The government is set to expand the social safety net in the upcoming budget as the Covid-19 has pushed at least 2.5 crore people below the poverty line.
Category: Economy
Parliament gets Tk 336.14cr budget for next fiscal year
The Parliament Secretariat Commission on Sunday approved a Tk 336.14 crore budget for Parliament to spend on its development and non-development expenditures for the next fiscal year (2020-21).
Desco to get smart with pre-paid meters
Dhaka Electric Supply Company (Desco) is going smart with the pre-paid meters for its consumers, the chief of the company said.
Agriculture to get increased subsidy in upcoming national budget
Government subsidies in the upcoming budget for 2021-22 fiscal is likely increase by Tk10,000 crore with agriculture sector slated to get the highest allocation, official sources said on Saturday.
Freedom Fighters’ pay to rise by two-thirds from next fiscal
The allowance for the valiant Freedom Fighters of the country is going to see a significant jump of 66.66% in the coming 2021-22 fiscal.
PM opens newly ‘Dak Bhaban’ for Directorate of Posts
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday launched the newly constructed headquarters of the Directorate of Posts, Dak Bhaban, in the city’s Agargaon area.
Bidi workers protest against NGOs’ tax-hike proposal
Several hundred bidi workers have protested against a proposal for tax-hike on the bidi industry by some NGOs from the next fiscal year.
SDGs: Greater urgency needed to meet environmental goals
Countries are on track to miss the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to environmental protection, two UN entities warn in a new report issued on Saturday to coincide with the International Day for Biological Diversity.
Half of global GDP at risk due to nature loss, analyst says
According to a recent World Economic Forum report, transitioning towards nature-positive economic models in key sectors could provide almost 400 million jobs and over $10 trillion in annual business value by 2030.
Helping poor in BD: WB approves $600 mn for 2 projects
The World Bank has approved $600 million for two projects in Bangladesh to help over 1.75 million poor and vulnerable populations.
Japanese company to invest $25m in Ishwardi EPZ
Roulin (BD) Limited, a Japanese apparel manufacturing company, is going to expand its business in Ishwardi EPZ and create employment for 3,500 Bangladeshis.
Rohingya Crisis: US to provide $155m humanitarian assistance
The United States has announced to provide nearly $155 million in new humanitarian assistance, much of which will go towards the 2021 Bangladesh Joint Response Plan.
Rich countries drained 152 tn from global South since 1960
The drain takes place subtly and almost invisibly, without the overt violence of colonial occupation and therefore without provoking protest and moral outrage.
Over 97 percent owners paid workers’ salaries: BGMEA president
President of BGMEA Faruque Hassan on Wednesday hoped 100 percent of workers’ salaries and festival bonuses will be paid before the day of the Eid-ul-Fitr festival.
A Global Accord for Sustainable Finance
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the largest decrease in global economic activity on record. But the drop in carbon dioxide emissions has been only temporary.
Measures taken to enhance implementation rate of ADP
Dhaka, May 8 : The government is taking a series of measures to enhance the implementation rate of Annual Development Programme (ADP) in an effort to overcome the lack of capability to use project funds and speed up the pace…
Doctors for raising tobacco tax to protect public health
Scores of prominent doctors have urged the government to hike tobacco tax in the budget to protect public health.
Restaurant workers to stage demo Tuesday
Bangladesh Hotel Restaurant Sweetmeat Workers Federation (BHRSWF) will stage demonstrations across the country, including in the capital, on Tuesday demanding their salaries, dues and festival bonus.
Building a Nature-Positive Economy
The planet’s ecosystems are nearing critical tipping points, with extinction rates 100-1,000 times higher than they were a century ago. Our current economic system has put natural resources under ever-increasing pressure.
Specific taxes to raise price of tobacco demanded
Describing the current tobacco tax structure as extremely complex, speakers at a webinar on Monday urged the government to simplify the tax structure to widen its net in the country.
Asia’s economic growth to rebound to 7.3% in 2021, says ADB
Developing Asia’s economic revival is underway, supported by a healthy global recovery and progress on vaccines. The region’s growth is forecast to rebound to 7.3% in 2021, moderating to 5.3% in 2022.
Ambitious ADP worth Tk 2.13trn on cards
Dhaka, Apr 28 : The annual development programme (ADP) for 2021-22 fiscal will prioritise the transport, education, health and agriculture sectors, with a view to off-setting the adverse impacts of the coronavirus crisis that have weighed on the economy since…
IMF: Divergent recoveries stem from divergent policies – II
The role of the IMF as lender-of-last-resort has skyrocketed during the Covid-19 pandemic, with emergency financing and loan packages disbursed to 86 countries since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.
The Case for Green Consumer Taxes
With the pandemic not yet over, politicians are unsurprisingly loath to dampen spirits further with talk of tax increases. But the socially sustainable shift that they profess to seek will require revenue reforms.
IMF: Divergent recoveries stem from divergent policies – I
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is responding to urgent liquidity needs in developing countries but fails to ensure systemic debt solutions or recovery without austerity.
ILO kicks off Green Week to jump-start a sustainable future
The UN’s labour agency launched ILO Green Week to explore what a green future of work could look like, and how we can get there.
Covid-19 in Bangladesh: PM allocates Tk 10.50cr for the poor
Dhaka, Apr 21: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday allocated Tk 10.50 crore in favour of deputy commissioners of the country to provide assistance to the poor, distressed and insolvent people who have been affected due to the ongoing lockdown…
NGOs urged to design action plan in line with Covid-19
Speakers at a programme called upon partner NGOs of BRAC to chalk out a plan of action for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Robi to stand beside underprivileged people during Ramadan
Dhaka, Apr 15 : Robi has come up with an innovative Iftar donation campaign to stand with the underprivileged people of the society in the holy month of Ramadan.
Expats to receive better services abroad with easier access
Dhaka, Apr 14 : Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has said the expatriate Bangladeshis living abroad will receive necessary services more easily and Bangladesh Missions abroad will ensure better services for the expatriates.