The Business Standard
Not just signing money, landowners face 15% capital gain tax on developer-built flats
Landowners will soon have to pay a 15% capital gains tax on the value of apartments or any other financial benefits received from developers beyond the initial signing money, according to changes proposed in the new Finance Bill. The proposed measure,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Record allocations for health, education and social security – will quality improve?
Gold jewellery wellery Mobile network etwork services Transport rt services Vehicle rental services Tyres & tubes Cosmetics Semiconductors (imported) Musical instruments Health allocation raised to 1% of GDP, highest in history Experts say...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
How govt plans to finance Tk2.51 lakh crore deficit
The government has set a target Tk1.16 lakh crore from external Tk1.35 lakh crore from the banking the upcoming FY27 to meet the upcoming fiscal budget for development non-development expenditure The foreign loan target is than the revised one for the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
19 sectors may see cuts in AIT, source tax
To create a more investment-friendly environment and reduce the cost of doing business, the government may lower advance income tax (AIT) at the import stage and source tax rates at the local level for at least 19 categories of businesses. At the same...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MPS won’t get direct funds, PMO to allocate projects
The BNP government plans to replace the previous system of direct constituency allocations for MPS with a centralised mechanism under the Prime Minister’s Office, allowing lawmakers to propose development projects while removing their direct control...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Not for shopping: Alibaba bets on Bangladesh as sourcing hub, links exporters to buyers
Many Bangladeshis know Alibaba Group as a giant Chinese shopping platform similar to Amazon or Aliexpress. So, when they learn that Alibaba already has a growing business in Bangladesh and they visit its website to order products, they are surprised –...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Solar, EVS, electronics in line for big tax breaks
The government is considering a package of incentives in the upcoming budget to boost investment in renewable energy, aiming to reduce pressure from energy supply uncertainty and continuously rising energy prices. At the same time, it may announce new...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Iran war pushes subsidy demand to Tk1.20 lakh crore in FY27
The Us-israel war against Iran is expected to inflate the government’s subsidy burden in the fiscal 2026-27, with ministries asking for additional funds to make up for the surge in energy, fertiliser and food import costs. Finance ministry officials...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
UN panel backs Bangladesh’s plea for 3 more years before LDC graduation
UN CDP recommends Bangladesh’s LDC graduation ation on 24 Nov 2029 CDP says extension should accelerate reforms, not delay them Multiple domestic, external shocks cited as justification for deferral The UN Committee for Development Policy (CDP) has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Fresh tension erupts at Islami Bank over leadership and control
A fresh wave of tension has gripped Islami Bank as disputes over ownership control and leadership escalated into street protests in Dhaka’s Motijheel area, raising fresh concerns over depositor confidence in the country’s largest private...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
How Bangladesh squanders its leather potential – hide by hide, Eid by Eid
Rawhide prices plummeted again during this year’s Eid-ul-adha, leaving traders and seasonal collectors facing heavy losses as the country’s long-running leather sector crisis resurfaced with renewed intensity. Many traders who purchased hides des in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
From Dhaka to deadlock: Eid travel misery keeps worsening every year
Passengers travelling from Dhaka to various parts of the country face the worst suffering during Eid journeys, with traffic conditions deteriorating each year despite massive spending on infrastructure projects aimed at easing congestion. Eid-ul-adha...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt to tax retailers at source, eyes Tk6,000cr more revenue
The government is now targeting retail shopkeepers to widen the tax net further through a new 0.20% source tax levied on goods at the supply point, aiming to generate at least Tk6,000 crore in additional revenue annually, according to officials and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Cenbank rolls out Tk60,000cr stimulus to restart factories, create 25 lakh jobs
The central bank has unveiled a massive Tk60,000 crore stimulus package, aiming to reopen shuttered factories, revive stalled exports, and create jobs for unemployed youth through loans priced as low as 4%. The package is a “production and employment...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tk35,000cr stuck, factories idle, jobs delayed – all for want of gas connections
City Group around six years ago established the Hosendi Economic Zone in Munshiganj, investing nearly Tk11,000 crore to build six large industrial units. But without gas connections, the factories are yet to go into production. The economic zone has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Business, living cost rise feared as BERC proposes Tk1.25 power tfriff hike
The Technical Evaluation Committee of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has recommended a weighted average increase of Tk1.25 per kilowatt-hour (kwh) in retail electricity tariffs, triggering fresh concern among businesses, economists...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt plans higher value-addition rules for exports
