Sohel Parvez

Sohel Parvez is the Business Editor of The Daily Star.

Export data gap balloons to $4b despite 2024 reset

The mismatch has prompted fresh calls among economists for investigations.

1d ago

Farmland expands in 16 districts, defying national decline

Bangladesh is losing farmland. There are multiple reasons behind the shrinkage—from the construction of homes and the establishment of factories to the development of other facilities.

1w ago

Bangladesh, Vietnam to drive global cotton trade next decade: report

Bangladesh and Vietnam will drive global cotton trade over the next decade as mills increase their use of it in making yarn for export-oriented garments, said a recent global report.

1w ago

Bangladesh’s tax-GDP ratio lowest in Asia-Pacific: OECD

Bangladesh sits at the bottom of a list of 37 countries in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of the tax-to-GDP ratio, largely stemming from the failure to tap into the potential originating from the steady growth of the economy and a lack of reform.

2w ago

BB unlikely to cut policy rate now

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) is unlikely to reduce the policy or repo rate for the second half of this year as inflation continues to remain stubbornly high, according to the central bank governor.

3w ago

New fiscal year starts on positive note but fault lines remain

Record remittances lift reserves, but economy burdened by sluggish tax, bad loans, high joblessness

1m ago

Govt borrowing from domestic sources surges

Government borrowing from domestic banks and non-bank sources rose 55 percent year-on-year during the July-April period of the fiscal year (FY) 2024-25, due mainly to weaker foreign loan disbursements and poor tax collection.

1m ago

Allocation for poverty reduction drops to 4-year low in FY26

Bangladesh’s expenditure on poverty reduction has been gradually declining, and in the upcoming fiscal year of 2025-26, it is set to hit a four-year low due to a decrease in spending that directly impacts hunger.

1m ago
May 11, 2025
May 11, 2025

Bangladesh continues to perform poorly in budget transparency

Bangladesh has continued to showcase a weak performance in the open budget rankings among its South Asian peers, reflecting a lack of transparency and accountability in the formulation and implementation of fiscal measures.

May 8, 2025
May 8, 2025

Banks see sluggish deposit growth as high inflation weighs on savers

Banks have registered sluggish growth in deposits throughout the current fiscal year as elevated inflation and an economic slowdown have squeezed the scope for many to save, even though the interest rate has risen.

May 3, 2025
May 3, 2025

From subsistence to commercial farming

From the north-western bordering district Panchagarh to the southern coastal district Patuakhali, farmers grow multiple crops to sell at markets

April 23, 2025
April 23, 2025

Customs flags hurdles at 3rd terminal of Dhaka airport

Customs House Dhaka said it has found more than a dozen issues related to infrastructure, security, and operational readiness of the new terminal

April 22, 2025
April 22, 2025

FDI slipped to five-year low in 2024

Net foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bangladesh plunged to a five-year low in 2024, according to provisional figures released by Bangladesh Bank, raising concerns over investor confidence amid growing economic headwinds and policy uncertainties.

April 13, 2025
April 13, 2025

Govt to rationalise tariffs on around 350 items

In the past two years, the NBR brought down tariffs on 60 items within the bound tariff rates based on the panel's suggestion.

April 9, 2025
April 9, 2025

US loses cotton market share in Bangladesh

The United States is losing its market share in cotton exports to Bangladesh amid concerns about logistics and the lengthy shipment duration for American cotton, according to a recent report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

April 7, 2025
April 7, 2025

USTR flags persistent trade barriers in Bangladesh

High tariffs, investment hurdles and entrenched corruption continue to undermine American businesses operating in Bangladesh, according to the latest report by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

April 4, 2025
April 4, 2025

Footwear exporters see opportunity in US tariffs

As the United States moves to impose reciprocal tariffs, concerns are mounting among Bangladeshi exporters, particularly in the footwear and pharmaceutical sectors, over potential implications for the country’s trade prospects.

March 28, 2025
March 28, 2025

NBR flags tax anomalies of former CSE president, his relatives

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has detected tax anomalies amounting to over Tk 58 crore involving five individuals and their companies, including a former president of the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE).