DSEX gains 16.37 points as of 11:26 am 

Source of funds yet to be finalised

The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is set to transform global trade and corporate practices, marking a watershed moment for industries worldwide.

The recent hike in value-added tax (VAT) and supplementary duty on nearly 100 goods and services reflects the government’s failure to negotiate effectively with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), economists said at a roundtable yesterday.

Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) Bangladesh, the operator of Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) at Chattogram port, is set to invest around $30 million in purchasing four state-of-the-art ship-to-shore (STS) cranes in order to boost the terminal’s operational capacity.

Foreign participants at the 16th Asia Pharma Expo foresee a bright future for Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry, given its continuous product development and expanding global footprint.

Canada, Mexico and the EU on Tuesday slammed US President Donald Trump’s “unjustified” decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, which has raised fears of a broader trade war.

Lured by high prices during the potato planting season in November last year, farmers expanded cultivation of the tuber at an unprecedented rate this season. 

Stone and boulder imports from India and Bhutan through Burimari land port in Lalmonirhat, the second-largest land port in Bangladesh, have been halted since February 1 due to price disputes.

Mobile financial service provider bKash has launched “Digital Union”, a year-long pilot initiative in two unions of Cumilla—Jagannathpur and Panchthubi—to promote safe and easy digital transactions at the grassroots level. The initiative aims to expand nationwide.

Chinese merchants at one of the world’s largest wholesale markets said on Tuesday they were cautiously confident of weathering a potential trade war triggered by US President Donald Trump.

National Bank held its 40th and 41st annual general meetings (AGMs) on Wednesday at a convention centre in Dhaka. Abdul Awal Mintoo, chairman and sponsor director of the bank, presided over the meetings.

Midland Bank PLC (MDB) inaugurated its Gazipur branch at Smart Plaza, Joydebpur Bazar Road, on Wednesday, aiming to expand its banking services in the region.

Southeast Bank Training Institute organised a daylong workshop titled “Meet with the Trade Leaders” recently to enhance the professional knowledge of bank officials on cross-border transactions and regulatory compliance.

Tropical Homes, a leading real estate company in Bangladesh, has celebrated its 30-year journey while unveiling the country’s first 45-storey commercial tower, TA Tower, at an event in Dhaka’s Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel recently.

United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB) held its 506th board meeting on Tuesday.

Prime Bank PLC recently signed an agreement with Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Limited to provide comprehensive cash management solutions.

The US Federal Reserve is in a strong position to weather the “highly uncertain” economic outlook, but its inflation fight will take time to win, a senior US central bank official said Tuesday.

The use of modern machinery could reduce production costs and save farmers’ time while bolstering production in the agricultural sector, speakers said at a conference yesterday.

Plastic products have a lot of potential in diversifying Bangladesh’s export basket, said Sk Bashir Uddin, adviser to the commerce and jute and textile ministries, yesterday.