The government has allowed private traders to import a total of 83,000 tonnes of parboiled and sunned rice from abroad, a move that comes more than a month after the National Board of Revenue (NBR) slashed the related import tariff.

Spending under the annual development programme (ADP) has been going slow in the current fiscal year (FY), with implementing agencies using just 31.17 percent of the total allocation till February this year, showed official figures.

The profitability of the banking sector in Bangladesh is the lowest in South Asia due to the prevalence of higher non-performing loans, lower efficiency, and an elevated level of costs of funds.

Consumers were not spared even during the fasting month of Ramadan, a time to show self-restraint, even though there have been a lot of promises and drives on the part of the government. Therefore, while devotees perform their religious duty, the escalated prices of essentials have continued to give them hard times.

The use of the document verification system (DVS) has increased in Bangladesh in the last couple of years, plugging the scope for unruly firms to submit forged audit reports. The number of audit reports signed by accountants by securing codes from the DVS rose by nearly 2 percent year-on-year to 38,316 in 2021-22 compared to a year prior, data from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) showed.

Operational costs of the country’s steel sector have increased by 65 percent over the past year, posing a threat to the loan repayment capability of manufacturers, according to Bangladesh Steel Manufacturers Association (BSMA).

Deposits at non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) have slightly increased on an interest rate hike but the number of deposit accounts have dropped sharply, indicating a lack of trust.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) fell for the eighth consecutive day yesterday as both local and foreign investors went for sales amid lingering economic uncertainty and disappointing corporate earnings while institutional firms sat idle.

Plastic product exports from Bangladesh grew 17 percent year-on-year to $162 million in the first eight months of the current fiscal year as the country ensured supply at competitive prices and even discovered new markets despite the global economic downturn.

With a gross domestic product growth rate of nearly 5.8 percent in 2023, Bangladesh is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Driving Bangladesh’s prospects is our extremely active domestic consumer market, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of GDP and is rapidly expanding on the back of a growing middle and affluent class. Fuelling this growth is a digital economy that is also expanding rapidly.

Planned industrial development remains elusive in Rangpur as construction of a second economic zone in the northern district of Bangladesh has been barred by red tape for 16 years now. Besides, the existing industrial enclave of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in the region has fallen into disrepair, forcing entrepreneurs to search elsewhere to set up shops.

Banks in Bangladesh witnessed a sharp decline in deposits in rural areas in the last quarter of 2023, the first fall in five years, data from the central bank showed.

Liquidity in the foreign exchange market is increasing due to a rise in the inflow of US dollars, riding on growing remittance, export earnings and currency swap deals.

Textile makers in Bangladesh are witnessing slow sales ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr due to factors including a drop in demand for women's salwar-kameez amidst a high living cost and a lack of interest among the affluent class to donate clothes as Zakat to avoid hassle.

A significant portion of Teletalk's mobile network towers lacks adequate battery backup systems, exacerbating customer frustrations with its unreliable service and contributing to a steady decline in its subscriber base.

Despite facing one of the highest tariff rates, Bangladesh is the third-largest apparel exporter to markets in the US because of its efforts to improve working conditions, end forced labour, stamp out counterfeits, and provide safe and high-quality products to American consumers, said the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) at a hearing recently.

Bangladesh's economy heavily depends on garment exports and remittances for its foreign exchange reserves, with limited diversification in agricultural products. Despite being an agrarian society, it imports key agriculture-related products, straining reserves.

Around 3.77 crore people experienced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2023, according to a survey by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) at the API Industrial Park in Gazaria of Munshiganj will begin next month, with ACME Laboratories set to commission its manufacturing unit despite the lack of gas supply.

The long-term imposition of the floor price has had a negative impact on the stock market, leading to the current bearish trend, according to Md Ashequr Rahman, managing director of Midway Securities.