Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – The BBN has prepared the morning business round up compiling reports, published by different newspapers and news portals in Bangladesh.
Heist thru tunnel at Sonali again: In yet another bank heist, around BDT 30.8 lakh has been taken away from Sonali Bank’s Adamdighi branch in Bogra by digging a 30-feet tunnel from a nearby furniture shop into the vault. Applying the same technique, a robber stole BDT 16.40 crore from Sonali Bank’s main branch in Kishoreganj on January 24 by digging a tunnel from a nearby rented house.
Adulterated foods sell unchecked: Adulterated food continues to sell in the capital and elsewhere in the country in the absence of monitoring and enforcement of the newly enacted Safe Food Act 2013, health experts and consumer activists said. According to data available with the Public Health Laboratory of the Institute of Public Health, almost half of the food items, including water, milk, spices, oil, and sweets that they tested were either adulterated or otherwise sub-standard. PHL chief analyst Shafiqul Alam said only 107 different items of food were tested at the laboratory, and that a large number of non-processed foods such as vegetable, meat and fruits could not be tested, ‘due to lack of capacity.’
State banks see surplus capital on public funds: State banks that had huge deficits earlier now enjoy surplus capital as the government has injected fresh funds into the banks and improved their asset quality. Four state-owned banks had a surplus capital of BDT 8.55 billion on December 31, 2013, though they had a deficit of BDT 88.63 billion on September 30, according to central bank statistics. On December 31, the banks’ requirement for total capital was BDT 105.54 billion against their risk weighted assets, but they maintained a capital of BDT 114.09 billion.
BERC weighing varying opinions on power rate hike: The energy regulator is now weighing opinions of various stakeholders before announcing a hike in electricity tariff for consumers across the country, a top official said. “An upward adjustment of electricity tariff is necessary considering the increase in average electricity generation costs,” Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Chairman AR Khan told the FE.
NBR, DIP at loggerheads over VAT on passport, visa fees: The National Board of Revenue and the Department of Immigration and Passports are at loggerheads over payment of 15 per cent value-added tax on passport and visa fees, officials of the revenue board and DIP said. They said that the dispute began after the NBR had asked the immigration and passports department to pay VAT on funds it collected from clients as fees for providing passport, visa and other related services.
Sri Lanka clinch Asia Cup title: Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final match of Asia Cup 2014 in Mirpur of the capital on Saturday.
Sri Lankan got the easy victory losing just five wickets in their chase of 260. Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first at Sher-e Bangla Stadium of Mirpur.The match began at 2:00pm local time (8:00am GMT). State-run Bangladesh Television and private channel, Channel 9, broadcasted the match live.
Denim makers want to create new platform for buyers: Denim makers want to create a new platform for ensuring a large ecosystem of the denim supply chain for global buyers. The observation came at the first denim show concluded in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka on March 2. The Denimsandjeans.com Bangladesh show, in association with Denim Expert Limited, a Bangladesh-Netherlands joint venture at the Chittagong-based Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), organisined two-day long show at Hotel Radisson in Dhaka. Such exhibitions take place in Paris, Sweden, Shanghai, Hong Kong and the USA annually. And this was for the first time Bangladesh organized the exhibition.
Govt to form $1.7b fund to train manpower: Bangladesh is going to form a US$ 1.7 billion public investment fund for creating a 1.2 million-strong pool of manpower by imparting them technical education to cater to the growing demand in the local industrial sector and the overseas job markets, officials said Saturday. Economic Relations Division (ERD) officials said they had tied up with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and some other development partners to form the $ 1.07 billion government-donor fund shortly.
BBN/SSR/AD-09Mar14-8:58 am (BST)
