Pakistan's trade deficit with nine neighbouring countries expanded by 43.22 per cent during the first half of the current fiscal year from July 2024 to June 2025, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The data presented at the SBP website on Sunday showed that the widening trade deficit i
The Bangladesh Bank has increased the investment limit for individual investors, provident funds, and deposit insurance in the Shariah-based Islamic bond known as Sukuk to 20 per cent. The move aims to diversify investment opportunities for potential investors, according to a central bank circular
A six-member expert panel to renegotiate tariff rates with the power-plant owners who bagged projects under the already-annulled special law in order to reduce power-purchase costs and state debt burdens. Around a hundred power plants were awarded to private-sector entrepreneurs under the 'controv
China has in principle agreed to extend the loan-repayment period for Bangladesh. The Chinese decision was conveyed during the bilateral meeting between Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held in Beijing on Tuesday, foreign ministry officials said. T
Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus reached Zurich today (Tuesday) to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. A flight of Emirates Airline, carrying Prof Yunus and his entourage, reached Zurich International Airport in the capital at about 12:27 pm
Inflation control remains pivotal in a new-look monetary policy for the second half of current fiscal that falls under purview of the post-uprising government to manage, as discussed Monday in a preparatory meeting. The central bank sought individual opinions from the members of the Monetary Polic
The Bangladesh Development Bank Limited (BDBL), a state-run commercial bank, has sought a special long-term liquidity facility to the tune of Tk 10 billion to meet its capital shortage amid substantial withdrawal by the depositors in recent times, sources said. It also sought exemption from the pr
Transactions through domestic and international credit cards in Bangladesh witnessed a downswing in November 2024 compared to the previous month. Domestic transactions dropped to Tk 27.93 billion, which was 2.55 per cent down from Tk 28.66 billion in October 2024, according to a latest report of t
Economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, who led the committee that prepared the White Paper on the state of Bangladesh's economy, on Saturday strongly criticised the interim government for increasing value-added tax (VAT) ‘inconsiderately’. “We are astonished to see how inconsiderat
Bangladesh's current account surplus with the European Union (EU) climbed to $23.08 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2023-24 riding on the back of robust exports to the 27-member economic bloc. Net inflows from goods exports, mostly clothing items, to the EU states were recorded at $18.63 billion durin
Bangladesh's readymade garment (RMG) exports hit an impressive $38.48 billion in 2024, showcasing the sector's ongoing success. The European Union remained the largest market, accounting for 50.34% of total RMG exports, valued at $19.37 billion. The United States followed with $7.2 billion (18.72
The World Bank has lowered Bangladesh's economic growth projection to 4.1 per cent in the current fiscal year (FY) 2024-25, according to a report. In June last year, the global lender predicted the gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 5.7 per cent, the January 2025 edition Global Economic Prospe
Due to “increased interest” from banks, interest rates on Treasury bills and bonds have been reduced by 10 to 29 basis points. According to information published on the Bangladesh Bank website, banks offered Tk 180 billion for the government-backed five-year bills and bonds at the late
