Economists, tax experts, and business leaders on Monday warned that excessive dependence on indirect taxes such as value added tax (VAT) and tax deducted at source (TDS) could have adverse impacts on the economy, businesses and consumers. They expressed concern over the growing reliance on indirec
Bangladesh is entering a critical reform phase ahead of its scheduled graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, according to the latest report of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which warns that weak governance, fiscal vulnerabilities and institutional fragmentation could underm
Bangladesh Bank has introduced a tougher dividend policy for banks that allows only institutions with at least Tk 20 billion in paid-up capital to declare cash dividends from 2026 onward. The move signals the regulator's growing emphasis on building stronger capital buffers and improving the
Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Saturday said the government has no plans to establish or operate any new state-owned mills or factories, reaffirming that the private sector will drive industrial growth while the government plays a facilitative role. "The government will not do busin
Bangladesh's state-owned enterprises (SOEs) drained nearly Taka 882 billion from the national exchequer in a single year, emerging as one of the country's biggest fiscal risks, according to a World Bank study. The study report highlighted that the deteriorating financial condition of public
The Ministry of Finance has issued a fresh circular making the automated challan system, known as “A-Challan”, mandatory for all government revenues and receipts from July 1, 2026, completely abolishing the manual challan method. According to the circular issued on Tuesday, the decisio
Speakers at a dialogue on Wednesday stressed the need for a stronger intellectual property protection to attract more foreign direct investment and secure its position in the global supply chain. They also stressed for upgrading IP laws. The observations were made at a dialogue titled "Strengthen
Finance minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury says many of the country's banks are caught in a “serious capital deficit”, the result of years of money laundering and loan defaults engineered through collusion between boards and management. The minister made the remarks at the Financial
Relaxed loan caps: Bangladesh Bank has raised the single-borrower credit limit to 25 percent of a bank's capital, allowing major corporate borrowers to access significantly larger loans. Risk decoupling: Banks with non-performing loan (NPL) ratios as high as 10 percent can now allocate up to half
The Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) has said a meaningful recapitalisation of the banking sector would require stronger recovery mechanisms and decisive actions against owners and groups, who looted money from banks and continue to hold shares and assets within the financial system. The asso
Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) called for a predictable and business-friendly policy environment to enable investors to better anticipate tax structures and make informed investment decisions. It also highlighted the need for a long-term budgetary roadmap
The Bangladesh Agricultural Economists Association (BAEA) on Tuesday demanded that the government raise agricultural subsidies to Tk 350 billion in the national budget for fiscal year 2026-27, more than double the current allocation of Tk 172.41 billion, citing rising production costs and growing c
Policy uncertainty remains one of the key barriers hindering both local and foreign direct investment, which are essential for economic growth and job creation in Bangladesh. “The number one reason over the past few years has been policy uncertainty,” said Dhruv Sharma while delivering
