Commodity prices keep rising

Prices of rice, flour, onion, powder milk and spices showed an increasing trend this year compared with those a year ago, according to the prices quoted…

Big jump in fruit import, high tax a barrier

With a 70 per cent rise in import of fruits in the country over the last eight years, fruit consumption has become a part of daily diet for many people,…

Muhith optimistic to achieve revenue target in FY18

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday hoped that the government would be able to achieve the revenue target for the fiscal 2017-18 (FY-18), reports BSS. “During the July-November, the revenue collection was not good. But, I think the scenario will be changed and the revenue collection process…

Much awaited revised BNBC on the cards

The much awaited revised Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) with suggestion of forming an independent regulatory authority to monitor building quality standard as well as guideline for making earthquake resilience building according to the latest 2014 ACI code is on the cards, reports BSS. “We…

World Bank forecasts 6.7pc growth in 2018

Bangladesh economy would grow at 6.7 per cent in 2018, thanks to the friendly fiscal measures and development initiatives, according to the latest report of the World Bank (WB), reports BSS. The report Global Economic Prospects, released yesterday in Washington, depicted a picture of the prospects and…

Bangladesh wants to send 12 lakh workers this year

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry has set a target of sending 12 lakh Bangladeshi workers to abroad in 2018, reports UNB. Addressing a press briefing at the ministry in Eskaton area yesterday, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam told journalists…

China factory gate inflation slows to 13-month low

AFP, BEIJING: China’s factory inflation slowed to a 13-month low in December, official data showed yesterday, a sign of continued fragility in the world’s second-largest economy. The producer price index (PPI) -- an important barometer of the industrial sector which measures the cost of…

UK trade deficit worsens, sparking new Brexit concern

AFP, LONDON: Britain’s trade deficit has risen to a five-month high, official data showed yesterday, sparking concern over looming Brexit talks. The deficit in goods and services, the gap between exports and imports, widened in November by £0.5 billion to a five-month high of £2.8…

Dhaka needs to engage Beijing, Delhi on trade and investment

Bangladesh needs to proactively engage the two economic powers - India and China - on trade and investment, said a leading economist yesterday, reports UNB. Policy Research Institute (PRI) Executive Director Ahsan H Mansur also noted that both India and China have very little investments in Bangladesh,…

Stocks fall for 5th straight day

Stocks fell for the 5th consecutive session yesterday as most indices on the country’s both bourses—Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong…

Foreign reserves at record high in Vietnam

XINUA, HANOI: Vietnam’s foreign reserves has now hit an all-time record high of 53 billion US dollars, according to the country’s central bank yesterday. The reserves rose by nearly 11 billion dollars from mid-2017 and by roughly 12 billion dollars from late last year. The State Bank of…

Japan’s new crypto-currency crooners sing the bitcoin beats

AFP, TOKYO: Move over AKB48: Japan has a new all-girl “idol” band—the Virtual Currency Girls—on a mission to educate the public about bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Each of the eight girls in the band, known in Japanese as “Kasotsuka Shojo”, plays a character…

Jabbar assures BTRC of cooperating for its dev

Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar yesterday assured the telecom regulator of extending his full cooperation regarding any decision for the development of the sector, reports BSS. The newly appointed minister made the assurance during his maiden visit to the…

India allows 49pc foreign investment in state-run airline

AFP, NEW DELHI: Foreign airlines will be able to buy up to 49 per cent of Air India under new rules approved by the government yesterday to boost the debt-laden flag carrier. Once the country’s monopoly airline, Air India has slowly lost market share to new low-cost private players in one of the…