Bangladesh meets UN target on Internet Prices

Bangladesh has met the affordability target on internet prices set by the United Nations Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development in 2021. The information was revealed in a recent report of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Alliance for Affordable Internet, giving a high-level overview of the results from the 2021 price data collection exercise, focusing on changes in affordability. In 2018, the commission set its updated affordability target: to bring prices for entry-level broadband services below 2 per cent of the average monthly gross national income per capita by 2025. According to the report, among the economies for which data were available for both 2020 and 2021, fewer met the affordability target in 2021 than in 2020. In June last year, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) fixed the monthly cost of a connection with a minimum speed of 5 Mbps at Tk 500, 10 Mbps at Tk 800-1,000, and 20 Mbps at Tk 1,100 -1,200. The number of mobile internet subscribers dropped 1.7 per cent month-on-month in January to 11.17 crore, BTRC data showed. However, on a year-on-year basis, the number of mobile internet users rose 8.34 per cent in January.

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/news/bangladesh-meets-un-target-2992061

 Govt issues export policy for FY21-24

The government yesterday published a gazette on the export policy for fiscal years 2021-24, saying it was extending more policy and fiscal support, rationalising corporate tax and offering bonded warehouse facilities. The new export policy orders, aiming to encourage exploration of new markets and products as the government looks to give a much-needed boost to export earnings, will come into immediate effect, according to the notification. In the new export policy, the government laid emphasis on growing an export-led economy and generation of more employment so as to offset the Covid-19 induced challenges. It is expected that the new export order policy will be able to combat the challenges of the country’s graduation from a least developed to a developing nation by 2026.

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/export/news/govt-issues-export-policy-fy21-24-2992056

City Bank gets new AMD

The City Bank has appointed Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman as its additional managing director (AMD) recently. Mr Rahman has been serving the bank as deputy managing director and chief financial officer (CFO) since 2018. He joined the City Bank in 2011 as executive vice president (EVP) and CFO. Prior to joining the City Bank, Mr Rahman was the financial management specialist, South Asia, at World Bank. He has also worked with Leads Corporation as CFO and Grameenphone in various capacities.

Source: https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade-market/city-bank-gets-new-amd-1648402039