The BB said the repo auctions, through which banks borrow funds from the central bank, will take place twice a week from now, according to a circular issued yesterday.

Talks on Chinese loan proposals will be at the fore during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming visit to Beijing.

At the beginning of fiscal year 2023-24, there was an expectation that the country’s economy would recover from the shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic and other external pressures.

Bangladesh is going to fulfil the International Monetary Fund’s condition on foreign exchange reserves in June on the back of record budget assistance from global creditors, the first time since the IMF approved its $4.7 billion loan programme more than a year ago.

Parliament yesterday approved a provision that will allow black money holders to legalise their undisclosed wealth without any scrutiny by paying a 15 percent tax, disregarding widespread condemnation from various quarters.

The Bay Terminal, the biggest expansion project in the Chattogram port’s history, made major progress as the World Bank’s board of executive directors approved a $650 million loan on Friday to finance the dredging of the access channel and construction of the breakwater.

When I visited Colombo last April, the airport was humming with a lot of tourists. My experience at the immigration was very good while foreign exchange booths were showing a much more stable exchange rate. Afterwards my interactions with a few entrepreneurs revealed a revival of industrial production and exports too.

Bangladesh’s earnings from exports, excluding apparel, grew at a compound annual rate of 7.6 percent over the past three decades or so whereas garments witnessed 14.6 percent growth, which highlights a lack of product diversity, according to a new study yesterday.

The International Monetary Fund has suggested an alternative to reducing agricultural subsidies -- raising fertiliser prices and providing cash or vouchers for certain farm inputs to support poor farmers.

Bangladesh’s interest payments on external borrowing are projected to soar by 65 percent within three years due to rising global interest rates and an expanded foreign loan portfolio, which will put further pressure on the dwindling foreign currency reserves. 

In general, e-commerce is the exchange of goods and services, and the transmission of funds and data over internet. It is governed by technology and digital platforms, including websites, mobile apps and social media, which make buying and selling more feasible.

The share of the total allocation for spending directly on poverty reduction has come down for the upcoming fiscal year despite persistently higher inflation, deepening the uncertainties of the poor.

Bangladesh is going to sign agreements with India and Myanmar for importing essential commodities round the year to sell those among local consumers at affordable prices, State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu said yesterday.

Implementation of the budgetary proposal to phase out a tax holiday for investors and developers of private economic zones (EZs) will be a violation of agreements signed over developing the zones, according to the Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh should explore potential avenues for joint protection of shared GI (geographical identification) with India and put in place a legal framework to safeguard the country’s traditional products, said the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) yesterday.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has suggested greater exchange rate flexibility to preserve reserve adequacy, warning failure to do so may create further imbalances in the currency market.

IRRI said climate change, characterised by rising temperatures and increased frequency of extreme weather events, significantly impacts rice production and yields.

Despite widespread condemnation from economists, watchdogs, businesspeople and even multiple lawmakers, the government is expected to retain the amnesty allowing individuals and businesses to whiten black money without scrutiny by paying a 15 percent tax in the upcoming fiscal year.

Marble, once a symbol of luxury, no longer holds its esteemed position in Bangladesh’s market. Today, the industry is suffering, and customers are facing numerous challenges. The number of suppliers has increased dramatically.

Bangladesh’s high youth unemployment rate necessitates specific remedial steps, including ways for employment generation and adoption of prerequisite education and training, which the proposed national budget for fiscal year 2024-25 did not include, according to analysts.