Md Asaduz Zaman
Reporter at The Daily Star, covering economics, planning and agriculture sectors in Bangladesh.
Reporter at The Daily Star, covering economics, planning and agriculture sectors in Bangladesh.
Stocks soared yesterday as investors cheered the substantial cut in capital gains tax by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to encourage big local and foreign investors.
Private facilities spring up around public hospitals as govt services fall short
The interim government plans to strengthen the universal pension scheme (UPS) with the aim of bringing people from all walks of life under a sustainable social security framework.
Amid cautious spending by the interim government and disruptions due to political turmoil, the implementation rate of the annual development programme (ADP) in the current fiscal year’s first quarter hit the lowest in at least 15 years.
Revenue collection in the first quarter of the current fiscal year showed a 6 percent year-on-year decline, raising concerns that the interim government’s fiscal space may be squeezed further amid the contractionary monetary policy.
Of their total corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure, banks spent 45 percent on disaster management violating rules in the first half of 2024, with bankers saying it mainly went to various funds maintained by the Prime Minister’s Office before the political changeover on August 5.
Bangladesh’s foreign debt servicing surged 29 percent year-on-year in the first three months of fiscal 2024-25 owing to the country’s expanded foreign loan portfolio and the rise in global interest rates.
Maleka Begum, 70, carries the weight of nearly five decades of widowhood on her shoulders. Since her husband Abul Hossain Gazi died in 1972, her life has been a constant struggle.
Bangladesh’s cost to service loans from multilateral and bilateral lenders surpassed the amount received from them during the first two months of fiscal year (FY) 2024-25, indicating that the country’s already fragile foreign exchange reserves may be stressed further.
The government’s revenue collection in the first two months of the current fiscal year has been 11 percent lower year-on-year, which the tax administration attributed to the recent political unrest and the interim government’s emphasis on doing away with inflated figures.
Duty exemptions provided by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) have been increasing over the years despite Bangladesh’s low tax-to-GDP ratio and the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) recommendation to rationalise such expenses.
Inflation eased in August but remained at over 10 percent, as higher prices of goods and services continued to strain the purchasing power of consumers.
The scope for legalising undisclosed income without facing any questions remains as the tax administration has not scrapped the provision of whitening black money in case of the purchase of flats and land, raising criticism.
Fresh vegetable and fruit exporters are apprehending a drop in sales of perishables following a hike in cargo freights, particularly by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, last month..Biman, the state carrier, hiked cargo fares in August anywhere from 56 percent to 150 percent depending on the rout
Industrial output in Bangladesh grew at its slowest pace since the Covid-19 pandemic, hitting 6.66 percent last fiscal year owing to declining exports, import restrictions and a slowdown in domestic demand due to persistent inflation.
Persistent inflationary pressure, particularly in terms of food inflation, has been taking a toll on low- and fixed-income people in Bangladesh, forcing them to spend most of their income on nutrition.
Fatima Khatun, dressed in a washed-out kameez, came to Muslim Bazar in Mirpur 12 to shop with her four-year-old son on August 16.
Vandalism and arson attacks on factories since earlier this month have created deep concerns among entrepreneurs and plunged thousands of employees who work in these firms into uncertainty.