Cost of MRT-1, 5 trimmed to Tk 2.04 lakh crore
15 September 2026
The revised estimated cost of the Japan-funded Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-1 and Line-5 projects has been set at Tk 2,03,800 crore, down 4.75 percent from an earlier proposal.
15 September 2026
N’ganj-Dhaka-Joydebpur route: Electric trains on the cards
14 September 2026
The government is set to introduce electric trains for the first time in Bangladesh on the 52km Narayanganj-Dhaka-Joydebpur route.
14 September 2026
Reserves on rise despite fuel, fertiliser shock
12 September 2026
When war in the Middle East sent fuel prices climbing, Bangladesh looked like an obvious casualty. An import-dependent economy with a thin reserve cushion and a recent history of dollar shortages had every reason to buckle. It has not.
12 September 2026
Energy: Govt okays 18 LNG cargoes from Total Energies
10 September 2026
After approving a long-term deal to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a US-based firm, the government yesterday decided to import at least 18 LNG cargoes from France’s TotalEnergies over the next nine months under a direct purchase arrangement.
10 September 2026
Another metro getting on track
7 September 2026
The MRT-5 southern route is finally getting a move on, with the project set to be placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) next week for approval.
7 September 2026
Where access to freshwater is a daily struggle
5 September 2026
Sharmin Begum, who lives in Barguna’s Patharghata upazila, may have done little to contribute to global warming, but she is suffering severely from its adverse impacts.
5 September 2026
LNG bill to triple as war drags on
4 September 2026
The escalating conflict in the Middle East threatens to nearly triple Bangladesh’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) subsidy bill to Tk 40,000 crore ($3.3 billion) this fiscal year, forcing the government to turn to multilateral lenders for additional assistance.
4 September 2026
Bangladesh paying near-peak prices for LNG
3 September 2026
Bangladesh is paying its highest spot price for liquefied natural gas (LNG) since the onset of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, approving a cargo at over $28 per unit as geopolitical supply shocks and domestic infrastructure failures converge to create a severe energy crisis.
3 September 2026
Govt’s borrowing from banks almost half of its plan
The government’s bank borrowing last fiscal year was almost half of what it had planned to, thanks to its lower development expenditure and higher sales of national savings certificates, much to the relief of the cash-strapped banking sector.
17 August 2019
High growth, fewer jobs
Bangladesh’s tremendous economic growth has been unable to create jobs proportionately over the past decade, raising questions about the significance of the growth for a large section of the population.
16 August 2019
Record foreign aid in the pipeline
Foreign aid in the pipeline surged to a record $48.11 billion at the end of the last fiscal year and Bangladesh, despite spending more of the committed money, keeps on failing to reach its targets of utilisation.
27 July 2019
214km Dhaka-Sylhet Highway: ADB to fund its expansion into four lanes
The impasse over financing of the expansion of 214-kilometre Dhaka-Sylhet Highway into four lanes is likely to end soon, as Asian Develop-ment Bank has given “consent” to fund the project, officials said.
24 July 2019
10 Mega Projects: Five pick up pace, finally
After initial delay, half of the 10 first track mega projects have finally gotten some momentum, ushering hope for positive change in the country’s economy and people’s livelihood.
21 July 2019
China-funded Projects: Joint body to probe slow pace
A joint working group will be formed to probe the slow progress of the 27 projects involving around $20 billion that China had agreed to provide during President Xi Jinping’s Dhaka visit in October 2016.
17 July 2019
Govt formulates strategy to raise revenue collection
The government has devised a strategy to ramp up revenue collection by Tk 60,000 crore in the new fiscal year in order to help the National Board of Revenue (NBR) reach its tax mobilisation goal.
11 July 2019
Subsidy burden gets heavier
The government’s subsidy expenditure has soared 29.36 percent to Tk 46,385 crore this fiscal year largely due to its concessions on demands from pressure groups.
7 July 2019
India-funded $7.5b projects move at snail’s pace
Projects involving about $7.5 billion under the three Indian lines of credit are progressing slowly owing to lengthy processes in land acquisition, change in design and delays in hiring consultants and document preparation.
4 July 2019
No handouts for state banks last fiscal year
State banks did not get a single penny from taxpayers in the just concluded fiscal year to make up their capital deficit, in a clear sign from the government of its intent to stop pampering the errant lenders.
3 July 2019
MPO spending tops Tk 15,000cr
With around 3,000 more educational institutions coming under the monthly pay order scheme anytime soon, the government has proposed to allocate Tk 15,001 crore this fiscal year for salaries of all the teachers and staff on the MPO list.
3 July 2019
Banks to transfer incentive to accounts of remitters
Banks will transfer incentive to the bank accounts of remitters or their beneficiaries like they do in case of exporters as the maiden
1 July 2019
Swiss Banks: Bangladeshis’ deposits rise to Tk 5,341cr
Bangladeshis’ deposits in Swiss banks increased by 28.33 percent year-on-year in 2018 to 617.72 million Swiss francs or Tk 5,341 crore, according to the Swiss National Bank (SNB).
27 June 2019
Chemical warehouses to be temporarily moved to Gazipur
The government is going to shift chemical warehouses of Old Dhaka to Kathaldia in Gazipur’s Tongi temporarily, as the long-time plan to set up a permanent hub will take time.
16 June 2019
Public enterprises incur Tk 4,325cr losses
After a span of five years, state-owned enterprises jointly incurred a loss in the outgoing fiscal year largely because of Bangladesh
12 June 2019
Three major challenges
Former finance minister AMA Muhith has said his successor faces three major challenges: increasing the size of the national budget, realising more revenue and improving the banking sector.
11 June 2019
Less ambitious, more realistic
In a break from the past, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal will set a more realistic revenue income target in his maiden budget, but may shy away from undertaking some much-needed economic reforms.
11 June 2019
Govt’s bank borrowing to soar 77pc
The government may bump up bank borrowing by as much as 77.32 percent to Tk 54,800 crore for financing the budget deficit in fiscal 2019-20 as it looks to reduce overdependence on saving instruments.
11 June 2019
Tax holiday may continue for infrastructure, industries
The government is likely to extend the tax exemption benefit on income from investment in infrastructure and industries in lagging regions for five years to encourage private investment and job creation.
10 June 2019
Tk 100cr fund for budding entrepreneurs
The government is set to create a Tk 100 crore fund for start-ups as it looks to alleviate youth unemployment, which is progressively becoming an albatross for the country.
10 June 2019