The cut-off yield—commonly referred to as the interest rate—on the two-year BGTBs increased to 10.10 per cent from 9.44 per cent previously, according to auction results.

Most banks are hesitant to invest their excess liquidity in the bonds, as the volume of such funds has been gradually declining, market insiders said.

Higher government borrowing from the banking system during the second quarter of the current fiscal year (FY 2025-26) has also contributed to the upward pressure on yields for both treasury bills and bonds, they explained.

On the day, the government borrowed BDT40 billion, instead of the BDT 35 billion earlier, through issuing the BGTBs to help finance the budget deficit.

Additionally, BDT 5.0 billion was raised via the issuance of Three-Year Floating Rate Treasury Bonds (FRTBs), whose cut-off yield also edged up to 10.95 per cent from 10.70 per cent earlier.

The FRTB’s coupon rate is determined by adding a spread to the benchmark 91-day Bangladesh Compounded Rate (BCR)—a daily reference rate based on the yield of 91-day Treasury Bills.

Currently, five government bonds—with maturities of 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years—and four Treasury Bills of 14-, 91-, 182-, and 364-day tenures are traded through regular auctions.

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The cut off yield, generally known as interest rate, on the BGTBs rose to 12.48 per cent on the day from 12.05 per cent earlier, according to the auction results.

The government's increased borrowing from the banking sector to finance the budget deficit is driving up yields on its securities, including treasury bonds, according to market insiders.

They also predicted that the ongoing upward trend of the treasury bills (T-bills) and bonds in the coming weeks. 

However, the government borrowed Tk 35 billion through issuing the BGTBs on the day to partially meet its budget deficit.

Earlier on March 18, 2025, the cut-off yield on the BGTBs rose to 12.05 per cent from 10.32 per cent earlier.

Currently, five government treasury bonds, with tenures of two, five, 10, 15 and 20 years respectively, are traded on the market.

Besides, four treasury bills (T-bills) are transacted through auction to adjust government borrowings from the banking system. The T-bills have 14-day, 91-day, 182-day and 364-day maturity periods.

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“Demand for the treasury bonds dropped significantly as banks showed reluctance to invest their excess liquidity in the long-term securities ahead of the Eid festival,” a senior official of the Bangladesh Bank (BB) told BBN in Dhaka.

The cut off yield, generally known as interest rate, on the 15-Year Bangladesh Government Treasury Bonds (BGTBs) rose to 12.28 per cent on the day from 11.36 per cent earlier while the yield on the 20-Year BGTBs stood at 12.54 per cent from 12.05 per cent, according to the auction results.

The central banker also predicted that the yields on the long-term securities may fall slightly after the Eid festival.

The government borrowed BDT 30 billion through issuing the BGTBs on the day to partially meet its budget deficit.

Currently, five government bonds, with tenures of two, five, 10, 15 and 20 years respectively, are traded on the market.

On the other hand, four treasury bills (T-bills) are transacted through auction to adjust government borrowings from the banking system. The T-bills have 14-day, 91-day, 182-day and 364-day maturity periods.

BBN/SSR/SI

The infected person is a 66-year-old European man who worked in an African country with an ongoing outbreak. Officials did not specify which country. The man, who has a home in Thailand, was not reported to have severe symptoms, according to the New York Times report.

It’s the second time that the new and deadlier version of the virus has been found outside Africa. Coupled with the earlier case, discovered in Sweden last week, the announcement in Thailand is likely to stir concerns that the virus is spreading more widely. The outbreak previously had been concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The new version of the virus has a death rate of 3 percent, much higher than the 0.2 percent death rate observed in a 2022 outbreak, the global newspaper added.

On the other hand, Bangladesh has already implemented precautionary measures to prevent the entry of Mpox, an infectious disease primarily affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring countries.

The Ministry of Health has already issued a high alert for Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, following reports of the virus in various countries.

The alert came just a day after Pakistan’s health ministry identified its first case of Mpox.

