China\\\'s multilateral financial mobilization

The board of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) recently approved China's application to join - an application a decade in the making - and sent it on to member governments for final approval. But EBRD membership is...

Foreign direct investment: Bangladesh perspective

Depending on how a country positions itself, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) may remain a myth or it can become a reality. Being a third world country is no barrier to FDI, but third world behaviour pattern is certainly a hindrance...

Slamming the door in the face of refugees

More than 250,000 people have died since the violence broke out in Syria in 2011, and at least 11 million people in the country of 22 million have fled their homes. Syrians are now the world's largest refugee population, according...

A tribute to a Freedom Fighter

I deeply mourn the death of my youngest paternal uncle (chotto kaka) who breathed his last on  November 21, 2015 (wa inna ilayhi raji'un). He is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters, grandchildren and a host of friends...

Leathertech fair begins today

A three day ‘Leathertech Bangladesh-2015’ kicks off today (Thursday) in the city to display leather related technology including machinery, chemical and accessories. The third edition of the show will take place at International Convention City Bashundhara in the city organised...

DSE starts on positive note

The Dhaka Stock Exchange started on a positive note in the early hours on Wednesday – the 4th session of the week. After the first one-and-half hours’ of trading, DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, rose 0.15 per cent...

What does handicap the ACC most?

Incumbent chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) M Badiuzzaman has found the watchdog very much understaffed, in terms of its ability to perform the role of an anti-graft authority of a country having a population of 160 million. Speaking at...

GB gets tax waiver for five years

Grameen Bank (GB) got tax waiver for the next five years as the National Board of Revenue (NBR) decided Tuesday to extend the facility from January 2016. The NBR in a board meeting took the decision as the ongoing tax-exemption...

Banks now can invest max Tk 2.0b in spl instruments

Country's commercial banks now can invest maximum Tk 2.0 billion in some instruments like Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), officials said. The central bank issued a circular Tuesday to this effect, paving the way for circulating...

Contract with Japanese JV today on Dhk-Ctg highway bridges

The government signs a Tk 53.99 billion contract with a joint venture Japanese (JV) company today (Wednesday) on construction of three new bridges on the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor along with rehabilitation of old bridges for improving capacity of the country's main...

Govt\\\'s help needed for agri market development

Both large and small market players should work together with government support for an inclusive agricultural market development, experts said Tuesday at a seminar. They also observed that three basic approaches need to be followed by the government in support...

DSE, CSE open higher

Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed upward trend in early hour of trading on Tuesday after previous day’s marginal correction. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, went up by 18.19 points or 0.39 per cent...

NBR launches yet another survey to net in new taxpayers

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has started its door-to-door survey to find out 3,20,000 new taxpayers in the current fiscal year (FY). Data gathered from both internal and external sources including the City Corporation would be taken into account....

Govt orders action against FIs of Jamaat, Shibir

The government has now ordered action against financial institutions (FIs) controlled by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the beleaguered party's front organisation  Shibir, officials said. They informed that the Banks and Financial Institutions Division (BFID) under the Ministry of Finance (MoF) forwarded...

Observer in BKB appointed

The central bank has appointed one more observer to another state-owned specialised bank for improving its financial health through ensuring corporate governance, officials said. Bangladesh Bank (BB) has assigned its General Manager Shah Alam to oversee the board of directors'...

Site selected for second Karnaphuli rail-road bridge

Bangladesh Railway (BR) has taken a move to construct second railway bridge with road facility over the Karnaphuli river, as a site some 80 metres upstream of the existing bridge in Kalurghat, Chittagong has been found feasible for it. Sources...

BR moves to meet progress target in ADP

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has taken moves to meet progress target in Annual Development Programme (ADP) for next quarter aiming at improving its image from a worse performer in the first quarter of the current fiscal year (FY). The performance...

Non-appointment of CTO keeps DSE smooth operations at bay

The securities regulator, the management of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), stock brokers and market traders expressed mixed opinion regarding the technical glitches occurred several times on the premier bourse. The DSE management said technical glitches occur more or less on...

Human rights and our ethnic communities

Bangladesh is largely ethnically homogeneous, and its name derives from the Bengali ethno-linguistic group which comprises 98 per cent of the population. The Chittagong Hill Tracts, Sylhet, Mymensing and the districts of North Bengal are home to diverse ethnic communities....

Climate change: Technology transfer to LDCs

Climate change and environmental degradation are certainly the overriding issues of the 21st century. Climate change affects a host of human rights. Rising surface temperatures and projected increases in vector-borne diseases implicate the rights to health, food and life. Changes...

Remittance and poverty reduction

Inflow of remittances has been a catalyst in poverty alleviation. Today remittance accounts for about one-tenths of our GDP (gross domestic product). Studies on overseas employment should obviously get a special focus in ongoing research. More than macro-level data, the...

Financing to meet climate change

Given the gravity of the crisis it is most likely that the COP-21 (Conference of Parties) scheduled to be held in Paris on November 30 will not be postponed in spite of the shock and horror caused by the recent...

Human rights and our ethnic communities

Bangladesh is largely ethnically homogeneous, and its name derives from the Bengali ethno-linguistic group which comprises 98 per cent of the population. The Chittagong Hill Tracts, Sylhet, Mymensing and the districts of North Bengal are home to diverse ethnic communities....

Financing to meet climate change

Given the gravity of the crisis it is most likely that the COP-21 (Conference of Parties) scheduled to be held in Paris on November 30 will not be postponed in spite of the shock and horror caused by the recent...

Climate change: Technology transfer to LDCs

Climate change and environmental degradation are certainly the overriding issues of the 21st century. Climate change affects a host of human rights. Rising surface temperatures and projected increases in vector-borne diseases implicate the rights to health, food and life. Changes...

Remittance and poverty reduction

Inflow of remittances has been a catalyst in poverty alleviation. Today remittance accounts for about one-tenths of our GDP (gross domestic product). Studies on overseas employment should obviously get a special focus in ongoing research.  More than macro-level data, the...

Stocks open higher amid hartal

Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed steep rise in early hour of trading on Monday despite day-long shutdown enforced by Jamaat-e-Islami. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, soared 49.66 points or 1.08 per cent to...

Observers asked to ensure discipline in SoCBs\\\' lending

The newly appointed observers to four state-owned commercial banks (SoCBs) have been asked to ensure due diligence on part of the bank managements in loan sanctioning to plug the loopholes. Officials said such instructions were made at a meeting held...

BSC seeks to bend procurement rules

The state-run Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) finds PPR or public procurement rules clumsy and seeks immunity for quicker purchase of old or yard-ready vessels. However, planning authorities stand opposed. Officials said the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the...

Govt starts fuel-oil import talks with 13 cos in S\\\'pore

The government has started negotiations with 13 international companies for importing about 3.0 million tonnes of fuel-oils (gas oil, jet fuel, kerosene) to meet the country's demand in 2016, officials said. A high-powered official delegation is now in Singapore to...