Exporters may need to add more value – at least by 50% – to products as the government drafts a new policy with a stronger push for reduced reliance on imported inputs and the development of backward linkage industries. One of the biggest changes...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Forests felled, streams buried: Illegal timber trade devastates Bandarban’s Dim Pahar
At nearly 2,500 feet above sea level, the Alikadam– Thanchi road winds through some of Bandarban’s most beautiful landscapes. Clouds drift between steep green ridges, waterfalls cut through the hills, and sharp bends disappear into silence. But beyond...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Syndicate still bends new tender rules
The interim government’s attempt to ensure more competition in public procurement through sweeping amendments to tender rules has instead given rise to a new form of cartel-like practice among contractors — everyone competing to be the ‘lowest...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Budget may bring relief for cardiac and kidney patients
The upcoming national budget is likely to include tax reductions on cardiac stents, dialysis equipment and pharmaceutical raw materials in a bid to lower healthcare costs, alongside higher duties on tobacco and alcohol products aimed at increasing...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PM pledges Family Card for 50 lakh women in a year
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday announced a significantly increased allocation for the Family Card programme in the upcoming national budget, with plans to distribute cards to 50 lakh mothers and women within a year as part of an expanded...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New budget to lay foundation for womb-to-old age support
The government is set to unveil plans in the upcoming budget to transform Bangladesh into a welfare state by introducing a life-cycle based social security system within the next five years, alongside expanding the BNP’S pledged Family Card and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PM directs tax regime friendly for businesses, not burdening poor
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instructed tax officials to design a business and investment friendly, predictable tax regime in the upcoming budget, while ensuring no additional tax burden is placed on low-income groups. He also stressed that tax...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Supermarkets finally get critical footfall
Supermarket chains in Bangladesh are witnessing a sharp rise in customers and store expansion, driven by VAT relief, changing urban lifestyles and improved consumer trust that are reshaping how middle-class families shop for daily essentials. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tk10,500cr syphoned thru inflated export orders at Premier Bank: BB probe
A Bangladesh Bank investigation has uncovered the syphoning of nearly Tk10,500 crore through inflated export orders routed via Premier Bank’s Narayanganj branch between 2018 and 2023. The probe found that 29 clients at the branch opened back-to-back...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NBR mulls new taxes for bikes
The National Board of Revenue is weighing a new advance income tax (AIT) regime for the country’s lakhs of motorcycles, while simultaneously eyeing to hike existing AIT on high-capacity (CC) vehicles, finance ministry sources said. The tax regulator...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Beximco sukuk’s tenure proposed for 6-year extension to avert default
A high-powered committee led by the Bangladesh Bank has recommended extending the maturity of Beximco Ltd’s Tk3,000 crore green sukuk by six years to 2032, instead of its scheduled maturity in December 2026, to avoid a potential default and protect...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt begins probe into measles outbreak and child deaths, 1.73cr vaccinated so far
The government has begun an investigation into the measles outbreak and the deaths of several children across Bangladesh amid growing concerns over vaccine shortages, disruptions in immunisation campaigns, and possible negligence within the public...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Clean and green: Dhaka revamp begins to reclaim roads, rivers and parks
Dhaka is set for a major facelift with a cleaner, greener outlook, as the capital’s two city corporations have begun groundwork to clear encroachments from roads and footpaths, strengthen the drainage system, renovate parks and playgrounds, and restore...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tk35,708cr set for expanded safety net for FY27
The BNP government, through its flagship initiatives – the Family Card, Farmer’s Card, canal excavation, and tree plantation programmes – plans to bring around 1.2 crore people under the social safety net in the upcoming fiscal year. Besides, the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
If loans taken in yuan, yen, it would be cheaper THAN DOLLAR, ERD FINDS
Bangladesh could save over $200 million in repayments on a single $399 million loan by borrowing in yen instead of US dollars, and the government has the analysis to prove it. A recent policy brief by the Economic Relations Division (ERD) found that...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Why our technical training centres failing to deliver
At the Feni Technical Training Centre, three computer numerical control (CNC) machines were installed in 2018 at a cost of Tk20-30 lakh each to train workers for modern industry. But the systems, which control machine tools for precise cutting and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Most listed manufacturers record losses on high interest, weak demand
Manufacturing firms posted a modest growth in net profits last year, yet most of the sectors, including paper, tannery and cement faced massive declines due to soaring cost of finance and slowing demand, according to an analysis of listed firms. Data...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt moves to reopen airports to boost economy, exports in North
