Trade potential of Indian ocean rim region untapped

BHUBANSWAR (Orissa), Mar 21: The Coordinating Secretariat of IORA is located at Ebene in the Indian island state Mauritius. The Indian readiness for cooperation with its neighbours stems from history. Its shared cultural and civilization trends with this region have...

Pharma makers on global buyers\\\' radar

Global buyers are increasingly sourcing Bangladeshi medicines, encouraged by better quality and competitive price range, industry leaders said. Driven by growing demand, especially from the European Union (EU), has prompted local drug makers to expand capacity, they said. According to...

India ready to share Myanmar gas with Bangladesh in energy swap

BHUBENSWAR (Orissa), Mar 21: An Indian minister expressed Delhi's willingness to share with Bangladesh gas from Myanmar with which the former is planning to build a pipeline for the fuel import. "We are ready to help Bangladesh achieve energy security...

Dhaka may seek to levy transit fees, access to other neighbours

Dhaka is likely to propose to New Delhi the inclusion of a new provision in the bilateral trade agreement to allow access to third countries and levying of transit fees. Officials said the move seeks to expand scope of the...

Credit-deposit ratio in declining trend in Q1

Credits from all the banks fell slightly in ratio with the deposits, as of the third week of February, which indicates a sluggish trend in the country's banking businesses owing to uncertainties. Sources in the banking circles attributed the tipping...

Four SoBs face Tk 101b capital shortfall

Four state-owned banks (SoBs) are facing an immense capital shortage and thus experiencing difficulties in running day-to-day banking affairs and foreign trade properly, officials have said. Until December last the aggregate capital shortage of the banks reached Tk 101 billion...

Govt to ask 19 commercial wings soon to take steps

The government is likely to direct 19 commercial wings of foreign missions to boost the country's export and explore new markets for jute and jute goods, officials said. The Ministry of Textiles and Jute (MoTJ) recently sent a letter to...

Use of solar irrigation systems saving fuel oil cost

The government's green energy policy is helping to increase use of solar irrigation systems, saving cost of fuel oil and giving other benefits to farmers. Dipal Chandra Barua, president of Bangladesh Renewable Solar Energy Association (BSREA), said in the off-grid...

Stocks continue bleeding for 5th week

Stock extended their losing streak for the five straight weeks that ended Thursday as investors' confidence eroded further in the wake of the prolonged political turmoil. Analysts said that the lack of investors' confidence coupled with two and a half...

Correlation between economics and crimes

There lies a close correlation between people's economic conditions and crimes committed by them. The type of crimes and their structural status changes with the economic conditions of such people. Most of the people in Bangladesh like other third world...

Urban poverty demands alternative thinking to development

The share of urban poverty in the developing world has jumped from 17 per cent to 28 per cent in the past 10 years. In eastern Asia, nearly half of all poverty is found in urban locations while in sub-Saharan...

Our struggle is for freedom

The 7th March, 1971 is denoted as a historic day for Bangladesh. On this day a speech was given at the Ramna Race Course Maiden in Dhaka in front of two million people by  Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who is known...

Wife for free

In this age of random offers of an extra thing free for purchase of something, no one in the wildest of imagination could come close to the offer made by an Indonesian widow. She had put up an advertisement for...

A study on banking financials: Upgrading regulatory regime

There is a direct relationship between the level of development in a financial system and economic development in general. Banking industry of our country has 2.67 per cent contribution in GDP (gross domestic product). Apart from this direct contribution in...

Of rice varieties

Bangladesh, a country with heavy population pressure on its limited land resources, has made notable progress in achieving food security by cultivating modern varieties (MVs) of rice notwithstanding the continuous depletion of arable land. The achievement must have surprised the...

RMG industry facing daunting challenges

Ready Made Garments (RMG) industry is one of the oldest and largest export industries. It is a springboard for national development and often a starter industry for countries engaged in export-oriented industrialisation because of its low fixed costs and emphasis...

Dealings in call money market drop

The overall transactions in call money market fell on Thursday, as lender banks were diversifying their excess funds in inter-bank Repo and term deposits, bankers said. The overall turnover in the inter-bank call money market came down to Tk 36.16...

Unusual haste in Karnaphuli tunnel project approval raises questions

The authorities concerned have moved to get the Karnaphuli tunnel project approved without completing necessary groundwork, insiders said. Going great guns with it raises doubt over smooth implementation of the project that intends to build a major communications infrastructure, they...

Explosion risks grow as boilers poorly maintained

Most of the industrial boilers are running without inspections and maintenances causing risks for explosion-led accidents, officials said. According to an official at the ministry of industries (MoI) there are only five inspectors across the country to inspect 8,000 registered...

Outlining the US GSP suspension

The United States of America (USA) has suspended the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), a trade preference for several goods from Bangladesh, one and half years back. The immediate reason behind suspending the GSP privilege for the South Asian country...

Introducing standardized loan application process

Money makes businesses move. Usually we take loans from banks and banks provide us with loans for operation of businesses. But banks and financial institutions of our country maintain very complex administrative procedures which are beyond the understanding of many...

Mega city\\\'s many shortcomings

Dhaka city has been ranking 11th in the list of the world's mega cities for quite some years now. But by 2030 it is all set to become the sixth with the addition of another 10 million to its current...

Financials of most cos audited by fake firms

Around 70 per cent of companies allegedly cook their books to evade payment of right amount of taxes to the government. Besides causing loss of revenue to the government, analysts say, such unscrupulous practice corrupts corporate governance and culture.        Officials...

Oligarchy ruling mini shops in city bus terminals

A strong syndicate has taken control of allotment and leasing process of the token shops in the capital's bus terminals, and thus earning millions of taka every year through various malpractices, officials and traders said.   They said the syndicate established...

Surge in textile IPOs in capital mkt in 3 yrs

Sixteen textile companies raised more than Tk 12.15 billion from the capital market in three years, ending in February, 2015. The listed textile companies are likely to be the majority, in terms of their number, in the capital market soon...

Food adulteration: Time to fight back

Lately, I have found myself wondering about the various types of foods/cuisines that are available out there. Every time I open my facebook page I am bombarded with people posting numerous pictures they enjoy at any of the chic restaurants...

The state of safety net programmes

There are a number of safety net programmes currently underway in the country. These are meant for the benefit of the old, disadvantaged and poor men and women. Some programmes are specifically designed for the poor while some are targeted...

Iran nuclear talks: US Senators play hardball with Obama

Iran and the US met in the Swiss city of Lausanne this week to come up with a framework agreement by March 31. This would allow time to both the sides to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue diplomatically. The agreement...

New move to contain illicit financial flows

Rise of illicit financial flows (IFF) from the developing countries including Bangladesh becomes a matter of serious concern. Every year developing countries lose at least $660 billion on average due to illegal outflows of financial assets from these countries. These...

BTRC-NBR row over tax payment persists

The revenue board and the telecom regulatory authority would sit today (Wednesday) to discuss way out of the long-standing complexities over payment of income tax by the latter. High-ups of the board and the regulator would hold a meeting at...