Local brands going global

Bangladeshi brands have been making foray into the international market thanks to better quality and diversity of products, officials of the groups say. The brands, which have become leaders in the domestic market, include garments, medicine, battery, furniture, tea, agro...

LE sector not getting govt support, insiders claim

More than 50,000 light engineering (LE) factories across the country with Tk 200 billion turnover are overlooked by the government, the sector insiders said. According to them, despite declaration of the sector a thrust one and enlistment of it as...

DSE turnover crosses Tk 4b-mark

Stocks closed flat on Monday with turnover on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) hitting one month high as late profit booking cut early gains. The market opened with an upward trend, but could not sustain. Eventually, DSEX, the prime index...

Stocks see positive trend at opening

The prices of most of the shares on Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) saw upward trend in early hours of trading on Monday, the second trading day of the week. DSEX, the prime index of the...

Deadline for overhauling CNG autos may be extended

The government is likely to extend the deadline of overhauling work of CNG auto-rickshaws for one more year to avoid hassle by traffic police as its certification authority would not be able to complete examining all the four-stroke vehicles within...

Telecom sector\\\'s share in GDP doubles over decade

The posts and telecommunication service sector's share in the gross domestic product (GDP) has doubled over the last one decade and the average growth per year is 10 percentage points, according to the official statistics. The share of the sector...

Merchant bankers, stock brokers get BB re-financing fund

The capital market re-financing fund has finally lured merchant bankers and stock brokers following relaxation of its terms and conditions, officials said. The officials of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) said about two-thirds of the fund, which was...

Widening the tax net

To begin with, revenue efforts will need to be intensified in all three areas - NBR, non-NBR, and non-tax revenues. Some of the very obvious and potentially highly productive sources of revenue are highlighted below. CORPORATE INCOME TAX: Bangladesh's tax...

FY2014-15 budget: Thrust on proper implementation

The national budget for 2014-15 fiscal year is due to be announced later this week. Debates and discussions are already on as to the size and dimension of the budget, its impact on market prices, subsidy, import protection, implementation strategy...

Jaw-scowling roads

Steven Spielberg's 1975 blockbuster, Jaws produces an overpowering sense of fear. All because the great white shark bares its rows of long and pointed teeth in so menacing a manner. Of late, people in the capital may have been rudely...

Lukewarm response to a much-touted concept

This has become more of a ritual for the government to earmark a sizeable amount in the national budget for the last few years with the hope of financing projects under the so-called private-public partnership (PPP) initiatives. But realities have...

Imitation jewellers in dire straits in Moheshpur: Loan facilities sought

JHENIDAH, Jun 1: Imitation jewellery in Moheshpur upazila under Jhenidah district is in a tough situation as the owners here are suffering from an acute fund crunch. Thousands of people are directly or indirectly involved in the jewellery profession in...

Stocks edge higher amid increased turnover

Stocks edged marginally higher on Sunday with turnover hitting 12-session high as investors went for buying spree on large cap stocks amid optimism. The market started in the morning with an upward trend and the positive trend continued till the...

DSE up, CSE down at opening

Share prices on Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) saw positive trend while Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed negative trend in early hours of trading on Sunday, the opening day of the week. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE went up...

Thai scene: No election for at least a year!

Thailand's Junta chief has ruled out elections in the country for, at least, a year to allow time for "political reforms" and defended the recent military coup to fend off criticisms at home and abroad. This makes it abundantly clear...

Living in deathtraps on hill slopes

About 0.8 million people living on hill slopes in Chittagong city and its adjoining areas defying instruction by the district administration to move to safer places are risking their lives in the event of landslides which may occur anytime. Landslides...

Increasing pass rate vs quality of education

The results of Secondary School Certificate examination came out with the message of significantly high pass rates and higher grades. And this has become a common picture for the last six years which definitely make us elated as it shows...

Making teaching profession attractive

A huge number of students are failing to master the desired competency due to a flawed teaching system, observes the World Bank (The Daily Star, May 10, 2014). How degrading a statement for us, teachers! Where the government is digitizing...

DBL Group to diversify business in non-traditional areas

Dulal Brothers Ltd (DBL) Group has moved to diversify its business especially in the non-traditional areas, facilitating reduction of the country's dependency on import, its top official said. Under its diversification programme, two separate subsidiary companies of the group are...

Steps taken to explore regional export mkts

The government has taken a set of proactive measures to make a breakthrough in regional export markets to reduce the country's reliance on some selected markets and utilising the optimum potentials of local industries, officials at the Export Promotion Bureau...

Excess liquidity in banks: A blessing or curse?

Who will be unhappy if he or she has plenty of money all around him or her? There is no reason to be unhappy at all as he or she can sleep with it but unhappiness arises if he or...

A large budget for achieving higher GDP growth

Press reports that the size of the budget for the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2014-15), as hinted by the Finance Minister, might be around Tk 2490 billion (249,000 crore) have drawn sharp reaction from a section of economists. These economists,...

Living with toxic tannery

There are few signs of reform at Bangladesh's leather industry where business is booming thanks to the West's growing demand for cheap leather items. Living with toxic chemicals, Mokter Hossain loads animal hides into huge drums filled with still more...

Parenting that shapes the posterity

You never know the love of your parents until you become a parent yourself or before you see their empty chairs. Parents were not the role models to your view when you were a child; but now as you have...

e-ticket system in transport sector fails to make any headway

Move to introduce electronic ticket system by the government in transport sector has failed due to non-cooperation by the transport workers to use it. Under the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), the tickets based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT),...

Move to raise exports to African countries

The government in association with private businesses has taken a move to raise exports to African countries, officials have said. With this end in view the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) has set a target to increase exports to Africa to...

EPB, BBC tie up to facilitate Bangladeshi cos

A France-based business consultancy in association with the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of Bangladesh is going to help Bangladeshi apparel makers participate in a Paris textile fair scheduled for September. Bangladesh Business Consulting (BBC), headed by a Bangladeshi-French businessman, is...

Smartphones start dominating country\\\'s mobile phone mkt

Smartphones are slowly occupying the country's feature-phone market as the demand for them continues to rise following introduction of 3G or third generation internet services coupled with affordable prices.   The sales of smartphones currently hover around 40 per cent or...

Connecting the dots: Tobacco use, diabetes, and tuberculosis

Tobacco related illness kills nearly 6.0 million people each year, accounting for 1 in 10 of all deaths globally. More than 5.4 million of these deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while more than 600,000 are due to...

Netting more taxpayers: Thinking out of box

Farid, from Bangladesh, and Prashanta, from India, work at a pizza store on Veirs Mill Road at Wheaton in Maryland. They work almost every day; both of them get hefty overtime pay as they work for more than 40 hours...