Bangladesh wants easy and cheap cotton from Uzbekistan to boost trade relations between the two countries, Senior Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh said today.

Shares on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) suffered another decline today, sending the market to more than a 13-month low, highlighting investors’ continued worry about the volatility facing the economy owing to the global crisis.

Proparco, the private sector financing arm of Agence Française de Développement Group (AFD Group), today gave $13.8 million to local Ananta Huaxiang Limited (AHL), a subsidiary of Ananta Group in Bangladesh, to increase its sweater manufacturing capacity.

The Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) today suggested the central bank should consider China’s Renminbi (RMB) as a second currency for international trading, especially for importing raw materials from China.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has tightened one condition for trading shares on the SME board slightly after criticisms that easy access made the market index overvalued.

Paramount Textile, a listed textile company, has got regulatory approval to offload preference shares to raise a fund of Tk 150 crore.

The Bangladesh Bank today asked banks not to purchase any vehicle in the next one year as part of the government’s efforts to cut import payments to tackle the ongoing forex volatility.

Bangladesh is failing to utilise 20 per cent of its export potential because of poor logistics services in ports, roads and clearance services in Chattogram port, an economist said today.

Ten inspection teams of Bangladesh Bank today went for surprise visits to different money changers’ shops in Dhaka city to investigate whether they are hoarding US dollar to intentionally hike the rate of the greenback against the taka.

Bangladesh should work on the young population now for future development as the country has only 15 years left to reap the benefits of the demographic dividend, an economist said today.

The Bangladesh Bank today asked non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) to cut their energy bills by at least 25 per cent.

The commerce ministry has suggested all kinds of import tariff on sunflower and canola oil should be withdrawn in order to increase their stock in the country.

Bangladesh should actively negotiate with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for continuation of trade benefits after its graduation to a developing country, analysts said today.

The telecom regulator today withdrew the directive under which 50 per cent bandwidth of aamra technologies was blocked because of non-payment of outstanding revenue of over Tk 33 crore.

Guardian Life Insurance has recently signed a group insurance agreement with Padma Bank.

The Bangladesh Bank today asked banks to encash the term deposits of exporters’ retention quota (ERQ) balances.

The exchange rate of the US dollar against the taka today hit a record of Tk 112 in the country’s kerb market.

The Bangladesh Bank today set a target for banks to cut their electricity and energy consumption for the next one year in keeping with the government’s move aimed at saving power amid deepening energy and foreign exchange crises.

Moi Lemoshia, director general for bilateral and political affairs of the Kenyan government, made the call as the leader of a 10-member Kenyan delegation in a meeting with the officials of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).

The central bank today depreciated the value of the taka by Tk 0.25 as the demand for the US dollar shows no sign of slowing down, said an official of the Bangladesh Bank.