Sukanta Halder

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh are struggling due to political uncertainty, high inflation and rising interest rates on bank loans, according to entrepreneurs.

When prices of widely consumed staples like potatoes, edible oil, sugar or onions spike and remain inflated for extended periods, it understandably hits the poor and low-income people where it hurts the most: in their wallet.

Bangladesh’s tea exports have hit the highest mark in the last seven years as competitive pricing provided an edge over major exporters like India and Sri Lanka.

One-fourth of the life insurance firms in the country are plagued with financial irregularities and mismanagement that have put the entire industry in danger.

Consumers in Bangladesh have been paying more for potatoes over the past week, with supplies of the tuber harvested in the previous season running low as the new season approaches..Additionally, the high profiteering tendency among a section of people in the supply chain is dealing a furth

The immediate past Awami League government’s failure to settle an international arbitration claim has left Bangladesh in a legal tangle in the US, leading to a surprise judicial order against two top officials of the interim government during their official visit to Washington last week.

The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) has requested the government to temporarily withdraw import duty on rice to increase the supply and, in turn, contain the price of this staple food in the local markets.

Onion prices at retail markets in Dhaka rose by Tk 10 to Tk 15 per kg over the past week, deepening the woes of low and fixed-income people

Rice traders in Bangladesh are less interested in importing the grain despite the recent slash in related tariffs as they do not believe there is enough of a profit margin because of high prices on the international market.

Most SMEs lost all of their belongings and now seek government assistance

Of their total corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure, banks spent 45 percent on disaster management violating rules in the first half of 2024, with bankers saying it mainly went to various funds maintained by the Prime Minister’s Office before the political changeover on August 5.

When Sheuly Akhter and her friend entered a branch of Star Kabab in Dhanmondi on Thursday last week, marking their return to the establishment for the first time in nearly four months, they were surprised by the lack of customers.

The Tejgaon Egg Merchants’ Association, which delivers about 15 percent of the daily supply of 1 crore eggs in the capital, stopped sales from Sunday night claiming it was to avoid harassment by the government authorities.

Sweets makers in Dhaka have found little reason to cheer during the ongoing Durga Puja festivities as chain stores reported that sales have not grown due to security concerns weighing on the minds of devotees.

On the corner of a crowded and noisy floor, a bespectacled man was calling out bids for a basket of Hilsa fish. He repeated the prices quoted by traders in a loud, rhythmic tone: “1,400-1,420-1,450…”

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has discovered anomalies worth Tk 353 crore at Sonali Life Insurance Company, accusing its former chairman Mostafa Golam Quddus and his family members of irregularities, fraud, and money laundering.

The prices of rice, eggs, broiler chicken, soybean oil, palm oil, sugar and vegetables have increased significantly in Dhaka due to a supply shortage and incessant rain.

Prices of eggs and broiler chicken, two major sources of protein, prevailing in Dhaka’s markets have long surpassed rates set by the interim government in September, putting pressure on consumers plagued with persistently high inflation.

Fashion brands and retailers are witnessing increased customer footfall ahead of Durga Puja, the biggest annual festival for Hindu community, despite rising prices and political uncertainty.

A total of 434 industrial units under the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) are either suffering over financial issues or have already closed down due to various reasons..As such, some of these units are not operating at full capacity while others are not generati