Taming inflation: hard choices to be made

The persistent inflation crisis remains a major pressure point as far as managing the Bangladesh economy in the current context. This is evident through surge in prices observed since June 2020, following the onset of the pandemic. Despite minor fluctuations,...

Dengue, a rising public health concern

Reports have it that in 24 hours till Sunday (May 28) morning, 67 dengue patients were hospitalised across the country. What is of concern here is that, of those dengue patients, the overwhelming number of the cases (58) were from...

VAT waiver likely on collection of waste cotton, jhut

The government may offer tax benefits to the local textile spinning mills on collection of waste cotton and jhut (clips) for production of recycled fibre in the upcoming budget for fiscal year 2023-24.Currently, there is a 15 per cent VAT...

BBA lists 80 big infrastructure pieces

Bangladesh has initially identified around 80 large pieces of communication infrastructure for accommodation in an under-formulation master plan to be implemented by 2050 for ensuring seamless and alternative connectivity across the country.Bridges, tunnels, elevated expressways, etc. are included in the...

Fiscal balance of Bangladesh: six key areas of policy interests

The fiscal framework of Bangladesh has shown signs of considerable stress all through the ongoing fiscal year (FY23). This has been manifested in, inter alia, subdued growth in revenue mobilisation, slow implementation of the annual development programme (ADP), and increased...

Database of third gender alone will not do

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have prepared a database of the third gender which comprises mainly those called hijras and other variants within its fold such as eunuchs, intersex and transgender people living in the capital city. A total of...

Reducing government borrowing

The government's borrowing from the Bangladesh Bank (BB) went as high as Tk743.93 billion until last month (April). Economists have been expressing their concerns over such borrowing from the BB since the beginning of this calendar year. As the central...

From Hiroshima, with love?

French New Wave film exponent Alain Renais’s classic film ‘Hiroshima, My Love’ was about love and peace. Ironically, the recently concluded G- 7 summit held at Hiroshima was anything but. On the contrary, it exulted in confrontational rhetoric and sabre...

Why cheap loans for investments are not cheap enough

Both investors and market intermediaries do not see margin loans as an investment opportunity even after the securities regulator relaxed rules for injecting borrowed money into stocks. That is not because of the market being bearish for long. Rather, the...

Saudi company likely to operate Patenga Container Terminal

CHATTOGRAM, May 27: The Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT), a Saudi Arabian company, is likely to get the work as the operator of the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) as the government has finalised its decision...

Budget: Higher allocation, lower spending

Bangladesh is set to see its 52nd budget as the Finance Minister is expected to place it in the national parliament next Thursday with an even bigger figure of outlay of Tk 7.5 trillion. The proposed annual public spending for...

A concerted, coordinated effort must for macroeconomic management

The assessment of key macroeconomic correlates of Bangladesh being carried out by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) as part of its flagship Independent Review of Bangladesh Development (IRBD) programme comes at a crucial juncture in the country's development journey....

SPM work nearing completion

CHATTOGRAM, May 26: Construction of the Single Point Mooring (SPM) project in Cox's Bazar Moheshkhali area is reaching its final stages, with around 97 per cent of the project completed. The remaining work is expected to be finished by the...

Ctg customs miss revenue target amid declining imports

CHATTOGRAM, May 26: The Chattogram Customs House fell short of its revenue collection target during the first ten months of FY23, according to sources, as a decline in imports has been cited as one of the key reasons.The Chattogram customs...

China's leadership in the 'new world order'

Only the United States continues to dominate world politics after the fall of Soviet Union. After the fall of Great Russia, no other power has been able to come up against the United States in strength and cunning.China is making...

Socio-economic benefits of taxable marriages

Levying a tax on marriage gives a bad taste in the mouth. It is like spoiling a happy party. But when marriages are somehow questionable and at times a craze or just a fun game, perhaps no one, except the...

EZ investors likely to lose some baits

Investors in Bangladesh’s economic zones may lose some fiscal benefits as the government moves to ensure level playing field for the others who have invested outside the EZs.The budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY) may impose taxes on import...

A new dimension to campaign against dengue

It is a losing battle against dengue. If the year 2019 was the worst year in terms of dengue infection and death, this year's early signs are even more ominous. This is high summer, albeit interspersed with rains, and the...

Govt mulls trimming food subsidy with programme integration

The government is considering options to reduce its subsidy from the Food Friendly Programme (FFP) by cutting two-thirds of the volume of rice provided to beneficiaries, according to sources.Besides, there have been recommendations for the amalgamation of TCB's sales drives...

NBFIs see income diminish as they offer higher rates to depositors

Non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) had to narrow the gap between borrowing and lending rates to stay in business, which inevitably took away a major chunk of their profits in the January-March quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. This...

Hiroshima 2023 ... and power struggle in Pakistan

Things strange have lately been happening around the world. It all makes you wonder what could be going wrong, at least in the realm of politics and diplomacy. With all the consequences of climate change before us --- sudden floods,...

Dealing with politically-exposed persons in a financial system

Money laundering from Bangladesh poses a serious threat to the financial stability of the country. It exposes the weakness of our financial system in checking financial crimes, resulting in low credibility of the country’s financial system, in particular the banking...

Direct tax regime getting facelift

Bangladesh is getting a full-fledged income-tax law after 39 years from July with an updated direct-tax regime shifting government reliance on import taxes that make imported goods costlier.The changes in direct tax measures would come through ‘The Income Tax Law...

BSEC orders probe as Oimax share price surges 48pc in a month

The auditor of the Oimex Electrode gave qualified opinion on the company's financial statements for fiscal year (FY) 2022, saying that the liability amount of the company could not be confirmed due to non-availability of details of tax base.The auditor's...

Banishing protective duties begins with next budget

Industries ought to learn how to run sans tariff protection attuned with Bangladesh’s LDC graduation as banishing protective duties begins with the next budget, sources say, as probative taxing of imposts creates price distortions. They have said the government has...

Intraco expects yearly turnover to rise threefold after gas supply deal

Intraco Refueling Station is expected to see its annual turnover rise threefold as it begins to supply compressed natural gas (CNG) to industrial areas of Gazipur and Bhaluka in the next three to four months. It has already inked a...

Thai people's move to change

Last week's general election (held on May 14) in Thailand has sent a strong message across the region. The message is about change. And as the election result showed, it is the young voters of the country who promise to...

Bangladesh amid the worldwide de-dollarisation process

The world is going through a rapid transition in recent times, especially since the Russia-Ukraine war started. Europe is facing a devastating war experience for the first time since the end of World War II. From economic dominance to interstate...

Budgetary baits recommended for industries to recycle RMG waste

A package of fiscal facilities in the upcoming budget is recommended as imperative to enable emerging recycled cotton-fibre industries in Bangladesh to tap huge potential in apparel export, sources said.Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) has made the recommendation to...

Investors' increased appetite for insurance stocks beyond belief

Most insurers, especially non-life ones, have been flying on the Dhaka Stock Exchange for the last 15 trading sessions, achieving double digit price gains. The rally happened because of, insiders say, a rumour that motor vehicle insurance would be made...