Daud Adnan, the Deputy Director of the Department of Hospitals and Clinics at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), reassured the public that no cases have been detected in Bangladesh.

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The interim government of Bangladesh today officially abolished the August 15 public holiday.

The decision was made during a meeting of the advisory council held at Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus's office in the State Guest House Jamuna.

In a press statement issued by the Chief Adviser’s Office, it was noted that the decision to cancel the national holiday was made unanimously after discussions with the council of advisers and political parties.

Earlier, anonymous sources within the Ministry of Public Administration had indicated that a circular to cancel the holiday had been drafted and was awaiting approval from President Mohammed Shahabuddin.

The August 15 holiday had been observed as National Mourning Day since 2008, under the recently ousted Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina.

The holiday cancellation decision comes shortly after Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus assumed leadership of the interim government on August 8, following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and subsequent escape on August 5.

Speculation had been rife across the nation regarding the potential abolition of the holiday as the new administration began implementing its agenda.

BBN/SS/AN

Former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud

Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - Former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud has been detained today at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).

The civil aviation authority also detained the general secretary of Bangladesh Chattra League's Dhaka University unit Tanbir Hasan Shaikat and Dhaka North unit president Riaz Mahmud, according to the officials of Dhaka airport, reports the Daily Star.

Mr. Hasan had also served as Information minister in the previous term of Sheikh Hasina government.

Earlier, former state minister for ICT ministry Zunaid Ahmed Palak was held at the same airport.

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Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)

The respite came as the autocrat leader has stepped down and uncertainty came as the proposed interim government is yet to be formed.

The situation brewed after the resignation of Sheikh Hasina from the position of prime minister of Bangladesh. Hasina stepped down and fled the country yesterday following the countrywide demonstration carried out by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. She is now in India, as Indian sources confirmed.

Media reports claim that traffic is thin in the Dhaka streets since morning as people are scared to step on to the roads with their cars. Some rickshaws, however, are seen ruling over the streets.

Meanwhile, the officers and employees of Bangladesh government evacuated the secretariat en masse shortly before 12noon. Many top police officials went into hiding after the development. Most police stations and law enforcement offices in Dhaka and several other districts remained vacant today following yesterday’s vandalism and arson attacks.

Students are seen to control traffic on different Dhaka streets in the afternoon. Later, the members of Ansar were given the responsibility to control the traffic movements.

Mass people on Monday broke into Gonobhaban, the official residence of Bangladesh PM, and vandalised and looted valuables from the palace.

On the other hand, the protesters including students intervened into the untoward incident and announced that the government valuables, properties and establishments are bought from the money that the common people paid to the government as tax and VAT.

They also prevented mobs from taking away the government valuables. Reports said that student leaders were also seen reinstating and returning valuables to different government offices and establishments.

The historic house of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and its adjacent buildings at Dhanmondi-32 in the capital were torched yesterday afternoon amid the riot and mob violence and miscreants also looted the museum. Four unidentified and charred bodies were found at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum this morning. Many people gathered there to see the ruins of the museum while some opportunists were taking remaining valuables from it.

In the set back of this political development, the Army Chief of Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman yesterday addressed the nation and declared the formation of an interim government soon.

Hours before addressing the nation, he sat with the leaders of different political parties including BNP, Jamaat, JP and representatives of civil society. However, even a single leader of just-ousted Awami League did not turn up at the meeting.

In another development, the coordinators under the banner of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement this morning nominated Dr Md. Yunus as the chief of the interim government and the Nobel Laureate has also accepted the role, media reports added.

A full fledged interim government is scheduled to be announced today following the development in the political arena of Bangladesh. Today, the Army Chief also spoke with the students’ coordinators who spearheaded the movement against the Awami League government.

After the ousting of Hasina, the eldest daughter of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, demonstrators brought down and destroyed pictures of Hasina and her father from different offices and institutions.

Widespread violence including vandalism, torching and killing rocked different parts including the capital of Bangladesh after the political turmoil. Residences and offices of just-ousted ministers, lawmakers and AL leaders, government establishments, police stations and business institutions were attacked and vandalised in at least 17 districts, according to media reports.

