After a span of five years, state-owned enterprises jointly incurred a loss in the outgoing fiscal year largely because of Bangladesh

Default loans in state-run commercial banks soared 10.64 percent, or Tk 5,184 crore, in the first quarter of the year -- in the

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.

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.

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.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has said the next budget for the fiscal 2019-20 would be more people-friendly through ensuring smooth implementation of the development projects.