The government has taken an initiative to gradually reactivate closed domestic airports in northern districts to boost regional economic activity through improved connectivity. Bogura Airport tops the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab)’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Supply up but relief limited as fuel distribution stays uneven
Even though fuel supply in the country has increased, with higher allocations and improved depot dispatches easing some of the earlier pressure at filling stations, persistent gaps in supply management and uneven distribution continue to blunt the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Fuel chaos drags on: Plans like odd-even rationing yet to be considered
Despite official assurances of adequate fuel stocks, underpinned by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) data, long queues and intermittent supply disruptions continued at filling stations across the country yesterday. While analysts and experts...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Dhaka-ctg corridor: 10-lane highway or fully elevated?
A deep policy divide has emerged over the future of Bangladesh’s most critical economic artery as two state agencies are pursuing competing visions for the 231km Dhaka-chattogram corridor. The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has finalised a plan...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
No real fuel shortage in Bangladesh, crisis artificially created: Energy minister
ENERGY – DHAKA
Read Full Story (Page 1)
How defaults and delayed justice trap bond investors
Bangladesh’s bond investors are caught in a prolonged limbo, facing stalled coupon payments and expired tenures without redemption, while recovery efforts often drag on for years, typically starting only after the issuers collapse. The crisis has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tehran declares Strait of Hormuz completely open
Iran ‘in full force’ until Iran has announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following a ceasefire agreement linked to Lebanon, while US President Donald Trump said a broader deal to end the conflict could come “soon,” though no timeline has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
IMF blocks pending loan tranches for now, citing reform failure
The International Monetary Fund has declined to release the next tranche of Bangladesh’s existing loan programme by June, citing that the country has failed to implement agreed reforms in the revenue and banking sectors, and has instead proposed...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Real estate sinks deeper as booking cancellations surge, defaults hit 26.7%
Bangladesh’s real estate sector is facing one of its deepest downturns in recent years, marked by a wave of booking cancellations following the political shift on 5 August 2024, while rising construction costs, high interest rates, and global...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt plans big-spend budget for jobs, growth amid revenue doubts
The newly elected BNP government is preparing a large expansionary budget in its first fiscal plan, aimed at meeting public expectations, accelerating development activities to create jobs, and restoring the economy to a higher growth trajectory...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Fiscal pressure builds as Bangladesh faces $26B DEBT servicing in next five yefrs
Bangladesh is entering a period of intense fiscal pressure, with external debt servicing set to surge sharply over the next five years, exposing the limits of its already weak revenue base. According to an Economic Relations Division (ERD) report, the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt considers not raising fuel taxes even if prices rise
As part of efforts to stabilise the market, the government is considering retaining existing taxes and duties on fuel imports even if retail fuel prices are raised. For instance, the government currently earns around Tk38 per litre of petrol priced at...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt eyes $3.25b budget support to secure energy, food supply
The government is seeking to secure $3.25 billion in budget support from development partners to tackle potential economic stress and ensure energy and food security amid the ongoing Middle East tension. Officials at the Economic Relations Division...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ahead of talks in Pakistan, Israeli strikes on Lebanon threaten Iran truce
As Pakistan is getting ready to host the “Islamabad Talks”, scheduled to begin tomorrow with high-level participation from Washington and Tehran, Israeli strikes continue to pound Lebanon, which Iran says breach the ceasefire. In Pakistan, authorities...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
A sigh of relief for Bangladesh
The announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Us-israel war on Iran war came as a welcome respite for Bangladesh, easing fears of prolonged disruption in energy supply chains and bringing a sharp fall in oil prices. For Bangladesh – heavily reliant...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump says ‘whole civilisation will die tonight’ if Iran fails to make deal
US President Donald Trump threatened that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” as Iran showed no sign of accepting his ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday evening, Washington time (this morning, Bangladesh time). Trump has given Iran...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt considers EV duty cuts to ease fuel import pressure
Facing persistent energy pressures and rising fuel import costs, the government is moving to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVS), particularly in commercial transport, by proposing significant duty reductions on their imports. In a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Fuel supply rises across segments; why then long queues at filling stations?
