Who pays the price for chronic budget underspending?
5 June 2026, 00:00 AM
Since fiscal year 2009-2010, Bangladesh’s budget has grown almost every year, with planned spending rising sevenfold to Tk 7.97 lakh crore in FY25. Yet not a single budget announced over the past 16 years has been fully implemented.
5 June 2026, 00:00 AM
Star Interview / Bangladesh has potential to be connectivity hub
26 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Bangladesh has “great potential” to become a regional hub for transportation, logistics, energy and digital connectivity because of its strategic location between South and Southeast Asia, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda has said.
26 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Bangladesh has ‘great potential’ to become regional hub: ADB president
25 May 2026, 19:54 PM
On a two-day visit to Dhaka from May 24, the ADB chief met with the prime minister and finance minister
25 May 2026, 19:54 PM
Budget to include support for every group
20 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Finance minister says
20 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Budget to include support for every group
19 May 2026, 21:05 PM
Finance minister says
19 May 2026, 21:05 PM
Bangladesh should move up the global value chain: ADB
7 May 2026, 00:00 AM
The study on GVCs, growth, and inequality was released yesterday
7 May 2026, 00:00 AM
ADB forecasts oil prices to be $96 this year
6 May 2026, 17:29 PM
The Manila-based lender downgrades growth projection for Asia and Pacific, including South Asia
6 May 2026, 17:29 PM
India finally lifts onion export ban
India finally issued a notification yesterday announcing the lifting of a five-month-old ban on onion export with effect from March 15.
2 March 2020, 18:00 PM
ACI swims against the tide, enters shrimp export market
ACI Agrolink, a subsidiary of Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI), has set foot in shrimp processing to make a breakthrough in the global seafood market and take the sector out of troubled waters.
1 March 2020, 18:00 PM
Declining onion prices a double-edged sword
Onion prices have slumped amid increasing supply and fears of flooding of the bulb after India decided to lift the ban on export -- a development that has provided relief to consumers but raised concerns for farmers.
29 February 2020, 18:00 PM
Social media giants can get VAT registration soon
The National Board of Revenue plans to allow global social media giants to secure direct VAT registration without opening local offices as part of its move to bring them under the tax network.
27 February 2020, 18:00 PM
Imports from China tumble 21pc for coronavirus
Imports from China slumped 21 per cent year-on-year in volume in the one and a half months to February 15 amid supply disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, official data showed.
24 February 2020, 18:00 PM
Wealthy turned to post office accounts after savings certificate rules shut them out
A section of well-off people have apparently made a mad dash for post office accounts right after the government tightened rules on investment in high interest-bearing national savings certificates.
23 February 2020, 18:00 PM
A congested Dhaka driving cycle sales
Bicycle has been the preferred mode of transport for Kazi Rokibul Haque for a good few years now.
23 February 2020, 18:00 PM
No end to GP and NBR’s disputes
Grameenphone has been refraining from paying value-added tax (VAT) on rentals of Bangladesh Railways’ optical fibre since March 2018 as it is not being furnished with invoice by the revenue administration as stipulated by the laws.
18 February 2020, 18:00 PM
Postal deposit rate cuts: A blow to low-income groups
The sudden cut in interest rates on postal savings came as a bolt from the blue for many small depositors who depend largely on the interest incomes to make ends meet.
17 February 2020, 18:00 PM
Soaring post office deposits to come crashing down
Savings accounts in post offices saw soaring deposits in recent years thanks to high interest rates offered by the government to tempt people in the suburbs and rural areas to use formal channels for parking their funds.
16 February 2020, 18:00 PM
Onion acreage blows up to a new high
Onion acreage has gone skyward this season as farmers have raised their game buoyed by high prices that resulted from a supply crunch brought on by a curb on exports of the key cooking ingredient by India, the country’s main source.
16 February 2020, 18:00 PM
Revenue shortfall can’t stop stretching
Revenue shortfall against the target, which is a common occurrence nowadays, is getting wider as the fiscal year nears its end, much to the concern for the government that has already ramped up its borrowing from the banking sector.
11 February 2020, 18:00 PM
Jute: a bright spot in export basket
Jute and jute goods brought home the bacon this fiscal year when most other export-earning sectors flatlined, thanks to a recovery in demand for natural fibre-based yarn and biodegradable products abroad.
9 February 2020, 18:00 PM
NBR once again extends deadline for VAT software use
The National Board of Revenue has extended the deadline for the third time for use of software for record-keeping by firms with turnover of Tk 5 crore and above in the face of resistance to installing the costly software.
4 February 2020, 18:00 PM
No sweat for printers as orders pour in
The streets of Dhaka city have turned into a sea of posters as candidates for the upcoming two Dhaka city corporation elections have had their election materials plastered on every wall and pole as far as the eye can see.
30 January 2020, 18:00 PM
Meena Bazar in talks to take over Agora
Meena Bazar, one of the country’s biggest supermarket chains, is in talks to acquire its peer Agora in a bid to scale up its business volume to strengthen its foothold.
29 January 2020, 18:00 PM
Solar panel installation rising sans proper disposal policy
Bangladesh is set to see a rising volume of waste from solar photo-voltaic panels in the coming years, which in the absence of absence of proper disposal and management pose risks to the environment and humans.
11 January 2020, 18:00 PM
Commerce ministry seeks VAT, duty cuts on edible oil, sugar
The commerce ministry has requested the revenue authority to cut the value-added tax on edible oil and slash tariff on raw sugar imports to keep their prices stable during upcoming Ramadan when demand soars.
9 January 2020, 18:00 PM
Edible oil prices hauled up by VAT
The imposition of value-added tax (VAT) and advance tax (AT) in the value chain of edible oil are contributing to the spike in prices of the essential cooking ingredient, said a Bangladesh Tariff Commission report.
8 January 2020, 18:00 PM
Widening revenue shortfall raises alarm
Revenue collection deficit from target widened further in November despite the pace of overall collection growth last month compared with October, according to provisional data of the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
5 January 2020, 18:00 PM