The Financial Express

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China’s economy sees quick recovery as consumption returns

REUTERS 2020-10-19 16:14:26

China’s economic recovery accelerated in the third quarter as consumers shook off their coronavirus caution, although the weaker-than-expected headline growth suggested persistent risks for one...

Bangladesh's 'slow legal system' still impedes FDI: US report

SAJIBUR RAHMAN 2020-10-19 10:09:28

A weak and slow legal system along with the lack of enforcement of regulations in Bangladesh is a major impediment to foreign direct investment (FDI), according to a new United States government repor...

BB makes investing in startups easier now

FE REPORT 2020-10-19 09:52:06

The central bank on Sunday said the new 'risk weight' applicable to investing in 'alternative' investments will remain valid until September, 2022 beginning from the third quarter of this year. An...

Productivity to be 5.6pc by 2031

-- 2020-10-18 19:26:47

The government has set a target of increasing productivity in all sectors to 5.6 per cent from the current 3.8 per cent by 2031. The 15th meeting of the National Productivity Council (NPC) held on Su...

Italy unveils new stimulus package to help virus-hit economy

Reuters 2020-10-18 16:08:03

Italy has approved a new stimulus package in its 2021 budget to foster an economic rebound from the recession caused by the coronavirus crisis, a government statement said on Sunday after a late-night...

Sri Lanka's central bank approves $966m business relief loans

-- 2020-10-18 12:40:23

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has approved 966 million US dollars worth of loans under a relief programme for coronavirus (Covid-19) affected businesses, local media reported on Sunday. A tota...

Dhaka making fresh guidelines for FTAs, PTAs for boosting trade

DOULOT AKTER MALA 2020-10-18 09:57:10

The government has planned to frame a new guideline for preferential and free trade agreements to get prepared for the post-graduation period. Bangladesh is set to graduate from the least-developed c...

Experts recommend single-digit charge for mobile financial service

-- 2020-10-18 09:47:10

Experts have suggested that mobile financial service (MFS) providers cut cash-out charges to a single-digit as high transaction costs are keeping marginal people as well as more micro and small enterp...

Bangladesh spends least on social protection during pandemic: ESCAP-ILO report

MONIRA MUNNI 2020-10-18 09:27:00

Bangladesh's expenditure in social protection is the lowest in South and Southwest Asia and this poor safeguard system is hampering the resilience to Covid-19, according to a new report. The level of...

Experts suggests single-digit MFS cash-out charge

-- 2020-10-17 19:34:12

Experts have suggested bringing down the cash-out charge of mobile financial service (MFS) providers to a single-digit as high transaction cost is keeping marginal people as well as more micro and sma...

83pc women farmers of Africa, Asia lost livelihood amid pandemic

FE ONLINE REPORT 2020-10-16 19:32:44

Some 83 per cent women farmers of 14 countries in Africa and Asia including Bangladesh reported a loss of livelihoods during the pandemic, with 65 per cent saying they are experiencing food shortages,...

Bangladesh ahead of India on Global Hunger Index

-- 2020-10-16 17:13:21

Bangladesh has moved 13 notches up to the 75th place among 107 qualifying countries on the latest Global Hunger Index (GHI), well ahead of neighbouring India. The 2020 Global Hunger Index, jointly pu...

IMF lifts China’s GDP forecast to 1.9pc in 2020

Global Times 2020-10-16 17:07:34

The IMF projects that China's GDP will grow by 1.9 per cent in 2020, up from 1.0 per cent in its last projection in June, citing a faster-than-expected recovery in China. China will be the only major...

BB asks MFS cos to inform clients about charges of products

FE REPORT 2020-10-16 14:34:31

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has asked all the mobile financial service (MFS) providers to inform the customers about type and charges of the products in details in order to ensure transparency of their s...

UN chief calls for investment in rural women to help build resilience to crises

-- 2020-10-16 11:48:33

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for efforts to invest in rural women and help them build resilience to future crises. "Together, we must invest in rural women so that the...

