Economy in trouble despite narrowing trade gap and current account deficit

The Rampal coal-based power plant faced its eighth shutdown since commencing operations in December 2022. Of these shutdowns, three were attributed to coal shortages, while five were due to technical issues.

NOVOAIR has received accolades for its exceptional performance in domestic flight operations. The airline was awarded the Gold Award in the category of "Best On-time Performance Airline-2023" for its punctuality.

Delayed fuel oil payments due to international price hikes and LC issues have led to concerns about fuel imports in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) reports that arrears are increasing as payments are delayed by 10-50 days, potentially disrupting fuel imports.

The government has granted export approval to 79 traders to ship a combined total of 3,950 metric tonnes of hilsa fish to India. This permission will remain valid until October 30. Each trading firm has been authorized to export 50 metric tonnes of this popular fish, as stated in a recent notice issued by the commerce ministry.

The government is launching an initiative to transition from a conventional power grid to a "Smart Grid" system in the coming years. Initially, this smart grid system will be established under the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC).

In the 31st meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP), the government of Bangladesh approved several proposals to address the country's growing demand for essential commodities. The approved procurements include 1.90 lakh tonnes of fertilizer, 1.45 crore liters of edible oil, and 27,000 tonnes of lentils.