Mohammad Suman

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has issued a gazette notification stipulating that imports have to be declared well in advance of the previous deadline for notifying of their arrival, all to reduce false declarations and enable quick releases.

On January 9, 2024, a small shipment weighing 344.5 kilograms arrived at Chattogram port. The shipment worth $250,863 (Tk 2.75 crore) contained 19 pieces of small tools such as hammer, metal pipe cutter and silicon guns imported for state-owned Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL), which is constructing Matarbari power plant in Cox’s Bazar.

Consumers were not spared even during the fasting month of Ramadan, a time to show self-restraint, even though there have been a lot of promises and drives on the part of the government. Therefore, while devotees perform their religious duty, the escalated prices of essentials have continued to give them hard times.

Sugar prices have gone up at both the wholesale and retail levels amid hoarding by traders on speculation of reduced supply after the fire incident at S Alam Refinery, one of the largest raw sugar importers and refiners in Bangladesh.

The automobile industry of Bangladesh is seeing a notable shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) with BYD Auto Co Ltd, the world’s biggest EV maker, set to launch its Seal model on the domestic market.

The government is considering further incentives while emphasising ICT and advanced technology in order to increase the production of value-added products as part of preparations for graduation from least developed country (LDC) status, Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem said yesterday.

In order to boost supplies and contain prices of essential goods during the month of Ramadan, the government took measures to alleviate the burden on consumers by reducing value added tax and import duties on four commodities -- edible oil, sugar, dates and rice on February 8.

The prices of all types of steel products have gone up by Tk 5,000 to Tk 15,000 per tonne within the span of a week after the customs department increased the assessment value by a large margin, traders said.

With Ramadan less than two months away, the prices of chickpeas, dried peas, dates, and soybean oil have increased in Dhaka and Chattogram.

Chinese state-owned company Sinohydro Corporation Limited imported equipment, vehicles and accessories worth about $103 million or Tk 1,145 crore in the last nine years under duty-waiver facility.

The import of 30 goods, which are in high demand in industry, farming and households, through Custom House, Chattogram has dropped in volume by 26 percent in the first five months of fiscal year 2023-24 compared to the same period of last year.

wheat saw prices per kilogramme (kg) increase by 9.20 percent to 14.29 percent

The suggestion that solar power should lead Bangladesh’s charge into a renewable energy revolution is often met with the skeptical remark that we don’t have enough land. But a recent study by Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network and Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association says otherwise.

A three-day blockade enforced by major opposition parties and protests of garment workers disrupted the supply chain of daily essentials and sent the cost of transport higher, according to industry people and traders.

Onion prices at wholesale and retail markets in Bangladesh rose yesterday after India set a minimum price of $800 per tonne on exports of the bulb.

The country’s first tunnel, named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, built under the Karnaphuli river opens today, ushering in a new era in road communication.

Md Harunur Rashid Chowdhury, who is an additional chief engineer at the Roads and Highways Department, has served as the director of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel project since February 2018, with his term extended three times until February 2024.

Chattogram Custom House auctioned off around 24.5 tonnes of apples for Tk 5.05 lakh, where the price per kilo was Tk 21, in an open auction on Wednesday.

Chattogram Custom House auctioned off around 24.5 tonnes of apples for Tk 5.05 lakh, where the price per kilo was Tk 21, in an open auction on Wednesday

Two sluice gates were recently set up on the Chaktai-Maheshkhali canal in Chattogram, bringing relief to the traders at Chaktai-Khatunganj commercial centre.