What will be end result of BRTA drive?

How ludicrous! The on-going drive against unfit, unlicensed vehicles and drivers without driving licences is making news more for the sufferings caused to commuters than for the success of the drive. A report quoting the chairman of the Bangladesh Road...

The power of the financial oligarchy

ETHICAL BANKING AND RELATIONSHIP BANKING FOR THE NON- AGRICULTURAL SECTOR: As I had written some time back: 'Economists have recently theorised about a fact which bankers had recognised all along, viz., that credit markets are necessarily imperfect and that rate...

Economic burden of diabetes

Diabetes is one of the major health and development challenges of the 21st century. There are currently 371 million people living with diabetes and another 280 million are at high risk of developing the disease across the world. Half a...

Cell in MoC to monitor prices of essentials

The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has formed a cell to monitor and forecast prices of essential commodities aiming to stabilise internal market price situation, officials said. The cell named 'Price Monitoring and Forecasting Cell' will help provide information to the...

Sri Lanka\\\'s Supreme Court okays president\\\'s third term

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has cleared President Mahinda Rajapaksa to stand for a third six-year term and declare snap presidential polls after he completes four years in office, his party said in parliament November 11. The Supreme Court had responded...

China seeks greater role in Afghanistan with peace talk push

India\\\'s steel consumption to grow on Modi\\\'s infrastructure drive

India's steel consumption is expected to grow at its fastest pace in five years next year on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's infrastructure push, but a scarcity of raw materials means it will be at the expense of another key goal...

Stocks return to red amid low turnover

Stocks returned to the red Thursday after two session’s robust gain with sluggish turnover value as the investors remained cautious. The market opened with an upward trend which could not sustain as the session progressed. Eventually, DSEX, the prime index...

DSE, CSE up at opening

The prices of most of the shares at the country’s two bourses – Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) – saw upward trend in early hours of trading on Thursday, the last session of the week. DSEX,...

Feasibility study report to be submitted next month

The feasibility study report on the proposed US$ 3.30 billion double-track high speed bullet train service between Dhaka and Chittagong would be submitted to the Ministry of Railways by next month, sources said. Aiming to reduce travelling time and distance,...

Govt moves to promote innovative initiatives

The government has moved forward to introduce new ideas and asked the ministries and departments concerned to come forward with those for the welfare of the nation, official sources said. It asked the ministries and departments to furnish at least...

Contract bridge and Bangladesh Olympic Association

In my childhood days in the late 40's of the last century, I used to occasionally watch four elderly persons of our locality playing card games. The "foursome" would play the game as fun and a pastime. I got fascinated...

Abe\\\'s visit takes Tokyo-Dhaka relations to new heights

It was significant that within three months, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Bangladesh following his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina's visit to Tokyo at the end of May this year. Notably, Abe was the first Japanese PM in 14 years...

Bangladesh-India relations: When former envoys meet

The Department of International Relations of the University of Dhaka must be thanked for arranging a meeting of retired India and Bangladesh envoys scheduled for Friday. They have served in the two countries either in the capacity of high commissioner...

Ethical banking in an agrarian economy

Banking is as ancient as exchange in money. In South Asia, the Jataka stories often have 'shresthis' as the main protagonists. Many of them were enormously rich, but were prepared to spend their wealth for what they considered to be...

IPFF - an innovative way to PPP in Bangladesh

The provision of sustainable and quality infrastructure is a prerequisite for rapid economic development and it requires huge investments. Any physical infrastructure deficiency is considered one of the major growth constraints in Bangladesh as in any other developing economies. Due...

Message from the Senior Secretary

I am delighted to congratulate the government officials of the different line ministries and agencies who have successfully completed the PPP Capacity Building Training program sponsored by the IPFF Project Cell. Capacity building in PPPs is critical to realizing our...

Message from the Senior Secretary

It is my pleasure to congratulate my fellow colleagues of different ministries and agencies who are trained vigorously in the field of PPP through 6 months long series training program. IPFF Project Cell, Bangladesh Bank deserves commendations for arranging this...

Move to build economic zones thru\\\' G2G initiative

The government has moved to develop economic zones through government to government arrangement, an official said. To make this happen, the official said, it will require amending the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Act. A recent meeting held at the...

Market swamped with illegal mobile handsets

High-priced mobile handsets of leading international brands brought in illegally have occupied nearly 40 per cent of the total local market of the item, reportedly for duty wall on imports.       Importers said government exchequer is being deprived of around Tk...

DSEX surpasses 5,000-mark again

Stocks witnessed sharp gain on Wednesday with key index of the major bourse crossing 5,000-mark again as the investors went for buying spree on large- cap stocks. The market opened with an upward trend which sustained till the market closure...

Stocks positive at opening

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) saw positive trend in early hours of trading on Wednesday, the fourth session of the week. DSEX, the prime index of the DSE, went up by 33.92 points or...

When classification matters

Country's first ever deal on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project for setting two haemodialysis centres in the country is expected to be signed between an Indian Pharmaceutical company and the Directorate of Health Services sometime this month. But an infrastructure...

Trade facilitation review meeting today

A government panel sits with stakeholders today for a review of the country's trade-facilitation issues under the draft Comprehensive Trade Policy (CTP) suiting global business regimes, officials said. Various trade barriers have been identified in the field of trade by...

New bank rules proposed to end \\\'too big to fail\\\'

Banks may have to scrap dividends and rein in bonuses if they breach new rules designed to ensure that creditors rather than taxpayers pick up the bill when big lenders collapse. Mark Carney, chairman of the Financial Stability Board and...

Obama pressures FCC for strong net neutrality rules

US President Barack Obama on Monday struck a blow to large cable and wireless companies by publicly pressuring the federal communications regulator to adopt tougher rules that would treat Internet providers more like public utilities. Shares of major Internet service...

Israel faces tough months as pressure builds on Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to keep his fractious coalition together as talk of early elections grows, but in trying to bolster himself domestically he runs the risk of further alienating international partners. To satisfy restive far-right parties...

Russia signs second China gas deal, but falling prices raise doubts

Russia and China signed a framework agreement for a gas supply deal at the weekend, but falling energy prices weighed on negotiations and may still put paid to their plans. Moscow is keen to develop ties with Asia to underline...

Iran, West end round of nuclear talks, outcome unclear

Iran, the United States and the European Union ended two days of high-level talks on Tehran's nuclear programme this week with no immediate sign they had bridged gaps ahead of a Nov. 24 deadline for an agreement. A senior Iranian...

One third of Indian cabinet ministers charged with crimes

Attempted murder, waging war on the state, criminal intimidation and fraud are some of the charges on the rap sheets of ministers Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed to the cabinet last Sunday, jarring with his pledge to clean up politics....