5 Top Stories to Know Today

Dear readers, here is a quick round-up of the top stories to look out for today.

Sugar prices to rise by Tk 5 per kg from Feb 1

The refiners are going to raise sugar prices by Tk 5 per kg from February 1. As per the new price rate, the loose sugar will be sold at Tk 107 per kg and packaged sugar will be retailed at Tk 112 per kg.

The Bangladesh Sugar Refiners Association said they took the decision after taking into account the price of sugar in the international market, the dollar exchange rate as well as the production costs of local refining mills.

Bangladesh makes slight progress in Business Climate Index

Bangladesh made a slight improvement in the Business Climate Index (BBX) in 2022.

Last year, the country scored 61.95 out of 100, up from 61.01 in 2021, under the index prepared by the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) in Dhaka, and the Policy Exchange, Bangladesh, a private think tank.

Rising input cost worries Boro farmers

Some farmers of Rangpur expressed fears that the costs may rise even further in the coming weeks. 

Fuel for the tiller machines and water pumps, fertiliser, pesticide, seed, farm workers and everything in between would now cost an estimated Tk 19,900 for each bigha of land, up from last year's Tk 14,900.

Minister asks DCs to ensure pvt clinics don't charge extra

Health Minister Zahid Maleque has said deputy commissioners were instructed to monitor private clinics to check whether they are charging patients extra.

"We've requested them to visit private clinics and check whether patients are charged extra and are forced to opt for unnecessary C-sections," he said at a briefing after a meeting with DCs today.

All-rounder Stokes named ICC Men's Test Cricketer 2022

England all-rounder Ben Stokes defined the year of Test cricket more than any other in 2022 and has been deservingly named the winner of the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year award.

In 15 Tests played in 2022, Stokes scored 870 runs, including two centuries, at 36.25 average and scalped 26 wickets. On the basis of his numbers alone, England's talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes had an excellent year in the whites of international Test cricket.