Rejaul Karim Byron

Govt service delivery: Task force for using AI, social media

A task force formed by the planning ministry is going to recommend the formation of an independent centre for delivering government services via social media and utilising artificial intelligence (AI).

1d ago

Govt raises savings rates to cool inflation, woo investors

The interim government has increased interest rates on various national savings certificates to upwards of 12 percent in an effort to make these instruments more attractive to savers and to cool inflation.

6d ago

ADP spending fell 19% in Jul-Dec

The implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the first six months of fiscal year 2024-25 was down 19 percent year-on-year, due mainly to political unrest and delay caused by thorough scrutiny of previously approved projects.

1w ago

ADP spending fell 19% in Jul-Dec

Tk 50,002 crore was spent in the period

1w ago

IMF to crank up pressure to boost tax collection

The International Monetary Fund is set to tighten the noose on the Bangladesh government over its dismal revenue mobilisation...

1w ago

Government debt now in uneasy territory

Government debt increased 13.3 percent last fiscal year to a record Tk 18.3 lakh crore, raising concerns about repayment amid the low revenue mobilisation.

1w ago

Interest rate on savings certificates to be raised

The interim government is set to increase the interest rates against various savings certificates to upwards of 12 percent as it looks to provide some relief to the fixed income group squeezed by the elevated inflation.

1w ago

Private sector investment remains sluggish

Foreign exchange reserves are showing encouraging signs of stability due to record remittance inflows and rising exports, but private sector investment remains a concern for the government.

2w ago
December 21, 2024
December 21, 2024

Large budget looms amid high inflation

The government has planned a Tk 8.48 lakh crore budget for the next fiscal year, up 6.3 percent from this year’s budget, as it looks to usher in a period of moderate growth and low inflation.

December 18, 2024
December 18, 2024

Taskforce readies strategies to fix economic fault lines

The planning ministry’s taskforce for sustainable development has drafted a report with proposals to fix the economic fault lines identified by the white paper on the economic state of the country and achieve moderate economic growth.

December 16, 2024
December 16, 2024

Health spending falls substantially in Jul-Nov

The health ministry’s development spending has dropped substantially year-on-year in the first five months of the current fiscal year, despite the interim government’s move to raise its allocation in the revised budget.

December 12, 2024
December 12, 2024

ADB approves $600m to accelerate economic recovery

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has become the first among multilateral and bilateral lenders to respond to the interim government's call for budgetary support, approving $600 million aimed at easing pressure on foreign exchange reserves and accelerating economic recovery.

December 12, 2024
December 12, 2024

IMF offers extra $1b for reforms

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has offered an additional $1 billion to Bangladesh but the government is pushing for at least $2 billion to implement the interim government’s reform agenda, narrow the deficit in the current account and shore up the dollar stockpile.

December 8, 2024
December 8, 2024

Revised budget may be Tk 50,000cr smaller

Bangladesh’s national budget for fiscal year 2024-25 is likely to be reduced by more than Tk 50,000 crore, with the entire cut expected to be made in funds meant for the annual development programme (ADP).

December 2, 2024
December 2, 2024

$234 billion siphoned off during AL rule

A total of $234 billion was siphoned off from Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023, according to the white paper on the state of the economy.

December 2, 2024
December 2, 2024

Distressed loans equal to cost of 22.5 Padma bridges

Distressed assets in the banking sector have reached a whooping Tk 6,75,030 crore, an amount bigger than the cost of building 22 bridges across the Padma or 13.5 metro rail systems in Dhaka, according to a White Paper released yesterday.

December 1, 2024
December 1, 2024

Bangladesh on track for next IMF loans

Bangladesh is on track to meet all 12 conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to qualify for the fourth tranche of a $4.7 billion loan programme, only missing the revenue collection target.

November 29, 2024
November 29, 2024

$14b a year lost to capital flight during AL years

Bangladesh has lost around $14 billion a year on average to capital flight during the Awami League’s 15-year tenure, according to the draft report of the committee preparing a white paper on the economy.