NN Online Report: A total of 50 Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims died in Saudi Arabia till this morning. Of the total...
Staff Reporter : In the first three months of 2024 (January- March), the country’s total external debt stood at $99.30 billion, marking a minor decrease of $1.34 billion over three months. This contrasts with December 2023, when the country’s external debt peaked at $100.64 billion, reflecting a notable increase of over $4 billion within that quarter alone. Economists attribute this fluctuation partly to the ongoing dollar crisis, which commenced in 2022. The crisis has prompted a reduction in foreign borrowing...
Staff Reporter : Bangladesh and Italy have pledged to elevate their relationship to even greater heights, forging stronger bonds in trade, investment, security, and technological advancements. This commitment was solidified during the second round of political consultations held in Dhaka on Monday. Leading the discussions, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Ambassador Masud Bin Momen and Italian Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Riccardo Guariglia affirmed a shared desire to broaden cooperation across multiple domains. These include political and cultural ties,...
Staff Reporter : The ways former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed and Commissioner of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Matiur Rahman, along with their family members, managed to sneak out of the country have become a hot topic of discussion. This comes despite the strong vigilance on them by law enforcers, including the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Both Benazir Ahmed and Matiur Rahman are alleged to have amassed significant illegal wealth through corrupt practices. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,...
Staff Reporter : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to pay an official visit to Beijing from July 8 to...
Noman Mosharef : InterContinental Dhaka owner Bangladesh Services Limited (BSL) suffered declining business performance throughout three quarters of fiscal year 2024. About a decade ago, the state-owned hospitality firm borrowed nearly Tk574 crore from Agrani Bank for renovating the InterContinental Dhaka as per the InterContinental Hotel Group (Asia Pacific) standards. Thanks to interest charges, the loan amount has now swelled up to more than Tk900 crore increasing the firm’s finance costs and eventually throwing the company into losses. This slump...
Gazi Anowar : The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) flagship index, the DSEX, is experiencing its worst session ever, hitting a 52-week low. Despite slight improvements in two trading days this week, DSEX fell to the 5244.13 during last Thursday (June 20) trading session, underscoring the severity of the situation. A year ago, in June 2023, the DSEX’s position was 6,300 points. Comparatively the benchmark index fell to 1056 points as per the latest market last Thursday. However, during the trading...
Business Report : The proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 raises the supplementary duty (SD) and value-added tax (VAT) for the telecom sector, leading to increased sales costs for two of the three listed telecom companies on the capital market: Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC, Robi Axiata Ltd, and Grameenphone Ltd. The two key tax increases are a rise in supplementary duty (SD) on SIM/RUIM cards for mobile services, from the current 15 per cent to 20 per cent, and...
Agency : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday announced fixtures for the Bangladesh’s upcoming tour. The Bangladesh team led by Najmul Hossain Shanto will play 2 Test matches and 3 T20I matches during their visit. Chennai will host the first Test starting on 19th September, while Kanpur will host the second Test from 27th September. The three T20Is will be played on October 6,9 and 12 respectively at Dharamshala, Delhi and Hyderabad. Bangladesh last played...
Staff Reporter : Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed’s wealth has sparked widespread debate due to significant assets allegedly acquired beyond his known income, including properties in Dhaka and elsewhere registered under his and his family’s names. Joining this controversy is former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah, whose wealth has also come under scrutiny following his retirement on September 13, 2019. The discussion around Asaduzzaman Miah’s assets intensified on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha, triggered by reports...
Staff Reporter : The plight of the Rohingya Muslims, driven out of Myanmar by a brutal military campaign in 2017, remains a stark reminder of unresolved human suffering. Nearly seven years on, their future remains uncertain in the congested environment of Cox’s Bazar, with repatriation efforts stalled and international support waning. On the occasion of World Refugee Day, local and international experts are advocating for the formal recognition of the Rohingyas as’refugees’ by the government of Bangladesh. They suggest following...