Govt seeks WHO support for early detection

The government has sought World Health Organisation (WHO) support in getting Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing regent, a chemical to test DNA and RNA, for early detection of the dreaded Ebola virus in anyone's body. Official sources said the process...

Profitability not the lone yardstick to judge performance, says NRB Bank MD

Newly launched NRB Bank Limited looks to be a 'global standard' bank by rendering technology-driven and quality financial services to both the local and non-resident Bangladeshi citizens.  "Within only one year of its operation, we have already been equipped with...

China rebuffs US efforts on South China Sea tensions

China appeared to rebuff pressure from the United States to rein in its assertive actions in the South China Sea on Sunday as Southeast Asian nations declined to overtly back Washington's proposal for a freeze on provocative acts. The lack...

Stocks close higher for 6th day

Stocks closed higher for the six consecutive sessions on Monday with turnover improved further as investors continued to take position on large cap stocks. The market started with an upbeat note and the upturn continued till the market closure. Eventually,...

Shahjibazar Power trading suspended

Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange have suspended share trading of Shahjibazar Power Company Ltd (SPCL) Monday for ‘unusual’ price hike of its shares.The trading suspension order of the company will continue until further notice, officials said. “Pursuant...

DSE, CSE up at opening

The prices of most of the shares on Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed upward trend in early hours of trading on Monday, maintaining the previous session’s positive trend. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE,...

NBFIs to submit online reports to BB on suspicious transactions

The central bank is set to bring the country's non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs) under its digital connectivity by the end of this month to help check money laundering, officials said. The Bangladesh Bank (BB) will sit with the officials of...

NBR in a fix over Dhaka DC\\\'s request

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) is in a dilemma over providing information to the Dhaka district administration about wealth of the owners of the collapsed Rana Plaza and five other garment factories, housed in the same building, due to...

Tapping the fisheries potential: Focus on marine resources

Bangladesh is a densely populated country with the size of 147,570 sq. km. and a population of 160 million people. It is fortunate in having extensive water resources in the form of ponds, natural depressions (haors and beels), lakes, canals,...

Love does triumph over death

"Till death do us part" is a traditional Christian marriage vow. Archaic enough, its original "Till death us do part" is even more archaic but a couple making the vow know for sure that they have expressed the sincerest desire...

Movement of restive money

Money is very restive in nature. It flows in and flows out very frequently and hardly sticks to one particular place. It usually rushes to activities and areas that offer higher return. This is what is now happening in the...

Ukraine crisis worsens as sanctions war heats up

The Ukraine crisis has worsened as the NATO alleges that Russia has deployed 20,000 troops along the border of Ukraine and Moscow has banned food import from the West. Fresh fighting has claimed several lives on both sides - Ukraine...

Bidding firms see red over extra terms and conditions

Both local and foreign firms participated in the bidding to install the 7.4 megawatt (mw) solar power plant at Kaptai have expressed their grievances over unnecessary terms and conditions that have discouraged participation of large firms. A bidder said that...

Govt moves to attain export target

The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has taken initiatives to achieve the export target of the current fiscal that include gearing up activities of country's missions abroad and market diversification to non-traditional markets. The government has set a target of merchandise...

Land scarcity puts a damper on investments

Land scarcity has emerged as a major barrier to local and foreign investments, officials and business leaders said. "A large numbers of entrepreneurs including local and joint venture companies have been seeking land at prime locations to go for fresh...

Seoul steps in to curb overstay of BD workers

South Korea has taken a set of measures to bring down illegal stay and boost recruitment of Bangladeshi workers in the East Asian nation. As part of the steps, the EPS (Employment Permit System) centre of the South Korean embassy...

RBS closes controversial turnaround unit, bosses to leave

Royal Bank of Scotland is shutting its controversial turnaround division and the two most senior executives who ran it are to leave the bank, a person familiar with the situation said last week. Tasked with recovering loans from customers struggling...

Sri Lanka groups say government wary of UN war crimes probe

Authorities in Sri Lanka are clamping down on the activities of civil society groups, who accuse the government of trying to discourage survivors of the country's civil war from giving evidence to a U.N. war crimes investigation. Accusations of atrocities...

Nepal hikes insurance for Sherpas after Everest avalanche

Foreign mountaineers will have to spend more for the insurance cover of their Sherpa guides to climb any Himalayan peak in Nepal including Mount Everest, the government said. Wedged between India and China, Nepal is home to more than 1,300...

India urged to bolster its role as a regional power

The United States urged India last year to bolster its role as a global power and force for regional stability, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to Washington since his election in May. In a speech wrapping up...

Unemployment: Diversifying the market

Unemployment has turned into a big economic problem. The country is burdened with a staggering number of unemployed university graduates. Some have characterised it as structural unemployment - a case of unemployment that happens when too many applicants run after...

DSE turnover hits 6-month high

Turnover on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) hit a six-month high on Sunday, as investors took strong position on large cap stocks amid optimism. The total turnover on DSE stood at Tk 7.63 billion, registering an increase of 29.76 per...

DSE, CSE soar at opening

The prices of most of the shares in the country’s two bourses – Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) – witnessed sharp rise in early hours of trading on Sunday, the opening day of the week. DSEX,...

Fresh US military intervention in Iraq: Where it leads to?

In a stark reversal of his fundamental foreign policy, United States President Barack Obama has involved afresh his country militarily in Iraq from where he had withdrawn American troops three years ago. Obama's predecessor, Republican George W. Bush, had sent...

NBR expects to fetch Tk 8.0bn addl revenue from petroleum imports

The customs wing of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) expects to earn the major part of its revenue from petroleum imports in the current fiscal year (FY) in view of the upward revision of tariff structure for the same....

Fresh govt move to rehabilitate city\\\'s beggars

The government has, of late, taken a fresh move to remove beggars from Dhaka city for their rehabilitation. Initially, the ministry of social welfare plans to keep six important places free from alms-seekers. The detailed scheme for the purpose is...

BTRC to hire int\\\'l expert this month

The telecom regulator is going to appoint an international consultant by this month to make sure that the country's mobile telephony spectrum is managed well, a senior official said. The spectrum management involves pricing, proper distribution, and use by a...

Demand slump throws ship breakers into trouble

Ship-breaking industry, the only scrap-iron source for feeding the domestic steel and re-rolling mills, is in trouble stemming from low demand and price variations, entrepreneurs said. The import of scrap ships in the last three years has declined 20 per...

Wrong moves at a wrong time

The Awami League (AL) is under mounting pressure from national and international forces to hold fresh elections in the country. The Prime Minister said recently: 'Big powers' are conspiring against her government but 'the country is advancing by countering such...

Transitional phase in world politics and economy

With the Russian annexation of Crimea, the shoot-down of Malaysian plane MH17 on   Ukrainian air space, attempt of the USA to put Russian President Putin at bay, caprice in oil economics and formulation of BRICS Bank, a new dynamics in...