LDC graduation deferral awaits UNGA nod
6 hour(s) ago
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) yesterday supported Bangladesh and Nepal’s request for a three-year extension of the preparatory period for LDC graduation.
6 hour(s) ago
Govt revives talk of sovereign bond
22 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Bangladesh is once again considering issuing a sovereign bond to raise funds from international investors, but economists warn the country may not yet be ready
22 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Govt vows banking, tax reforms if LDC exit delayed
21 July 2026, 00:00 AM
The draft plan has since been circulated among relevant ministries and will be finalised soon before submission to the UNCDP and other international bodies.
21 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Dhaka-Ashulia Expressway: Cost poised to climb 54%
20 July 2026, 00:00 AM
The cost of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway project is likely to rise by another Tk 9,493 crore to Tk 27,046 crore, about Tk 5,000 crore less than what it cost to build the Padma Bridge.
20 July 2026, 00:00 AM
New loan programme: IMF to push for banking reforms, tax boost
17 July 2026, 00:00 AM
The conditions for the possible new International Monetary Fund programme are likely to be based on raising the tax-GDP ratio, reducing subsidies, exchange rate flexibility and banking sector reforms.
17 July 2026, 00:00 AM
LDC exit in 2026 could deepen economic woes: govt report
16 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Bangladesh’s economy is in crisis due to domestic and external shocks, and graduation from the category of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) this year will worsen the situation due to several risks, according to a government document.
16 July 2026, 00:00 AM
New IMF loan may come next January, say officials
12 July 2026, 00:00 AM
A new International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme, prioritising revenue collection growth and banking sector reforms in Bangladesh, may commence next January.
12 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Fresh hike in oil prices may derail inflation target
8 July 2026, 00:00 AM
The Finance Division has warned that a possible fresh surge in global oil prices driven by the Middle East war could derail Bangladesh’s inflation-control efforts, pushing average inflation above 9 percent in the current fiscal year and further squeezing household purchasing power.
8 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Govt service delivery: Task force for using AI, social media
A task force formed by the planning ministry is going to recommend the formation of an independent centre for delivering government services via social media and utilising artificial intelligence (AI).
20 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Govt raises savings rates to cool inflation, woo investors
The interim government has increased interest rates on various national savings certificates to upwards of 12 percent in an effort to make these instruments more attractive to savers and to cool inflation.
15 January 2025, 18:00 PM
ADP spending fell 19% in Jul-Dec
The implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the first six months of fiscal year 2024-25 was down 19 percent year-on-year, due mainly to political unrest and delay caused by thorough scrutiny of previously approved projects.
14 January 2025, 18:00 PM
ADP spending fell 19% in Jul-Dec
Tk 50,002 crore was spent in the period
14 January 2025, 14:38 PM
IMF to crank up pressure to boost tax collection
The International Monetary Fund is set to tighten the noose on the Bangladesh government over its dismal revenue mobilisation...
11 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Government debt now in uneasy territory
Government debt increased 13.3 percent last fiscal year to a record Tk 18.3 lakh crore, raising concerns about repayment amid the low revenue mobilisation.
9 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Interest rate on savings certificates to be raised
The interim government is set to increase the interest rates against various savings certificates to upwards of 12 percent as it looks to provide some relief to the fixed income group squeezed by the elevated inflation.
8 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Private sector investment remains sluggish
Foreign exchange reserves are showing encouraging signs of stability due to record remittance inflows and rising exports, but private sector investment remains a concern for the government.
3 January 2025, 18:26 PM
ADB attaches 20 conditions to another $600m budget support
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has outlined 20 conditions for Bangladesh to access $600 million in the second tranche of a loan for the implementation of its “Strengthening Economic Management and Governance Program”.
2 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Has IMF experiment delivered?
Two years after Bangladesh turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $4.7 billion bailout to address its worsening macroeconomic pressures, the nation stands at a crossroads.
21 December 2024, 18:35 PM
Large budget looms amid high inflation
The government has planned a Tk 8.48 lakh crore budget for the next fiscal year, up 6.3 percent from this year’s budget, as it looks to usher in a period of moderate growth and low inflation.
20 December 2024, 18:29 PM
Taskforce readies strategies to fix economic fault lines
The planning ministry’s taskforce for sustainable development has drafted a report with proposals to fix the economic fault lines identified by the white paper on the economic state of the country and achieve moderate economic growth.
17 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Health spending falls substantially in Jul-Nov
The health ministry’s development spending has dropped substantially year-on-year in the first five months of the current fiscal year, despite the interim government’s move to raise its allocation in the revised budget.
15 December 2024, 18:00 PM
ADB approves $600m to accelerate economic recovery
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has become the first among multilateral and bilateral lenders to respond to the interim government's call for budgetary support, approving $600 million aimed at easing pressure on foreign exchange reserves and accelerating economic recovery.
11 December 2024, 19:59 PM
IMF offers extra $1b for reforms
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has offered an additional $1 billion to Bangladesh but the government is pushing for at least $2 billion to implement the interim government’s reform agenda, narrow the deficit in the current account and shore up the dollar stockpile.
11 December 2024, 18:30 PM
Revised budget may be Tk 50,000cr smaller
Bangladesh’s national budget for fiscal year 2024-25 is likely to be reduced by more than Tk 50,000 crore, with the entire cut expected to be made in funds meant for the annual development programme (ADP).
7 December 2024, 18:00 PM
$234 billion siphoned off during AL rule
A total of $234 billion was siphoned off from Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023, according to the white paper on the state of the economy.
1 December 2024, 22:30 PM
Distressed loans equal to cost of 22.5 Padma bridges
Distressed assets in the banking sector have reached a whooping Tk 6,75,030 crore, an amount bigger than the cost of building 22 bridges across the Padma or 13.5 metro rail systems in Dhaka, according to a White Paper released yesterday.
1 December 2024, 18:34 PM
Bangladesh on track for next IMF loans
Bangladesh is on track to meet all 12 conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to qualify for the fourth tranche of a $4.7 billion loan programme, only missing the revenue collection target.
30 November 2024, 18:00 PM
$14b a year lost to capital flight during AL years
Bangladesh has lost around $14 billion a year on average to capital flight during the Awami League’s 15-year tenure, according to the draft report of the committee preparing a white paper on the economy.
28 November 2024, 18:41 PM