At least 18 people died after mobs set fire to five-star Zabeer International Hotel, owned by lawmaker and Jashore district AL general secretary Shahin Chakladar, Monday night.

Allegations also came that some political leaders and their kinsmen were killed during mob attacks in different parts of the country.

A group of angry mob torched the house of AL Leader and Member of Parliament from Jhalakathi-2 constituency Amir Hossain Amu in Barishal.

A joint team of the army and police has recovered Tk 5.0 crore in local and foreign currencies from the house of AL Leader.

In Satkhira, at least 15 people, including a local AL leader, his brother and nephews were killed in a deadly attack and clashes.

Police say more than 450 police stations were attacked on Monday following the resignation of Hasina. A number of police officers were also killed during the protests.

Hundreds of people including students of different colleges and universities were killed during the protest that eventually led the resignation of Hasina.

In another development, a day after Hasina's ouster, her arch-rival Khaleda Zia was released from her Gulshan house, a press statement of Bangabhaban reads on Tuesday.

Moreover, the process to release those arrested between July 01 to August 05 has also been started and many have already been released, the press statement added.

A press statement of the Inter Services Public Relation (ISPR) this evening sought the cooperation of all in maintaining the law and order situation of the country in the wake of the mayhem adding that along with police, Rab, BGB and Ansar the armed forces’ personnel are working to stabilize the country.

BBN/SSR/AN

Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)

The demonstration brewed following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina as the prime minister of Bangladesh. Hasina stepped down and fled the country yesterday.

Demonstrators brought down and destroyed the pictures of Hasina and her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

They also demanded to remove S Alam Group’s high officials, who were appointed at the bank after restructuring its board of directors in 2017, officials said.

On query, the demonstrators informed that the bank’s managing director and deputy managing director did not turned up to the office today.

BBN/SSR/AD

Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus will be the chief adviser of their proposed interim government, the student leaders declared on Tuesday

Three organizers  of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement including Nahid Islam posted the same announcement on their Facebook page on the day.

Nahid, flanked by two other coordinators, said in the video statement that the widespread violence was being carried out by the "ousted fascists and their collaborators" to foil the revolution.

"We have talked to Dr Muhammad Yunus. He has agreed to take up this huge responsibility heeding the calls of the student movement to protect Bangladesh," Nahid said.

The names of the remaining members of their proposed interim government would be announced later in the morning, he added.

"We have decided that the interim government would be formed in which internationally renowned Nobel Laureate Dr Mohammad Yunus, who has wide acceptability, would be the chief adviser," Nahid announced.

He called on President Mohammed Shahabuddin to form an interim government with Dr Yunus as the chief adviser as soon as possible. However, Dr Yunus has not made any statement in this regard so far.

The demonstrators also added that they will not accept any other government than the one proposed by the students.

The protest leaders also urged for calm during the transition period adding that they will not accept any military government, or one backed by the military, or a government of fascists any anti-people government.

Referring to the indiscriminate firing and attacks on temples and widespread looting in various places, they added that until the interim government is formed, the students will remain on the streets to safeguard their uprising.

“We have given our blood, been martyred, and we have to fulfill our pledge to build a new Bangladesh,” he added.

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Bangladesh Taka

Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - The yield on Two-Year BGTBs is likely to remain unchanged today as banks may not express their interest to invest funds in the securities.

The cut off yield, generally known as interest rate, on the BGTBs rose to 12.30 per cent in the immediate past auction from 12.05 per cent earlier.

The government is set to borrow BDT 35 billion through issuing the BGTBs on Tuesday to meet its budget deficit partly.

Currently, five government bonds, with tenures of two, five, 10, 15 and 20 years respectively, are traded on the market.

Besides, four treasury bills (T-bills) are transacted through auction to adjust government borrowings from the banking system. The T-bills have 14-day, 91-day, 182-day and 364-day maturity periods.

BBN/SSR/AD