The World Trade Organization (WTO) as a multilateral institution has been saved, for the time being, but at the cost of doing, and agreeing to do, almost nothing. 'WTO Reforms' was the catchword of 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14). Everyone agreed about the need for Reforms, but there was wide di
Bangladesh has seen a rapid growth in its cosmetic industry over the last few decades because of rising disposable incomes, changing lifestyle habits, the influence of social networking sites and increased awareness of beauty by people of all ages. At present, cosmetics such as those of top-quality
The opinion article "Making Crop Insurance a Reality" of this esteemed daily on May 11, 2026 rightly highlighted the growing vulnerability of agriculture due to climate change and natural calamities. The concern is genuine and timely. Floods, droughts, cyclones, salinity intrusion, pest attacks and
Being part of a region that was historically the first producer of sugar by boiling sugarcane juice until it turned into crystals, Bangladesh now meets 95 to 98 per cent of its annual demand (of roughly between 2 and 2.5 million metric tons) for sugar through import. With the domestic production ra
In the context of increasing natural calamities, crop insurance for farmers is not an option but an imperative. Farmers who feed the nation certainly deserve to be insured in time of devastation of or damage to their crops. The reversal suffered by farmers in haor (wetland or backswamp) areas despi
Fire, one of humanity's oldest companions is also its most ruthless adversary. It is through this duality that human civilisation has progressed. Yet, when this companion slips beyond control, it transforms into a devastating force of destruction. In an era marked by unplanned urbanisation, unregul
The latest figures from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) point to a stark reality: inflation is coming back to bite, driven by fuel price hikes and supply chain disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The inflation rate rose to 9.04 per cent last month from 8.71 per ce
It is reported on 26 April, 2026 on the Financial Express that the government is considering reintroduction of package VAT-a fixed amount of VAT on small retail traders abolished in July 2019, following introduction of the new VAT law. There is a misunderstanding even among the concerned people abo
The export industry of Bangladesh has long stood on just one pillar - apparel. The sector has changed the country's economic landscape by providing employment to millions of people and has helped the country become the second largest apparel exporter worldwide. In fact, the apparel or readymade gar
As of 25 March 2026, courts in Bangladesh had ordered the freezing or attachment of assets totaling Tk 70,446 crore - Tk 57,168 crore inside the country, Tk 13,278 crore abroad. The figures were reported by the Prime Minister to the Jatiya Sangsad on April 22. Six days later, the United Kingdom's H
Measles in Bangladesh that has reached epidemic proportions actually started in January this year from Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. Now the disease has spread to 58 out of 64 districts in the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the country's measles outbreak as 'a r
Bangladesh's banking sector is facing growing pressure as more than half of the banks failed to declare dividends for the year 2025. This situation reflects both the weak financial condition of many banks and the impact of stricter regulatory measures introduced by Bangladesh Bank. Under DOS Circu
The problem with quantifying press freedom in a country is that it aims to transform data or metadata into an intangible idea. In fact, this happens every time when the various indices are prepared on the performances of nations the world over. Last year Bangladesh scored 33.71 points---an improvem
