The enduring power and relevance of May Day

The May Day arrives each year as a solemn reminder of humanity's long and unfinished struggle for dignity. It is an occasion that compels us to reflect on the sacrifices of workers and peasants whose labour has shaped human civilisations,...

PM unveils plan for a cleaner, greener Dhaka

Crammed Dhaka is set to undergo a major transformation under a multidimensional government plan on internal ecological uplift and decentralization of facilities to turn the capital into a cleaner and greener metropolis. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman Wednesday unveiled in parliament...

Banks barred from opening LCs without DGDA approval

FE REPORTBangladesh Bank (BB) has instructed all banks not to open letters of credit (LCs) for importing dietary supplements without prior approval from the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA).To this effect, the central bank issued a circular on Wednesday...

RMTP elevates livelihoods of over 0.75m families

FE REPORTRural Microenterprise Transformation Project (RMTP) of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) has improved the income and livelihoods of over 0.75 million families, said officials at the project-completion ceremony on Wednesday.The project has strengthened the role of microenterprises in the national...

BB plans special refinance fund to reopen closed factories

Bangladesh Bank is planning to form a special refinance fund to provide low-interest loans for reopening closed industrial units, aiming to boost employment across the country, reports UNBAccording to central bank sources, a high-level 19-member committee, led by Deputy Governor...

Supply woes deepen sulphuric acid crisis

The ongoing sulphur and sulphuric acid crisis has intensified due to supply disruptions, regulatory bottlenecks, and alleged market manipulation, raising concerns across key industrial sectors, people familiar with the development say.Despite a strong demand from the tannery and leather sectors,...

Vehicles move through waterlogged roads in the capital's Rajarbagh area after several hours of continuous

Vehicles move through waterlogged roads in the capital's Rajarbagh area after several hours of continuous rainfall since Wednesday morning caused waterlogging in different parts of the city, adding to public suffering. - FE Photo by K Asad-Uz-Zaman

One more suspected measles death reported in 24 hrs

One more suspected measles death was reported in the past 24 hours until 8:0am on Wednesday, said the health authorities on Wednesday.With this, the total death toll from measles and measles-like symptoms reached 274 in the country, according to the...

Proposal forwarded to UN body for consideration

A proposal seeking an additional three-year transition period for Bangladesh's graduation from the category of Least-Developed Countries (LDCs), following a letter from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has been forwarded to the UN Committee for Development Policy (CDP) for consideration.A letter...

Investment climate in Bangladesh faces eight key barriers

Bangladesh's investment climate is being vitiated by a mix of bureaucratic delays, policy uncertainty and rising business costs, making it harder for both local and foreign investors to expand operations and create jobs.Experts say unless these longstanding barriers are addressed...

Special JS body to consider constitutional amendments

A special parliamentary committee is being formed to consider amendments to the constitution of Bangladesh -- a move akin to a main motto of the 2024 uprising that brought about regime change. The ruling party has initiated the amendment steps,...

Biman signs $3.7b Boeing deal today for 14 aircraft

Bangladesh's flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is poised to sign a $3.7b agreement with US aerospace giant Boeing to purchase 14 aircraft, marking the largest fleet in the airline's history.The deal is expected to be formalised this (Thursday) evening at...

Bottled soybean oil price raised by Tk 4 per litre

The government on Wednesday permitted increasing the price of soybean oil, citing rising costs on the international market.The price of bottled soybean oil has been raised by Tk 4.0 per litre, setting the new rate at Tk199, up from Tk195....

PM announces support for affected haor farmers

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced on Wednesday emergency support for farmers in Bangladesh's haor wetlands affected by heavy rainfall.Responding to concerns raised by Kalim Uddin Ahmed, the MP for Sunamganj-5, in the Jatiya Sangsad, the prime minister said the government...

No significant tax relief but business barriers to be removed

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud admits that the new government will not be able to offer significant tax relief to businesses in the upcoming budget for resource constraints, but assures removing all business barriers.He says although the economy is going...

Govt forms high-powered committee to revive NBR bifurcation

The government has formed a high-powered committee to resume the long-pending process of bifurcating the National Board of Revenue (NBR) into two separate divisions.The Cabinet Division has constituted the committee, headed by Md Ismail Zabiullah, adviser for the Ministry of...

