Five most-read stories of Star Business last week

Over the past week, Bangladesh saw a number of developments in business and the economy, including the extension of the deadline for submission of income tax returns by individual taxpayers and a surge in remittance inflows.

We have tracked online to find out which stories mattered most to readers over the past week. From extended tax deadlines and bank mergers to surging yarn imports and record gold prices, the following are the stories that readers read and engaged with the most:

NBR extends tax return filing deadline again (Dec 28)

The National Board of Revenue on December 28 extended the deadline for submitting individual income tax returns to January 31, marking a second extension after the earlier December cut-off. The move aims to ease compliance pressure on taxpayers.

Deposits of five merged banks to be transferred to Sommilito Islami Bank next week (Dec 27)

Bangladesh Bank said deposits of five Islamic banks undergoing merger would be transferred to Sommilito Islami Bank within a week.

Depositors will be allowed to withdraw up to Tk 2 lakh using existing cheques while continuing to earn interest at prevailing rates, a measure aimed at restoring confidence during the consolidation process.

Spinners blame India for dumping yarn as imports surge 137% (Dec 28)

Local spinning mill owners reported a 137 percent surge in yarn imports from India, alleging dumping at prices below domestic production costs. Industry leaders said the influx has left thousands of crores of taka worth of unsold inventory and forced several mills to shut operations.

Gold hits new high at Tk 229,430 per bhori (Dec 28)

Gold prices climbed to a fresh record of Tk 229,430 per bhori in the local market, reflecting higher international bullion prices and sustained safe-haven demand.

Jewellers attributed the rise to global economic uncertainty, expectations of interest rate cuts abroad and exchange rate pressures, pushing up costs for consumers and investors alike.

Refund policy for merging banks: Who's on the priority list? (Dec 30)

The central bank clarified its refund policy for depositors of merging banks, prioritising small individual savers for early access to their funds.

Deposits above the initial ceiling will be refunded in phases, while larger institutional funds may face restructuring options, including partial conversion into shares.