exports...

India\\\'s falling exports worry businesses

An awful question that hovers around India's economy:  Is it a reasonable prediction that China's Yuan devaluation will further strain India's already-falling exports? In July 2015, India's merchandise exports contracted for the eighth consecutive month after marking an annual drop...

Export growth of Bangladesh: Do we know the determinants?

Export growth of Bangladesh suffered a fairly dramatic deceleration in the fiscal year 2014-15 (FY 15). The growth rate plummeted to 3.3 per cent - the lowest since FY 02 when there was a negative growth. The deceleration is viewed...

Stocks break three-day losing streak

Stocks returned to green on Tuesday, after remaining down in the three consecutive sessions as late buying pressure helped to close the market higher. DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went up by 41.26 points or...

DSE, CSE up at opening

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) saw positive trend in early hour of trading on Tuesday amid marginal volatility, the third session of the week. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, went up by...

Forex reserves cross $26b mark

Country's foreign exchange (forex) reserves crossed US$26-billion mark Monday for the first time largely due to lower import-payment pressure on the economy, officials said. The reserves of the international trading currency amounted to $26.03 billion on the day, setting a...

BB to use latest IT tools to inspect banks

The central bank has decided to intensify its drive against irregularities in the country's banking sector by using latest information technology (IT) systems in inspection work.    Officials said the decision was taken at a coordination meeting among the senior officials...

BB to use latest IT tools to inspect banks

The central bank has decided to intensify its drive against irregularities in the country's banking sector by using latest information technology (IT) systems in inspection work.    Officials said the decision was taken at a coordination meeting among the senior officials...

Plan to erect IT parks in six closed state firms

The government plans to build industrial parks on the sites of half a dozen state-owned enterprises, officials said. They said industrial or IT parks will be established under private initiative if the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) fails to reopen...

Profits of fuel & power companies up

Profits of most of the listed fuel and power companies increased in the January-June period in 2015 compared to the same period a year ago as profit margins of large-cap companies of the sector increased significantly. Of the total 18...

Apparel sector suffers from poor standard of compliance

Despite significant economic upgrading in the apparel value chain, social upgrading remains weak in most of the supplying countries. As one of the major sources of global apparels, Bangladesh's apparel sector is no exception. Usually, different social issues in the...

Reminiscing Bangabandhu

August 15, 1975 stains our nation's calendar pitilessly. On this day, the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was brutally killed along with his family members, save two, by military adventurers abetted by self-seeking unconscionable politicians. The gory...

The economics of crime

Our heart fills with joy upon hearing the news of 'Tigers' winning in the game of cricket, or the country elevating itself to middle-income status, but it aches upon seeing  the newspaper headlines that  carry series of harrowing and gruesome...

Corruption, politicisation breeding violence

Interestingly, three different stories hogged the newspaper headlines on the same day last week concerning interference in the law enforcement agencies, discrimination breeding violence and politicisation plaguing transportation system - all emphasising on what has become a social phenomenon.  Top...

Changing land use in rural areas

Under the supervision of eminent economist Dr Mahabub Hossain, households in 62 villages, randomly selected, were surveyed four times (1988, 2000, 2008 and 2014). It helped generate longitudinal panel data at household level to serve as the most credible and...

Win-win situation for Iran on the nuclear deal

The Republicans with a few Democrats in the US Congress are opposing the Iran nuclear deal through which the latter has committed itself not only not to pursue any nuclear weapons programme for the next fifteen years but also not...

Stocks extend losing spell for 3rd day

Stocks edged lower on Monday, extending the losing spell for the third sessions in a row, as late sale pressure wiped out early gains. DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went down further by 15.79 points...

DSE, CSE open optimistic

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed upward trend in early hour of trading on Monday, the second session of the week. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, went up by 34.42 points or...

DSE, CSE open optimistic

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed upward trend in early hour of trading on Monday, the second session of the week. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, went up by 34.42 points or...

FDI makes upturn in FY15 after a drop

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flow into the country registered a rise last fiscal by official count although there had been a little fall in it during the past calendar year. Provisional estimation, as revealed in the central bank's latest balance-of-payments...

Profits of many general ins cos down

Profits in most of the general insurance companies tumbled in the first-half (January-June) of the year compared to the same period a year-ago, due mainly to political unrest. Industry insiders said the political turbulence prompted businesses to take a 'wait-and-see'...

Dutch investment in deep seaports likely

The Netherlands has expressed its interest to invest in the development of deep seaports in Bangladesh, officials said. "Building upon good friendship, common interest and long-term cooperation between our countries, the Netherlands is very willing to work with the government...

Post-2015 development agenda: Implementation challenges

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were a universal pledge to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity, and free the world from extreme poverty and hunger. The MDGs, with eight goals and a set of 21 measurable time-bound...

DTH television: Stimulating electronic communications in Bangladesh

Although high-tech gadgets have evolved over the past decades, television remains one of the primary media of electronic communications around the world. The situation is indifferent even in Bangladesh where few options are open to its 'entertainment-hungry' population. Hence, Bangladeshi...

When delay produces undue dividends

That yet another request for extending the time for completing the all-important four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway would be made soon by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) was quite expected. The expectation or fear, whatever one likes to call it, has...

Restoration of US-GSP

Bangladesh will propose restoration of GSP (Generalised System of Preferences) facility in the 10th ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) scheduled   to be held in Nairobi from December 15 to 18. Representatives from 160 countries will attend this...

Stocks edge lower amid sluggish turnover

Stocks edged marginally lower for the second running session on Sunday with turnover dipping below Tk 6.0 billion-mark again as investors were cautious. The market opened with a downward trend which sustained till closure of the market amid modest volatility....

DSE, CSE down at opening

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) saw downward trend in early hour of trading on Sunday (Aug 16), the first session of the week. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, went down by 10.10...