Rejaul Karim Byron

The Payra area in Patuakhali is going to be a major economic hub with a sea port, a special economic zone, an airport and the country’s biggest coal-fired power plant that will officially launch operation tomorrow.

Just as the economy was sailing smoothly to make a turnaround from the coronavirus pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war has suddenly emerged as a major obstacle standing in the way of faster and full revival. And this, among other things, is likely to increase poverty and eat into growth, warned the International Monetary Fund (IMF), policymakers and experts.

Saudi Arabia has shown interest in investing more than $10 billion in 15 large- and small-scale projects in Bangladesh.

Around Tk 719 crore in taxpayer money was unused in the last fiscal year because of the cancellation of foreign trips of government officials and the delay in tender processes, both owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Amid soaring prices of daily essentials, the government has decided to deliver 61,000 tonnes of soybean oil, sugar, chickpea and lentil to five crore people through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh could bring down carbon dioxide emission by 12 percent by 2030 by introducing a carbon user fee on the energy sector as it strives to transition to a low-carbon economy and build climate resilience, said the International Monetary Fund.

After twice rejecting proposals to buy 3.95 lakh tablet computers for the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the government yesterday granted approval to this end so that the statistical agency can conduct the population and housing census which was set to begin three years

The government has slashed the development allocation for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) by around 20 per cent in the revised budget for the current fiscal year.

The government is expected to trim the development budget by 7.88 per cent to Tk 207,550 crore for the current fiscal year because of the sluggish pace of implementation by public agencies.

Foreign assistance disbursement and commitment both increased in Bangladesh in the first seven months of the current fiscal year thanks to speedy release of funds and additional promises as support for tackling the pandemic.

Development spending in Bangladesh rose 17 per cent year-on-year in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, highlighting the momentum in the economic recovery from the pandemic-induced slowdown.

The long-awaited universal pension scheme, one of the pledges of the ruling party’s 2008 election manifesto, is expected to take off within a year.

After repeated revision of deadlines and costs, the long-awaited Joydevpur-Elenga Highway project is finally nearing completion and even at a slightly lower expenditure.

The government is undertaking a Tk 1,059 crore project to develop an optical fibre transmission network with a view to building 5G infrastructure all over Bangladesh.

The government is undertaking a Tk 1,059 crore project to develop an optical fibre transmission network with a view to building 5G infrastructure all over Bangladesh.

The government spent only about 0.5 percent of a Tk 1,500 crore stimulus package unveiled in 2020 for laid off workers of export-oriented apparel and leather factories.

Amid soaring prices of food, products and services, inflation in Bangladesh fell to 5.86 per cent in January, the first decline in six months, official data showed yesterday.

A high-level government committee yesterday suggested 11 proposals for amending the procurement rules, including making it mandatory for foreign firms to form joint ventures with local bidders when it comes to fulfilling government procurement rules.

That project revisions have become a government ailment is well established by now.

The government is going to introduce smart cards for farmers with an aim to provide area-based and demand-based agricultural services.