No toll exemption from April

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) is set to withdraw toll-payment-exemption facility for vehicles, including those of various state-owned agencies, while using three multipurpose bridges under it, officials said.Currently, the BBA has three bridges - the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Bangabandhu Jamuna...

Japanese co makes progress in planning

The potential Japanese investor, working on developing a multimodal transportation hub (MMHB) at Kamlapur station in the city, has made some progress in initial planning after three years of efforts. Sources said the Kajima Corporation sought commitments from the authorities...

5G in unready mkt to cost huge funds, says Telenor exec

Norwegian telecom major Telenor said the 5G push for an unprepared market would cost a company huge capital and squeeze the country's foreign currency balance.Talking to the FE, on the sidelines of the just-held Bangladesh Business Summit-2023, a top executive...

Govt walks tightrope in shaping new ADP

The government gets tightfisted in framing the annual development programme (ADP) for the next fiscal as a prolonged global economic crisis gives it limited choice in spending, officials said.In an order the Planning Commission (PC) has asked all ministries to...

Changing haircuts and coiffure

To many, fashion and style are the same signature statement. But the twins are not same although on rare occasions can they have a meeting point. Rabindranath in his groundbreaking novel, Shesher Kobita clearly showed how the two differ from...

A beacon of inspiration for future nation-builders

Professor Rehman Sobhan is undoubtedly one of the few living legends of Bangladesh, who has contributed greatly to the development of the country and its people. He is the most influential member, leader, mentor, friend, philosopher and guide of the...

Ctg admin moves to monitor mkt ahead of Ramadan

CHATTOGRAM: The Chattogram district administration has taken steps to monitor the commodity market ahead of Ramadan.As part of the move, the district authorities have already formed a Market Monitoring Cell to control the prices of essentials during the holy month...

Bangabandhu and the dew on the grass

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman embodied some of the finest traditions that self respecting people anywhere have throughout the course of history upheld in their lives. He was symbolic of values; and among those values was his disinclination toward compromise, toward...

Exploring the culinary delights of diverse cultures

Cooking or Cookery is the art, science, craft or act of applying heat to prepare food for human consumption. It is as old as human civilization itself, and its historical evolution sheds light on the origins of settlements across the...

When teachers do not know how to evaluate students

Educationists, scholars and experts in teaching are unanimous that the new education curriculum is quite appropriate for acquiring knowledge ---both theoretical and practical---and skills by young learners. But at the very outset, the controversy over two books' contents involving the...

Exploring the fintech landscape & opportunities in Bangladesh

The financial technology (fintech) industry is currently experiencing a significant transition in both its technological advancements and business models. Regardless of whether one is the CEO of a well-established financial institution or the founder of a fledgling fintech startup, maximising...

From Mao's China to Xi's China

China is going places. It is everywhere. It is reshaping geopolitics. In these past few weeks and months, Beijing's reach has extended to regions in a manner that has left many beyond China impressed. Conversely, China's growing influence has had...

HS code-related issues to go soon, NBR chief tells importers

CHATTOGRAM, Mar 15: National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem offered reassurance to the country's business community that import issues related to the harmonised system (HS) codes would soon be resolved. Speaking at a pre-budget discussion...

Duty-free import of capital goods, raw materials likely for all

All across the board in production chain may enjoy the facility of duty-free import of capital goods and raw materials under trade strategies being broached to steer post-graduation Bangladesh, sources said. This is among a package of measures to be...

Move to relocate it for building MRT-5 stations

The inter-district bus terminal at Gabtoli would be shifted to a nearby suitable place for a temporary period to facilitate construction of two underground stations of Mass Rapid Transit Line 5 (MRT-5) there.The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) and...

E-TIN hardware crash snaps services

The e-TIN services remained suspended across the country since its hardware crashed on Tuesday night.Due to technical glitches in the hardware of the electronic Taxpayer Identification Number (e-TIN) system, a senior official at the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said,...

Here is why SME stocks plunged as quickly as it had shot up

SME stocks have been through the pain of price erosions between 14 per cent and 65 per cent in the past seven months since they peaked. The only exception is Yousuf Flour Mills that surged abnormally on the SME board....

Gender equality through a more creative approach

Most Successful male leaders, whether in the financial sector, political sector, or elsewhere have a comparatively better support system for career development which includes their parents, siblings, spouses, and spouses' family and the employer. The time and resources given by...

Championing people-centric diplomacy

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC) held in Doha, Qatar on 4-9 March 2023. The Conference was organised with the theme 'LDC5: From Potential and Prosperity'. Prime Minister Hasina...

Multinational cos keep larger pie of 2022 profits to deal with future threats

Unilever Consumer Care has kept aside nearly half of its profit made in 2022 and the other half will be distributed to shareholders in cash dividends for the year. It, however, gave out almost 100 per cent of its profits...

Women's development, empowerment and gender equality

Women's development, empowerment, and gender equality are all vast topics and have many windows to look from. One approach could be to divide these factors into two broad areas, i.e., key challenges and recommended solutions. Interestingly, both areas can be...

On economic theories & Bangladesh development miracle

Books by two prominent Bangladeshi economists have been published simultaneously and both by renowned international publishers. But their resemblances are superficial and end there as the books' content are as different as apple is from orange, their taxonomy notwithstanding.Professor Wahiduddin...

Making Ramadan meaningful to all

That the prices of essential commodities have been going up ahead of the holy month of Ramadan is no news. People know this and can also forecast how the kitchen market will behave at what points of time before and...

Global price index drops, Bangladesh's skyrockets

Food prices have globally declined in February for the 11th consecutive month, reports the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, which keeps a tab on the monthly international price index of food commodities. Bangladesh, contrary to this...

Allowing public some breathing space

The government in its revised budget for the current fiscal year is going to increase the allocation for operational expenditures which involve costs of running the administration, maintenance work, repairs, etc. Oddly though, this is being done at the expense...

UAE for VAT waiver with retrospective effect

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sought waiver of VAT (value-added tax) on three Emirati airlines retrospectively, alleging that such levy is against globally accepted standards.Following assurances of considering this remission by the PM herself to a UAE diplomat, the...

DSE's aim to sell Shariah index data fails investors

Investors and stakeholders have no free access to the DSE Shariah index (DSES) as the Dhaka bourse has been managing it for the purpose of business.Market operators pay the Dhaka Stock Exchange for information about the companies listed on the...

Price hike: demand-driven or speculative?

The holy month of Ramadan is approaching and the prices of necessaries are also rising persistently. It turns out to be a perennial phenomenon in Bangladesh, in particular. No doubt that demand for various food items usually increases before Ramadan,...

Adani to supply electricity at lowest rate now, future unclear

The cost of electricity from India's Adani Power, which started transmission on Thursday evening, is set to be lower than that of any of the existing coal-power plants in Bangladesh, for now, though future remains unclear.The energy charge in the...

Exporter clinches deal for local supply of edible oil

An export-oriented company clinches deal to supply edible oil to feed local demand amid a persisting crisis and its sharp price rises, officials said.The National Board of Revenue, on government suggestion, also took into consideration the export company's oil-export market...