All specialized, state-owned and private commercial banks, including foreign commercial banks operating in the country, have already disbursed 90.09 per cent agriculture and non-farm rural credit in past nine months from July 2016 to March 2017, reports BSS. The schedule banks have already disbursed…

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said some 400 new buses will be imported to ease the transport crisis of the capital city of Dhaka, reports UNB. "More buses are needed to resolve the city's transport crisis. The decision to procure 400 additional buses will…

State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu yesterday said the government has set targets of stopping hazardous child labour by 2021 and all sorts of child labour by 2025, reports BSS. “We are conducting a survey to identify the exact number of child workers involved in…

A three-day international tourism fair dubbed “Biman Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Fair (BBTTF)” begins today with the participation of 13 countries to boost domestic tourism sector, reports BSS. Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) is organising the seventh edition of the mega…

AFP, LONDON:  London’s stock market flattened yesterday following the previous session’s sharp fall that had been triggered by a rallying…

AFP,WASHINGTON:  In its 70-year history, the International Monetary Fund has been no stranger to financial crises and policy disputes but now faces a new challenge: a US administration fundamentally opposed to some of its most important positions. With the Fund’s 189 members due to stage…

AFP, COLOMBO:  Cheap Sri Lankan labour has built skyscrapers and condos across the Gulf for decades but now contractors at home are desperate for…

AFP, THE HAGUE: The world's leading paintmaker AkzoNobel Wednesday unveiled plans to shed its specialist chemicals division as it fends off a hostile US takeover bid, buoyed by stronger-than-expected first quarter profits. "We will create two focused and high-performance businesses," chief…

Both Dhaka and Chittagong stock markets were down further yesterday with all indices sliding down as most of the major sectors closed lower, reports BSS. Among the falling major sectors included banks, insurance and financial institutions. A total of 120 securities of the large-cap group incurred losses…

AFP, ABU DHABI: Oil-exporting cartel OPEC is confident that production cuts agreed with non-members to prop up prices will lead to a recovery in the market, its chief said yesterday. “We are optimistic that the policy measures we have taken already place us on the path of recovery,” OPEC…

Malaysia Airlines has become the first carrier to sign up to a new satellite flight tracking system for its fleet, reports BBC. It comes three years after its MH370 flight bound for Beijing disappeared with 239 people on board.  Using a soon-to-be-launched satellite network, the airline will…

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan left for London yesterday to hold a meeting with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary General Ki Tack Lim there, reports BSS. The minister is leading a four-member delegation to London, said an official release. The other members of the delegation are Shipping…

AFP, LONDON: Workers at three British plants of German car giant BMW began a hour strike yesterday over proposed changes to pensions, leading to a halt in production of the iconic Mini. Employees belonging to the Unite union picketed at the plants in Cowley and Swindon, in southern England, and in Hams…

Thai-Myanmar border trade value increased by 249.257 million U.S. dollars in the 2016-17 fiscal year which ended in March, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported yesterday, reports Xinhua. The border trade value between Myanmar and Thailand hit 1.369 billion dollars in 2016-2017 from 1.119…