The government is set to exempt the Rural Electrification Board from paying value-added tax worth Tk 101.75 crore for which the National Board of Revenue has a long-standing dispute with REB, officials said. At the same time, REB has also informed the revenue board that from April it started collecting VAT on meter rent from its ... Read more
Month: October 2014
Another RMG factory partially closed
Alliance Inspection Another RMG factory partially closed Production at Tusuka Trousers Ltd, a nine-storey garment factory located in Gazipur, has recently been closed partially by a government-set review committee as the committee found weakness in the columns of the building. Following a recommendation made by the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, a platform of North American ... Read more
Local photographers featured in Oxford
The artistry of photography has seen commendable growth since the 1980s in Bangladesh due to the emergence of some talented photographers. Works of these Bangladeshi photographers caught notice of audiences both at home and abroad. Seven such talented photographers from Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, Bangladesh–Shahidul Alam, Abir Abdullah, Anisul Hoque, Taslima Akhter, Tushikur Rahman, Sarker ... Read more
PCB’s BCB diplomacy bears little fruit
The Bangladesh Cricket Board officials put aside their Eid celebrations for few hours on Tuesday to engage themselves in cricket diplomacy as Pakistan Cricket Board president Shahryar Khan paid a short visit during the Eid-ul Azha holidays. Shahryar undertook the visit with an aim to renew cordial and cooperative relationship between the two boards that ... Read more
ICC bans Sohag from bowling
Bangladesh’s off-spinner Sohag Gazi and Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utsyeta have been banned from bowling in international cricket after their bowling actions were found to be illegal, said the International Cricket Council on Wednesday. An ICC media release confirmed that an analysis showed that all deliveries of both the players have exceeded the 15 degrees level of ... Read more
Samuels ton sets up crushing WI win
Marlon Samuels scored an unbeaten century and grabbed two wickets as West Indies crushed India by 125 runs in the first one-day international to go 1-0 up in the five-match series at Kochi on Wednesday. Samuels signalled his return to ODI cricket with a brilliantly crafted 126 off 116 balls with 11 fours and four ... Read more
BB appoints observer to NBL after anomalies
The Bangladesh Bank on Wednesday appointed an observer to the National Bank Limited following several alleged anomalies including increasing rate of defaulted loans and ‘unwanted’ interference of the board of directors in the bank’s activities. BB executive director Mahfuzur Rahman told New Age that the central bank’s forex reserve and treasury management
Small, seasonal rawhide traders face losses
Small and seasonal rawhide traders across the country are in fear of huge losses as they had to buy rawhides at high prices while tanners set low prices of rawhides this year, the people involved with the trade said. Small traders alleged that despite high demand on the local and international markets every year the ... Read more
Govt, IMF in tussle over VAT law implementation
A row between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has emerged after the finance ministry refrained from pledging implementation of a five-point condition on value added tax the international lender tagged with disbursement of the next tranche of ECF fund. The refusal or indecision on the part of the ministry in implementing the ... Read more
WB forecasts 6.2pc GDP growth for FY15
The World Bank on Wednesday estimated that the GDP growth of Bangladesh would be 6.2 per cent in 2014-15 fiscal year, which is so far the lowest projection by any international agency. The government’s GDP target is 7.3 per cent for FY2014-15 whereas the Asian Development Bank in late September projected the country’s GDP growth ... Read more
Bill Gates lauds Bangladesh mobile banking
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has lauded the mobile banking services in Bangladesh saying that banking on digital technology would bring financial services to the world’s poor. Bill Gates is the co-chairman of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which has investment in one of Bangladesh’s mobile financial service providers, bKash.
Eid now and then: artistes share experiences
New Age got in touch with various artistes to know what Eid used to be like to them in their early years and how it is now. In interviews, the popular artistes reminisced their memorable times. To noted Tagore singer Sadi Mohammad, Eid is a day of pure happiness and delight. However, as per Sadi, ... Read more
What to watch on Eid holidays
Eid is an occasion that people yearn for the whole year to observe the festival with family and friends. Eid holidays also come as a much needed break from the demanding schedule that everyone has to keep up to. In Bangladesh, turning on the television to check out the special Eid programmes, teleplays and films ... Read more
Young singers dominate Eid albums
Among around a hundred albums that await release during Eid-ul-Azha, solo albums by young artistes and mixed albums seem to take over the list. Production houses, it appears, are reluctant to spend enough to bring seasoned singers onboard. However, for music lovers, there are many options to choose from a good variety of music genres like ... Read more
Home issues guidelines to ensure revenue collection
Cattle Trade In Border Areas Home issues guidelines to ensure revenue collection The home ministry has issued guidelines to give legal shape to the entry of cattle in the country through informal channels making mandatory trading of cattle at the government-approved bits or khatals, temporary shelters for cattle brought into the country at border areas. ... Read more
Aromatic rice, spice prices rise ahead of Eid
The prices of aromatic rice and spices increased on the city’s retail markets on Saturday, two days before the celebration of Eid-ul-Azha. Traders said the prices of the items went up on the market as the wholesalers increased the prices ahead of Eid, which is to be celebrated tomorrow. The prices of chinigura and kalijira increased ... Read more
Dhaka stocks gain for sixth week as investors remain positive about prospect
Dse Weekly Review Dhaka stocks gain for sixth week as investors remain positive about prospect Dhaka stocks sustained upbeat vibe in last week, the sixth week in a row, riding on investors’ mounting confidence and increased fund flow to the market. The key index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, gained 4.19 per cent or 210.79 ... Read more
Online cattle markets gaining ground
As Muslims around the world is celebrating Eid-ul-Azha this week, some Bangladeshi families are turning to the web to buy their sacrificial animals, changing a centuries-old tradition, reports Voice of America. Muslims in South Asia traditionally buy cows, goats and other animals from outdoor cattle markets for Eid-ul-Azha sacrifice. Throughout the month preceding the annual Muslim ... Read more
Dhaka Regency offers special Eid package
Dhaka Regency, a business class hotel, has announced a special package on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha celebration, said a news release. The package has been specially designed for all types of Standard Chartered Bank card holders who are local residents and will be entitled to have one night accommodation up to two adults and two children ... Read more
Shakib Khan likely to dominate Eid box office
Like previous few eids, this eid film market is most likely to be dominated by Shakib Khan with a surprising number of three films. In absence of any Ananta Jalil film, which put Shakib to a stiff test in last two eids, Shakib’s dominance in the box office is very plausible. It was reported in some ... Read more