Wasim Bin Habib

Bangladesh now has the highest non-performing loan (NPL) ratio in Asia, with defaults surging to 20.2 percent of total loans in 2024, according to a new Asian Development Bank report.

In a setback for the country’s primary education system, the school dropout rate saw a sudden rise last year after a steady decline over 14 years, according to a government report.

This year, DNCC proposed Tk 135 crore budget and DSCC Tk 46.50 crore for mosquito-control activities.

A mother’s grief exposes a broken education system

The acrid stench of charred wood and melted plastic still clung to the air as onlookers gathered around the Milestone School and College building in Uttara’s Diabari.

Toll may rise; around 170 injured, many critically; ISPR says ‘mechanical failure’ caused BAF training plane to plunge into Uttara school

The Asian Development Bank plans to provide $1 billion in budget support to advance Bangladesh’s banking sector reforms, contingent on 25 conditions including the creation of a financial stability fund for banks facing capital shortfalls.

The government has pledged a series of sweeping reforms to meet International Monetary Fund conditions for the next instalment of its $5.5 billion loan, including a public survey to measure corruption in tax administration and a phased reduction of subsidies on electricity, fertiliser, remittances and exports.

Bangladesh’s gross domestic product is projected to surpass the $500 billion mark for the first time in the upcoming fiscal year contingent upon exchange rate stability.

Standoff over Ishraque Hossain’s mayoral post halts civic services in half of Dhaka

The interim government is likely to introduce a transparent system for social safety net schemes in the upcoming budget, increasing the number of beneficiaries by around 10 lakh while slashing one-third of the existing programmes.

“Who will pick up the duck’s photo?” The moment Rafia Sonamoni posed the question to a group of 26 children, four eager hands shot up, accompanied by excited shouts of, “I will!”

The plan comes as $42.85b foreign funds remained unused at start of current FY

The BNP submitted its feedback yesterday. So far, 15 other parties have submitted theirs.

It has been seven months since the interim government took office. During this time, the caretaker administration has been working to revive the political process and strengthen state institutions. Meanwhile, participants in the July uprising have floated a new political party.

Culture adviser Farooki and Shilpakala chief Syed Jamil exchange barbs

With the interim government having completed its first six months in office, all eyes are now on the series of dialogues with political parties to reach a consensus on reforms to be carried out.

Four-year-old Ibrahim Islam was walking to his school in Kushtia town with his grandmother around 8:00am on Sunday. Perhaps his mind was buzzing with excitement, thinking about the games he would play with his friends.

Nahid Islam, adviser to the interim government, spoke with The Daily Star on the nation's key challenges and the way forward.

Seismic. That is perhaps the one word close enough to describe Bangladesh’s transformation in 2024.