Among the population of around 168.1 million in Bangladesh, 90 million are the inexpensive labour force. Some 60 million work in agricultural jobs and 30 per cent work in non-agricultural jobs.

A project undertaken by Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) to install 2,000 solar-powered irrigation pumps has been advancing at a snail’s pace. 

Bangladesh’s use of foreign assistance reached a new record high of $10 billion in fiscal year 2021-22, primarily behind vaccinations, one-time budget support, economic recovery from the pandemic and implementation of mega projects.

Farmers who depend on rainwaters to grow Aman paddy in Dinajpur have been left distraught from early July owing to a drought-like situation in the absence of rains. 

The domestic stock market has tumbled again following a mere two-day gaining streak, which was preceded by nine days of constant decline.

The Bangladesh Bank yesterday asked non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) to cut their allocation set aside for power and energy consumption by at least 25 per cent. 

The Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) yesterday suggested the central bank should consider China’s renminbi (RMB) as a second currency for international trading, especially for importing raw materials from China.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has recommended that Bangladesh formulate a vision for providing green affordable housing.

Bangladesh is missing out on at least 20 per cent of its export potential due to poor logistics and clearance services in the country’s ports and highways, according to various experts.

The government honoured 13 persons with the status of Agricultural Important Person (AIP) for their outstanding contribution to the farm sector in Bangladesh yesterday.

Bangladesh should work on the young population now for future development as the country has only 15 years left to reap the benefits of the demographic dividend, an economist said yesterday.

Bangladesh has taken up the initiative to join Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to retain duty benefits once it makes the United Nations status graduation from a least developed country to a developing one in 2026. 

Ten inspection teams of Bangladesh Bank yesterday visited foreign exchange shops around Dhaka city to investigate whether they were intentionally hoarding US dollars for hiking their rate against the taka in the open market. 

The members of the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation want to make the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) operational by October this year, as the bloc targets taking the intra-regional trade nearly three times to $400 billion by 2030.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal yesterday indicated that the government would be unwilling to remove the interest rate cap on loans and deposits, which is expected to be a condition tagged by the International Monetary Fund with its support package.

Dhaka Bank Ltd reported an 18.75 per cent increase in profit in the April-June quarter of 2022. 

Dutch-Bangla Bank Ltd’s (DBBL) profit was marginally up in the April-June quarter of 2022 compared to a year ago.   

The Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) today suggested the central bank should consider China’s Renminbi (RMB) as a second currency for international trading, especially for importing raw materials from China.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has tightened one condition for trading shares on the SME board slightly after criticisms that easy access made the market index overvalued.

Paramount Textile, a listed textile company, has got regulatory approval to offload preference shares to raise a fund of Tk 150 crore.