Global tech giant Google officially launched Google Wallet—commonly known as Google Pay—in Bangladesh yesterday, enabling customers to make contactless payments using just their smartphones, doing away with the need for plastic cards.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has uncovered tax evasion amounting to nearly Tk 6,250 crore since September 2024, according to a statement issued yesterday.

Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves are projected to rise modestly to $23.6 billion in the next fiscal year from $21.7 billion in the current year, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expanded its total support package amid ongoing efforts to stabilise the country’s macroeconomy.

The government will complete bringing about amendments to the Bangladesh Labour Act by October this year as the country has committed to improving it to international standards, said Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain yesterday.

The stock market has almost closed the books on the fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 without a single company getting listed through an initial public offering (IPO), a rare event not seen in decades.

As of July 2022, there were 272,598 companies registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) in Bangladesh, according to media reports. By 2025, this number is estimated to reach 300,000. Yet only about 40,000 of these companies file tax returns annually, according to the tax authority.

The world is facing the “most complex” geopolitical situation seen in decades, the head of the World Economic Forum (WEF) told AFP Tuesday, warning that turmoil was “impacting global growth”.

BBS’s provisional GDP growth estimates for FY25 unveiled a second consecutive year of growth recession. Given the trials Bangladesh has endured since the outset of the year, the numbers carry the story of the economy’s adaptation to adversities. A 3.97 percent real GDP growth is at par with the IMF’s 3.9 percent projected for Asia in 2025. It is not too bad considering the adverse natural and political weather that stressed a state struggling to function with hollowed institutions.

The country now has $22.24 billion in foreign exchange, equal to four months' import bills

Finance ministry sits with different banks to find ways to boost investment in stock market

SMEs urge Secure Transactions Act's movable asset collateral for wider bank financing

The subsidiary company of Robi Axiata named the platform Axentec Cloud

Representatives from WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement Tracking Tools Mission sit with the FBCCI leaders

The DSEX rose 22.62 points to close at 4,717.65

The awards were presented in 16 categories

Bangladesh plans to launch a Tk 316 crore reform programme aimed at significantly speeding up project planning, approval, and implementation through the use of artificial intelligence for the first time.

The national budget for the coming year shows no clear shift in tax policy, as the system continues to depend heavily on indirect and trade taxes, according to economist Zaidi Sattar.

The availability of good quality rawhides has fallen sharply in Bangladesh over the years, although overall supply has increased, according to a research report.

Even amidst the tough times at present, garment shipments to the European Union (EU) showcased resilience as Bangladesh fared well in the January-April period, showing signs of an opportunity to overtake China, the largest apparel supplier worldwide, in the EU markets.

Bangladesh is witnessing a growing debate over who should be legally authorised to conduct audits. As someone qualified as both a chartered accountant (CA) and a cost and management accountant (CMA) from India, I value both professions.