Asifur Rahman

IMF loan: Deadlock broken

The government is set to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund over the exchange rate issue that has been holding up the release of the fourth and fifth tranches of the $4.7 billion loan programme soon.

2d ago

FY26 budget: Debt servicing costs, food subsidies to rise

The next budget may be slightly smaller than the current fiscal year’s, but non-development spending is expected to rise by over 5 percent due to higher debt servicing costs, food subsidies, and a special allocation for bank reforms.

1w ago

Meeting with IMF today to break deadlock

The government and the International Monetary Fund are set to meet again today for another round of negotiations over the release of the fourth and fifth tranches of a $4.7 billion loan programme.

1w ago

Furnace oil: BPC drowning in stock overload

Based on private electricity producers’ request, the Power Development Board (PDB) asked Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) to nearly triple its import of furnace oil to around 500,000 tonnes a month so that the electricity demand in the summer can be met.

2w ago

Talks with IMF: Consensus likely on exchange rate, revenue issues

The fourth tranche of the instalment was deferred due to disagreements and now talks are going on to release two tranches at once.

2w ago

Enforced disappearance: Life term or death penalty for culprits

Government officials will face death penalty or minimum life sentence if found guilty of causing the death of enforced disappearance victims, according to a draft ordinance unveiled yesterday.

2w ago

Rooppur payment: Govt to seek US sanction waiver

As much as $900 million has been on hold since 2022 in the central bank's escrow account

3w ago

Govt settling for lower GDP growth target

The interim government may backtrack from its initial plan to set an ambitious GDP growth target of 6 percent for the next fiscal year amid the new economic reality and settle for 5.5 percent.

3w ago
January 24, 2025
January 24, 2025

Titas Gas sinks further in red on system loss

Titas Gas’s system loss hit a decade high of 1,204 million cubic meters in fiscal 2023-24 -- enough to meet a month’s import bill of high-priced liquified natural gas (LNG).

January 23, 2025
January 23, 2025

Renewable ambitions still mired in uncertainty

Although the Awami League government made ambitious commitments to renewable energy before being ousted by a mass uprising in August last year, meeting those lofty goals remains a distant dream for the country.

January 21, 2025
January 21, 2025

Bangladesh’s power subsidies highest among neighbours despite low use

Bangladesh has the highest per capita power subsidies among its four neighbouring countries, including India and Pakistan, despite having the second-lowest per capita consumption, according to an analysis by the Bangladesh Independent Power Producers Association (BIPPA).

January 20, 2025
January 20, 2025

Clear $845m by June to avoid late charges

India’s Adani power has asked Bangladesh Power Development Board to pay $845 million in arears by the end of June or face charges for late payment.

January 10, 2025
January 10, 2025

Government debt now in uneasy territory

Government debt increased 13.3 percent last fiscal year to a record Tk 18.3 lakh crore, raising concerns about repayment amid the low revenue mobilisation.

January 9, 2025
January 9, 2025

Tk 9,000cr unpaid bills: Power producers warn of supply disruption

The Bangladesh Independent Power Producers Association (BIPPA) has urged the government to clear half of its overdue payments, amounting to Tk 9,000 crore, within the next 10 days or contend with disruptions to the electricity supply during Ramadan.

January 8, 2025
January 8, 2025

Gas crisis hits households, industries

Inadequate gas supply has been forcing Farzana Akter and Rabiul Islam to eat at restaurants every morning for two weeks.

January 7, 2025
January 7, 2025

Major gas price hike in the works for industrials

Industrial and captive power connections would soon have to pay a much higher tariff for gas usage after the ministry of power, energy and mineral resources decided in principle to implement a new pricing structure to reflect the fluctuating global market.

December 18, 2024
December 18, 2024

15Th amendment to constitution: HC scraps part that abolished caretaker system

In a landmark verdict, the High Court yesterday scrapped a part of the 15th amendment to the constitution that abolished the non-partisan caretaker government system.

December 10, 2024
December 10, 2024

Offshore gas exploration fails to attract foreign firms

Seven global oil and gas companies purchased tender documents for gas exploration in the Bay of Bengal, but none submitted the papers within the deadline, which ended yesterday.