Md Asaduz Zaman

Reporter at The Daily Star, covering economics, planning and agriculture sectors in Bangladesh.

Stocks jump as NBR cuts capital gains tax

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.

4d ago

The hidden cost of healthcare

Private facilities spring up around public hospitals as govt services fall short

1w ago

Interim govt to strengthen universal pension scheme

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.

1w ago

ADP spending in first quarter lowest in 15 years

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.

1w ago

Revenue receipts fall 6% in Jul-Sep

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.

2w ago

Half of banks’ CSR spending went to disaster management

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.

2w ago

Foreign debt servicing surges 29% in Jul-Sep

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.

2w ago

Paltry safety net coverage for the poor: A widow gets Tk 550 a month!

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.

3w ago
October 1, 2024
October 1, 2024

Debt servicing costs outweigh incoming loans

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.

September 24, 2024
September 24, 2024

Revenue receipts drop 11% in July-Aug

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.

September 19, 2024
September 19, 2024

Duty exemptions surged 20% in FY23

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.

September 9, 2024
September 9, 2024

Inflation eases in August but stays above 10%

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.

September 5, 2024
September 5, 2024

Real estate still a haven for black money

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.

September 2, 2024
September 2, 2024

Hike in airfreight puts vegetable and fruit exporters in trouble

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

September 1, 2024
September 1, 2024

Industrial output growth slows to four-year low

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.

August 31, 2024
August 31, 2024

Is govt action enough to curb 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.

August 31, 2024
August 31, 2024

How life is like when prices go through the roof

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.

August 28, 2024
August 28, 2024

Workers bear the brunt of politically motivated attacks on businesses

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.