Ahsan Habib

Most listed multinational companies (MNCs) saw a year-on-year erosion of profits in the October to December period of FY25, mainly due to higher financing costs and macroeconomic challenges amid political uncertainty.

The Anti-Corruption Commission and the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) have initially unearthed anomalies amounting to around Tk 28 crore in implementing the Regulatory Information System (RIS) project.

The ongoing standoff at the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) that kicked off on Wednesday last week could be described as a battle on thin ice.

Remittances have become a much-anticipated relief for the economy reeling under macroeconomic stress, growing steadily since August last year and providing the interim government with a breather amid a rapid erosion of foreign exchange reserves.

At the end of 2024, one-fifth of the total loans in the banking sector turned sour, mainly as the true extent of embezzlement by willful defaulters is now coming to light.

At the end of 2024, one-fifth of the total loans in the banking sector turned into bad loans, mainly because the true extent of fund embezzlement by willful defaulters is now coming to light

Emerald Oil, a rice bran oil maker, has seen a bumpy performance since being listed with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), which in turn has led its investors down a tumultuous road.

Although Bangladesh’s insurance sector has suffered a confidence crisis due to widespread corruption over the past 15 years, the interim government has not taken notable reform measures for the industry.

The interim government has not pursued significant reforms in the insurance sector

No one expects to bear the consequences of offenses committed by another person. Yet, this is exactly what is happening in the stock market, where investors are suffering due to the wrongdoings of company directors.

The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) is going to purchase six modern container ships from South Korea at a cost of $330.32 million to break the stranglehold enjoyed by non-Bangladeshi feeder vessels, which results in the loss of a substantial amount of foreign currency in freight costs.

Most listed readymade garment (RMG) producers secured higher profits during the October-December period of this fiscal year, buoyed by global demand even amidst the myriad challenges plaguing Bangladesh’s overall business climate.

The stock market is essentially a financial tool in which a portion of people’s savings is expected to be invested. Ideally, investment through loans is not recommended as it increases the risk of losses.

An analysis of company profits found that large companies were comparatively in a better position, while smaller firms faced tougher conditions.

All closed-end mutual funds must be redeemed on reaching maturity and no tenure extension will be allowed, recommended a government-formed taskforce.

A government-formed taskforce for capital market reforms has proposed a host of amendments to margin loan rules, including new eligibility criteria.

More than two-thirds of companies that got listed on the stock market in the last 14 years were subsequently downgraded to lower categories, with many turning into junk stocks soon after listing. 

Major listed construction-related firms witnessed a massive year-on-year drop in profits during the October-December period of the current fiscal year of 2024-25.

Ha-Meem Group has installed a second rooftop solar power plant capable of producing 4.4-megawatt peak (MWp) of electricity, raising its total renewable power generating capacity to 12.2MWp.

Social safety net programmes, such as Open Market Sales (OMS) and Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF), provided less help to the actual poor, despite the government boasting about the impact of those schemes on reducing moderate and extreme poverty, according to a taskforce report.