News

Governments confront difficult policy choices as they try to shield their people from record food prices and soaring energy costs driven higher by the war in Ukraine. Countries introduced a variety of policy measures in response to this unprecedented surge in prices of the most crucial commodities. Our survey of …

The government has approved the purchase of another shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the international spot market, the fourth since February, to ramp up electricity production ahead of Ramadan and the summer season. The cabinet committee on purchase, during a meeting yesterday, approved the procurement of 33.60 lakh …

Bangladesh’s foreign currency reserves have slipped to a six-year low of $31.15 billion after the central bank cleared import bills to the tune of $1.05 billion with a number of Asian countries, official figures showed. This means the reserves have fallen by about 30 per cent from $44.14 billion recorded …

ACI Limited, one of the biggest conglomerates in Bangladesh, is set to expand its footprint in the country’s marine engine business segment in order to capture a piece of a market that is growing 12 per cent annually. Chinese engines dominate the $61-million market in Bangladesh with a 33 per …

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the business community leaders to find ways to bring commodity prices to a normal level. “Considering public sufferings, the business community leaders will have to find ways to bring prices of essentials to a normal level. Otherwise, you will lose your markets,” she said. …

Sri Lanka’s president said Tuesday that China has given crucial debt restructuring assurances that mean the bankrupt Indian Ocean nation could get its $2.9 billion bailout package approved soon. President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament that a letter from China’s EXIM bank with the necessary assurances was received on Monday night …

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) have urged the government to reduce the tax at source on export of RMG items at 0.5 per cent from the existing 1.0 per cent and thus keeping it for the next five years. …

Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday placed a five-point recommendation, including at least six-year extension of preferential market access for Bangladesh and other graduating least developed countries, before development partners. ‘I wish to make five suggestions for our development partners: first, extend preferential market access for graduating LDCs like …

The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) today sought the scope to import all types of fibres, including recycled and manmade, in the upcoming fiscal year of 2023-24 without paying any duty and other taxes and any non-tariff barriers. The association, led by its president Mohammad Ali Khokon, placed the proposals …

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) today urged the government to reduce the duties and taxes, both at import and domestic levels, on essential commodities in order to provide some respite to consumers with low and limited income amid higher inflation. Although duties and taxes on sugar were reduced recently, …