IMF fears higher debt burdens, poverty, inequality worldwide

FE Online Report 2020-10-16 10:04:37

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called the ongoing global economic recovery partial and uneven that is marked by significant uncertainty, as the pandemic continues to spread in places. An I...

ERF permanent office registration completed

FE Online Report 2020-10-15 19:46:56

The Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) completed the registration of its permanent office through a ceremony at its office at Purana Paltan in the capital on Thursday, says a press release. ERF President...

Covid-19 vaccine purchase may take up to $1.5b for Bangladesh

FHM Humayan Kabir 2020-10-15 09:44:08

The government has estimated that US$1.0 to 1.5 billion will be needed to procure COVID-19 vaccine with external funding, officials said on Wednesday. The estimate by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) ha...

e-banking in the country loses steam in Aug

JASIM UDDIN HAROON 2020-10-15 09:43:46

The transactions through most of the e-banking channels were poor in August over July in recent months with the increased movement of people. E-commerce transactions fell by Tk. 1.52 billion in Aug...

IMF sees debt soaring but stabilising at 100pc of GDP; if pandemic eases, growth resumes

-- 2020-10-14 18:34:43

Massive government spending to battle the coronavirus pandemic will push public debt to a record of nearly 100 per cent of global economic output this year, but the run-up may be a one-off event if gr...

Bangladesh overtakes India in per capita GDP, IMF says

-- 2020-10-14 16:21:56

Bangladesh has overtaken its much-larger neighbour India in terms of per capita GDP in 2020, owing to a respectable performance on the economic front despite slowing growth coupled with a steep contra...

WB readies $12b for Covid-19 vaccines, treatments in developing countries

REUTERS 2020-10-14 11:16:02

The World Bank said its executive board approved on Tuesday $12 billion in new funding for developing countries to finance the purchase and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, tests and treatments for...

Bangladesh’s crisis-related borrowing will surge: IMF

FE ONLINE REPORT 2020-10-14 10:02:33

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects that the government of Bangladesh will carry out an audit of Covid-19-related expenditures within 12 months of the end of the crisis. The global agency h...

Japanese investments in two SEZs unlikely in two years

MUNIMA SULTANA 2020-10-14 09:39:29

Japanese investments in two economic zones are unlikely to take place in next two years as those zones are not ready. According to insiders, the Japanese special economic zone on over 1000 acres of l...

Bangladesh exports to non-traditional market shrink

MONIRA MUNNI 2020-10-14 09:35:36

The country's apparel exports to the non-traditional markets are still facing hurdles. Shipments to those destinations maintained negative growth during the first quarter (Q1) of the current fiscal y...

Dhaka to seek $5b WB soft loan in next 3 years

FHM HUMAYAN KABIR 2020-10-14 09:28:36

Bangladesh would seek funds worth US$5.0 billion from the World Bank's (WB's) IDA-19 package for the next three years to bankroll its socio-economic development activities, officials said on Tuesday....

IMF sees less severe global contraction but worsening outlook for many emerging markets

-- 2020-10-13 20:25:50

The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday said forecasts for the global economy were “somewhat less dire” as wealthy countries and China rebounded more quickly than expected from coronavi...

Debt of poorest countries hit record $744b in 2019: World Bank

-- 2020-10-13 10:54:23

The total external debt of the world's poorest countries climbed 9.5 per cent to a record 744 billion US dollars in 2019, according to the World Bank Group's latest International Debt Statistics (IDS)...

Gold traders accuse tax officials of harassment

DOULOT AKTER MALA 2020-10-13 09:49:01

The country's gold traders have alleged that they often face questions by tax officials on the gold they legalised through paying tax. Some VAT officials are seeking previous account details of the g...

Bangladesh's stimulus packages: Biggies look hungry, but minnows lose appetite

SIDDIQUE ISLAM 2020-10-13 09:43:46

A major portion of the stimulus package for large industries and services has been implemented while only 24.18 per cent was executed in another package for the CMSMEs until September 30. Nearly Tk 2...