Spasmodic rain spurs waterlogging in city

The capital Dhaka experienced on Wednesday heavy and intermittent rainfall associated with thunderstorms that caused water-logging in various parts of the city.While the heaviest rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to the morning of April 29 was recorded in...

PM orders immediate action

CUMILLA, Apr 29 (UNB): Prime Minister (PM) Tarique Rahman on Wednesday directed the authorities concerned to take immediate action after media reports showed Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinees taking tests in waterlogged classrooms at a school in Cumilla. The directive...

BUET team suggests closing BRT project, turning corridor into high-speed route

Experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) have recommended closing the long-delayed Gazipur-Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and converting the 20.1-kilometre corridor into a high-speed roadway instead.The recommendation came despite nearly 97 per...

Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury (third from left), minister for finance and planning; Khandaker Abdul Muktadir

Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury (third from left), minister for finance and planning; Khandaker Abdul Muktadir (3rd from right), minister for industries, commerce, textiles and jute; Mahbubur Rahman (extreme left), president of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)- Bangladesh; Abdur Rahim...

Nur warns against hijacking July Movement narrative

State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Haque Nur has warned against attempts by 'vested interests' to monopolise the narrative of the July Movement, reports UNB. Speaking during the discussion on the thanksgiving motion on the President's...

Rumeen calls for JS debate on BD-US trade deal

Independent lawmaker from Brahmanbaria-2 Rumeen Farhana on Wednesday called for the Bangladesh-US trade agreement signed during the Prof Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to be tabled in Parliament for discussion, reports UNB.Rumeen spoke on the point of order after Prime Minister...

Not opposing JAMUKA Bill means Jamaat played anti-liberation role

Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman on Wednesday claimed that Jamaat-e-Islami has effectively accepted its historical role as an 'anti-liberation' force by not opposing the definition of 'Bir Muktijoddha (Valiant Freedom Fighter)' in the newly amended Jatiya Muktijoddha Council (JAMUKA) Bill, reports...

Govt to prepare complete list of Liberation War martyrs: Azam Khan

Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan has said even 55 years after independence, the country has still not been able to produce a comprehensive and verified list of martyrs and genocide victims of the Liberation War, reports bdnews24.com.He stated...

Tarique visits ailing opposition MP during JS session break

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has visited ailing opposition MP Hafez Rabiul Bashar during the parliament session, reports bdnewsw24.com. The lawmaker, representing the Satkhira-3 constituency, fell ill at 1.40 pm on Wednesday while the house was in session.Tarique went to the...

49 elected unopposed to women's reserved seats in JS

All 49 candidates for the women's reserved seats in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) have been elected unopposed, report agencies.The announcement was made on Wednesday by Returning Officer Moin Uddin Khan, a joint secretary of the Election Commission.Speaking at the Election...

Major Gulf markets rise

Major stock markets in the Gulf rose in early trading on Wednesday as investors assessed the stalemate in the Iran conflict and the United Arab Emirates' decision to leave OPEC, reports Reuters.The UAE said on Tuesday that it would exit...

INTERNATIONAL NOISE AWARENESS DAY OBSERVED -

INTERNATIONAL NOISE AWARENESS DAY OBSERVED The Department of Environment observed the International Noise Awareness Day 2026 across the country with various programmes on Wednesday, organised as part of its 'Integrated and participatory project to control noise pollution'. A discussion was...

Energy utilities post mixed Q3 results: Power Grid returns to profit, Titas in the red

FE ReportPower Grid reported a profit of Tk 0.94 billion in the third quarter ending March this year, marking a turnaround from a loss of Tk 1.86 billion in the same quarter last year, mainly supported by non-operating income.The recovery...

COMMUNITY BANK BANGLADESH HOLDS 75TH BOARD MEETING-

COMMUNITY BANK BANGLADESH HOLDS 75TH BOARD MEETINGThe 75th Board Meeting of Community Bank Bangladesh PLC was held at the Police Headquarters on Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by Md. Ali Hossain Fakir, Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the...