Despite a steady increase in fuel supply in recent days – surpassing average daily consumption levels of the past two fiscal years – motorists across the country continue to endure long waits at filling stations. Industry insiders said this mismatch...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PM hears businesses, assures tax, credit, logistics reforms to unlock investment
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has initiated a reform drive aimed at removing longstanding barriers to investment and improving the ease of doing business, signalling a policy shift towards a more facilitative economic environment. The move came at a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Russia, China, France oppose UN resolution to use force to reopen Hormuz
Russia, China and France have opposed efforts by Arab nations to obtain United Nations Security Council (UNSC) approval for military action against Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The three permanent members, all wielding veto power, opposed any...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Surging freight costs threaten Exports, stoke ISFLATIOS FEARS
Shipping costs are rising fast as capacity tightens and risks mount in the Gulf. Many vessels are idling in safer waters to avoid potential attacks, while others are taking longer, costlier detours. At the same time, tighter oil flows have driven up...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Though non-existent
The Association of Bankers Bangladesh Limited (ABB) has proposed removal of the investment cap on government securities for individuals and exemption of capital gains from treasury bills and bonds to encourage more investment in these safe...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Govt clears $76 diesel purchase from Kazakhstan after US sanction waivers
The government yesterday approved the procurement of 1,00,000 tonnes of refined diesel from Kazakhstan at a competitive rate of $76.41 per barrel to safeguard domestic supply against a volatile global market triggered by the Iran war. The procurement...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Rooftop solar tops 500MW as factories hedge against fuel risks
Rising Group, one of the country’s leading composite garment manufacturers, relied equally on grid and captive power two years ago. It now sources around 15% of its electricity from a 9MW rooftop solar installation, allowing it to scale back captive...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ADB to provide $1 billion as Dhaka seeks to cushion Mideast war shocks
The Asian Development Bank will provide Bangladesh with $1 billion in budget support to help the country cope with economic pressures arising from the ongoing Us-israel war against Iran. The funds are expected to be released between May and June,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BGB deployed at depots, ‘tag officers’ for pumps to ensure smooth supply
In a bid to ramp up fuel sector monitoring amid the chaos of supply shortage, the government has deployed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel at key depots and decided to introduce “tag officers” for every filling station. Energy Division...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Where money will come from for govt’s extra spending on safety net schemes
When the money market is already stressed by high government borrowing, newly introduced programmes such as the Family Card and farm loan waivers are likely to create additional fiscal pressure, potentially crowding out the private sector. The extra...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Independence Day celebrated in renewed spirit
Bangladesh marked its 56th Independence and National Day with grand festivity yesterday as citizens, officials, and foreign dignitaries all came together to honour the nation’s hard-won independence. This year, the Independence and National Day parade...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tehran seeks Bangladesh energy shipment details
The Energy Division yesterday provided the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a detailed list of six Bangladeshbound vessels to facilitate diplomatic communication with Tehran regarding their safe transit through the strategically important Strait of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Eid bank closure chokes fuel supply from depots, sparks panic buying at pumps
Filling stations across the country received far less supplies than required as prolonged bank closures during Eid-ul-fitr disrupted fuel distribution from depots, leaving motorists grappling with long queues and intermittent shortages. Officials from...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Eid spirit firm despite war and worries
At Gabtoli bus terminal and Kamalapur railway station, the familiar pre-eid surge is in full swing. Buses and trains are packed, journeys are long and uncomfortable, and ticket prices are steep. Yet, as always, people are going home. For Eid, that...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Biia to open China office to woo investment
The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) is set to open its first overseas office in China within six months, aiming to capture a share of shifting Chinese investment flows and address long-standing investor bottlenecks at source. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
