Draft telecom policy keeps door open for monopoly
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) draft policy to reform its complex licensing regime arrives with bold promises — streamlining processes, encouraging competition, and attracting foreign investment.
14 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Govt’s bank borrowing target may shrink in next budget
The government is planning to significantly reduce its bank borrowing target in the upcoming fiscal year as it aims to narrow the budget deficit by scaling down the overall budget size.
13 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Starlink gets 90-day waiver to operate without local gateway
The internet regulator in Bangladesh has granted Starlink permission to supply bandwidth from outside the country for 90 days.
12 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Budget to shrink amid fiscal strain
Bangladesh’s interim government is preparing to unveil a rare contractionary budget on June 2, driven by a sharp rise in interest payment that is crowding out fiscal space and forcing spending cuts.
10 May 2025, 18:00 PM
BBS finally empowered to publish data independently
As part of policy reforms aimed at improving the credibility and accuracy of national statistics, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has been empowered to publish official data without prior government approval.
8 May 2025, 18:00 PM
Local handset production drops as grey market expands
Handset production in Bangladesh declined significantly in the first quarter of 2025 as the grey market continued to dominate the domestic market.
29 April 2025, 18:00 PM
BTRC to ask Banglalink to pay at least Tk 70cr in tower sale fees
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to issue a final directive to Banglalink Digital Communications Ltd, asking the mobile operator to deposit 5.5 percent of the total value of its tower sales, along with all applicable VAT and late fees, to Summit Towers Limited within ten working days.
28 April 2025, 18:00 PM
BTRC approves licence for Starlink
This is the swiftest recommendation from the BTRC for any such licence, according to a BTRC official.
27 April 2025, 18:00 PM
Govt moves to ease collateral requirements
The government is set to introduce an innovative financing model under a new law to enable small businesses and startups to show their moveable assets as collateral with a view to nurturing entrepreneurs and helping them secure loans.
5 December 2021, 18:00 PM
Idcol plans big for industrial rooftop solar
The Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (Idcol) has big plans to invest in industrial rooftop solar power projects in line with the government target to meet 30 per cent of Bangladesh’s energy needs from clean sources by 2030.
30 November 2021, 18:00 PM
10 Minute School raises $2m seed funding
Online educational platform 10 Minute School has raised $2 million in seed funding from Surge, Sequoia Capital India’s rapid scale-up programme, to increase investment in product and technology.
30 November 2021, 18:00 PM
Tourism’s share 3.02% in GDP
Tourism’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated at 3.02 per cent by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
27 November 2021, 18:00 PM
Pathao cuts commission on bike trips
Pathao has decided to substantially cut its commission on bike rides in line with demands from drivers in a move that could potentially increase the company’s competitiveness and put pressure on rival Uber.
24 November 2021, 18:00 PM
Interoperability among banks, MFS from 2022
The wait for an interoperable digital transaction system is soon going to be over as the government is launching it early next year.
21 November 2021, 18:00 PM
Govt aims for major reforms to boost tax receipts
The government plans to merge development and revenue budgets, amend income tax laws and establish a procurement authority in the next three years as part of a set of reforms aimed at boosting revenue collection and ensuring transparency in expenditure.
20 November 2021, 18:00 PM
Righting the digital marketplace: stakeholders’ say
Although industry people do not want a new law or regulatory agency, some legal experts and a consumer rights body said those were necessary to oversee the industry now plagued with scams and controversies and protect the interests of stakeholders, including merchants.
15 November 2021, 18:00 PM
Pathao introduces Bangladesh to ‘Pay Later’ feature
Bangladeshi consumers can now get a taste of the global ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) phenomenon thanks to the digital services platform Pathao, which is rolling out the feature today on a test basis.
15 November 2021, 18:00 PM
Fitch forecasts 7pc GDP growth
Global credit ratings agency Fitch said Bangladesh’s economy would grow 7 per cent in the current fiscal year, powered by declining coronavirus infections and easing of supply chain disruptions.
9 November 2021, 18:00 PM
Cutting CO2 Emission by a Fifth: Bangladesh needs $176b by 2030
Bangladesh can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 21.85 percent by 2030 if provided with $175.9 billion as the country joins in the efforts to keep alive a target of capping global warming at 1.5C above pre-industrial levels and avert a climate disaster.
31 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Target to generate 4,100MW by 2030
Bangladesh has set an ambitious goal of generating more than 4,100 megawatts of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030 as the county looks to cut greenhouse gas emissions significantly.
30 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Computer services export crosses $300m BASIS says actual amount is much higher
Computer services export from Bangladesh has crossed the $300-million mark as the coronavirus pandemic turbocharged the global demand for data processing, hosting and consultancy services.
28 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Queues for subsidised food getting longer
Braving heavy heat, she was standing in a long queue in the capital’s Farmgate last week with hopes to buy some essential items at subsidised rates from a truck selling the products.
19 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Int’l Day for The Eradication of Poverty: Fight steeper due to food price hike
The poor, pummelled the most by the pandemic, just can’t catch a break, it seems.
16 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Card use recovers slowly
Card transactions for e-commerce purchases increased slightly in August following a slump in July, when people were reluctant to place orders after it emerged that a few online platforms were scamming people.
14 October 2021, 18:00 PM
E-commerce scams: Complaint resolution system on cards
Amid a deluge of complaints against some beleaguered e-commerce companies, the e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB) and Access to Information Programme (a2i) have stepped up to build a digital system that will automatically receive and settle customer grievances.
12 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Biggest hike in LPG price to date
Bad news comes in threes, it is often said.
10 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Burgeoning local demand to spur call centre business
The country’s call centre industry is set to undergo fast growth as the government alongside private entities such as banks has started to provide many services through helplines.
6 October 2021, 18:00 PM
Facebook outage hits entrepreneurs hard
Monday night’s six-hour Facebook outage hit thousands of F-commerce entrepreneurs in the country as they neither could promote their products nor make deals during that period.
5 October 2021, 18:00 PM