The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) held its 22nd convocation at the InterContinental Dhaka yesterday, celebrating the achievements of newly qualified chartered accountants.

Al-Arafah Islami Bank PLC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Filon Poultry & Fish Feeds PLC, an agro-based manufacturing company in Bangladesh, to facilitate the collection of sales proceeds through digital channels.

The World Bank (WB) has described regulatory burdens in Bangladesh as a tax on time and investment, saying they are holding back investment compared with peer economies.

Bangladesh may harvest a lower quantity of rice from the current Boro season as farmers have faced difficulties in ensuring adequate irrigation and fertiliser application, due to shortages of key production inputs, according to a projection by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Industry data shows a sharp increase in monthly sales of e-bikes just as the fuel crisis started

The hearing on the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) twin investigations into alleged overcapacity in various sectors and forced labour in Bangladesh is scheduled for April 29, as the country prepares for it.

The country’s tax system has been deliberately made “complex” to create opportunities for corruption, said economist Prof Selim Jahan yesterday, urging simplification of the tax regime.

Even as Gulf tanker traffic slowly resumes, the road back to normal food production will be long and arduous, given the war’s impact on fertiliser supplies, the UN has warned.

Southeast Bank PLC yesterday held its quarterly business review meeting for the Dhaka region at its training institute in the capital.

Bangladesh is hopeful of signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with South Korea within the year as the two sides are set to hold the third round of negotiations in Seoul today.

Bangladesh may harvest a lower quantity of rice from the current Boro season as farmers have faced difficulties in ensuring adequate irrigation and fertiliser application, due to shortages of key production inputs, according to a projection by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The following is a recap of those major stories as covered by Star Business

The initiative is expected to benefit at least 400,000 residents

The introduction of minimum tax under Section 163 is not only ultra vires but also in contravention of the constitution of Bangladesh

The ADB said the economy might pick up and grow by 4.7 percent in the next fiscal year

Growth predictions could fall to as low as 4.7% for 2026 and 4.8% in 2027 should the war drag into third quarter

The budget for 2026-27 fiscal year is likely to exceed the Tk 9,00,000 crore mark, as the government moves to fulfil its electoral pledges, partially implement recommendations to raise salaries of its employees, and shield the economy from the fallout of the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Bangladesh’s direct tax expenditure -- comprising rebates, exemptions, and concessional tax rates -- fell 8 percent year-on-year to Tk 1.07 lakh crore in fiscal year 2022-23, according to data published by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) yesterday.

Bangladesh’s petroleum import bill soared 52 percent year on year in the July-February period of the current fiscal year, even before the war in the Middle East broke out, raising fears of a heavier eco-nomic impact ahead.

Gold prices were steady on Thursday as investors remained cautious ‌about the fragile US-Iran ceasefire, with a key US inflation report due later in the day also in focus for interest rate clues.