Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - The BBN has prepared the morning business round up compiling reports, published by different newspapers and news portals in Bangladesh.
Doing business getting tough
The ongoing blockade and a series of shutdowns are pushing up costs of doing business in Bangladesh, say businesspeople. A combination of rising transportation cost, supply chain disruption and delay in work -- be it project implementation or day-to-day activities -- has been eating up Bangladesh's competitive advantage as “low-cost maker and exporter”, they said. Cost escalation is not the only fear now. Many private firms face bigger problems such as cancellation of export orders and trips by foreign investors.
Taxmen lose hope of getting near revenue target for uncertainty
Taxmen are in doubt about getting the targeted revenue from internal sources in the last quarter (Q4) of the current financial year, as the tax collection has already missed the mark. A poor state of businesses, hit by the prolonged political uncertainty, stoked up their fear about a substantial revenue shortfall. Tax officials of all the three wings of the National Board of Revenue (NBR)--income tax, customs and Value Added Tax (VAT)--said it would be an uphill task to reach the highest-ever targeted growth for tax-revenue collection in the last quarter (April-June).
Half of factories have no safety clearance
One in two factories in the country does not have a safety clearance from the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments. DIFE statistics show that only 23,589 manufacturing units have taken safety clearance. There are 42,792 factories in the country, according to BBS in 2012, which employ more than 50 lakh workers, revealed BBS’s 2013 economic census. Factory owners and inspectors said that many manufacturing units were not even aware of the legally-binding requirement to get licence from DIFE.
Commercial building catches fire in Bangladesh capital
A devastating fire broke out at a commercial building at Dilkhusha area in the capital Dhaka Saturday afternoon. However, there was no report of casualties as the day was public holiday. The blaze originated at around 4:00 pm (local time) at the Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company Limited (BIFC), a non-banking financial institution, office on first floor of the 7th storied building, known as Miah Amanullah Bhabn.
Second denim expo begins in Dhaka in May
With Bangladesh becoming a major source of denim products for international retailers, the second Bangladesh Denim Expo will kick off in Dhaka on May 11 to showcase the country's potential in the sector. Twenty-four local and international firms have already booked stalls for the two-day exhibition to be held at Radisson hotel, said Mostafiz Uddin, organiser of the show and managing director of Chittagong-based Denim Expert Ltd, a leading exporter of such products.
Corruption involving OT bill payment rampant in Biman
The Biman Bangladesh Airlines, a loss-incurring state-owned enterprise, spent Tk 1.30 billion on overtime (OT) bill payment in three and a half years since the fiscal year 2012 and a large part of the amount was mere wastage, according to sources. The national flag carrier spends around Tk 350 million in every fiscal on OT allowances. Many of its employees have been drawing payments without performing any OT duty. Such irregularities have been going on due to inadequate monitoring and supervision, company insiders have alleged.
BBN/SSR/AD-15Mar15-10:43 am (BST)