The coronavirus pandemic forced nearly half of the marginalised people in Bangladesh to borrow to just to get by amid income losses, according to a study of the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs Bangladesh released yesterday. And they are likely to remain indebted for next four to five years as their …
Read More »Dhaka trade fair begins Jan 1 at new venue
Following a year’s gap, the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) is expected to open as planned on January 1 at its new venue in the capital’s Purbachal. The 26th edition of the trade fair will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The commerce ministry and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) …
Read More »Bangladesh steps up yarn, fabrics export
Bangladesh has already conquered the international apparel market and is currently the second-largest exporter of garment items worldwide after China with a 6.8 per cent global market share. Although Bangladesh depends on imports for cotton, a key raw material for textile, the country is fast becoming a major source for …
Read More »Now jet fuel, furnace oil prices cut by Tk2 per litre
The price of Jet A-1 fuel has decreased from Tk77 to Tk75 per litre, and the price of furnace oil from Tk62 to Tk60 per litre The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) from Sunday decreased prices of jet fuel and furnace oil by Tk2 per litre. The decision was taken at …
Read More »IMF chief warns Omicron could slow global growth
The new Omicron variant of Covid-19 could slow the global economic recovery, just as the Delta strain did, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Friday. “A new variant that may spread very rapidly can dent confidence and in that sense, we are likely to see some downgrades of our October projections …
Read More »SMEs need special policy
Sustaining small and medium enterprises (SME) requires special policy support as a lack of close ties with banks is depriving these small-scale traders of benefits of the government’s stimulus packages, said FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin yesterday. The focus is due because the SME sector is considered to be the …
Read More »Finance minister urges World Bank to grant project loans under budget support
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has urged the World Bank to extend loans against projects under budget support to ensure speedy implementation of development schemes. The minister made the call in a meeting between the Bangladesh delegation and the World Bank delegation held on Sunday at a city hotel, reports …
Read More »Banks good at granting loan waiver, bad at recovering
Banks in Bangladesh have been generous in waiving loans throughout the pandemic despite their poor record in recouping funds from defaulters. They waived funds to the tune of Tk 2,383 crore between January last year and September this year, a development that will bring no good for the financial health …
Read More »Trade thru Hili land port at a standstill
Cross-border trade through Hili land port in Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur has been suspended indefinitely as Indian truckers are protesting allegations of weight tampering in export shipments, according to local businesspeople. Bangladeshi importers recently alleged that Indian trucks carrying their goods weighed less upon entry than the amount stated on …
Read More »Exports rise by 31.25pc in Nov
The country’s exports jumped 31.25 per cent year-on-year to $4.04 billion in November, propelled by robust growth in apparel shipments and modest growth in other sectors. Exports stood at $3.57 billion in November 2020, provisional data of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) showed on Thursday. The apparel sector fetched $3.23 …
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