# Business — Tezzfeed

> Latest Business briefs from Tezzfeed, in plain markdown for language models.

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## Shwapno Stands by Women: Allowing Women to Use Their Outlets for Safety If They Face Harassment or Danger

2026-09-19. Source: Shwapno FB.

Shwapno has introduced an initiative to support women’s safety. If a woman faces harassment or danger, she can seek refuge at any Shwapno outlet. This move provides a safe space for women in distress, demonstrating Shwapno’s commitment to ensuring their safety and offering immediate help when needed. The initiative aims to create a secure environment for women.

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## Bootstrapped or Backed? Navigating Your Startup’s Journey

2026-09-19. Source: Tezzfeed Desk.

Bootstrapping means growing a startup using personal funds and revenue, like Zerodha, while raising capital involves external investors, like SpaceX. Bootstrapped founders retain control but face slower growth, whereas funded startups scale faster but sacrifice ownership. The right choice depends on industry, vision, and risk tolerance—both paths lead to success if aligned with the founder’s goals and circumstances.

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## Indian Rupee hits record low of 86.39 per Dollar

2026-09-20. Source: Bloomberg.

The Indian rupee hit a record low of 86.39 against the US dollar, driven by a stronger dollar following robust US job data showing 256,000 new jobs. Reduced Federal Reserve rate cut expectations and $4 billion in FII outflows this month further pressured the rupee, alongside concerns over US monetary policy and President-elect Trump's planned policies.

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## Bangladesh Receives $736.61 Million in Remittances in Just 11 Days of January

2026-09-19. Source: RTV Online.

As per a Bangladesh Bank report, the country received US$736.61 million in remittances during the first 11 days of January 2025, with a daily average of US$66.9 million, equivalent to 8,839 crore Bangladeshi Taka.

During this time, state-owned banks processed US$201.93 million, a specialized bank handled US$24.85 million, private banks facilitated US$507.33 million, and foreign banks managed US$2.51 million in remittances.

In the first six months (July-December) of the 2024-25 fiscal year, total remittances reached US$1,377.70 million, marking an increase of US$297.70 million compared to the same period the previous year.

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## NBR Plans to Double Taxes on Motorcycle, AC, and Refrigerator Manufacturers

2026-09-20. Source: The Business Standard.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) plans to double the tax rates for motorcycle, refrigerator, air conditioner, and compressor manufacturers, effective FY26, potentially canceling existing tax incentives set until 2032. This move follows IMF's revenue target recommendations and recent VAT hikes. Experts warn that higher taxes will raise product prices, burden consumers, and deter investment due to policy inconsistency. Industry leaders, including Walton and Fair Electronics, express concerns over declining sales and shrinking markets. Tax experts emphasize that sudden policy changes harm investor confidence and highlight Bangladesh's lack of investment-friendly tax policies.

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## United states sees record high in homeless people

2026-09-19. Source: Prothom Alo.

The number of homeless individuals in the United States surged by 18% last year, driven by factors such as persistent high inflation and rising housing costs. Reuters reports that this trend is contributing to the growing homelessness crisis.

This information was shared in a report published last Friday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

According to the report, by January, the homeless population in the U.S. had reached 771,480, marking an 18% increase from 2023. This means that 23 out of every 10,000 people in the country are homeless. HUD highlighted that the homelessness situation is deteriorating, with tent encampments and people living in open spaces becoming more common in many cities. In response, both federal and state governments have rolled out various measures to tackle the issue.

The data also reveals that homelessness among individuals under 18 has seen the largest increase over the past year, rising by 33%. Last year, approximately 150,000 children were affected by homelessness.

Additionally, a significant proportion of homeless individuals in the U.S. are Black. Black people make up 12% of the total U.S. population and 21% of the poor population, but they account for around 32% of the homeless population.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the average rent for a mid-range home has risen by 20% from January 2021 to January 2024. This sharp increase has placed additional financial strain on middle- and low-income families, contributing to the rise in homelessness.

Moreover, factors such as natural disasters displacing people, increased immigration, and the end of homelessness prevention programs introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic have further worsened the homelessness crisis.

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## Vietnam could overtake Bangladesh in garment exports

2026-09-19. Source: The daily star.

Vietnam is projected to earn $44 billion in garment exports this year, surpassing Bangladesh as the second-largest garment exporter globally. Bangladesh's export target is $40.48 billion for garments, part of a total goal of $50 billion for fiscal year 2024-25. Despite challenges in the first half of 2024, Vietnam's garment sector rebounded in the second half, partly due to political instability in Bangladesh driving orders to Vietnam. Bangladesh faces several issues, including labor unrest and tax problems, making it difficult to boost exports. The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association acknowledged that Vietnam’s industry is more streamlined and faces fewer barriers. Although Bangladesh's garment exports dropped by 5.22% last fiscal year, the sector remains a significant contributor to the country’s economy.

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## Workers are deprived in the labor court, with 20,000 cases awaiting resolution

2026-09-20. Source: Prothom Alo.

Workers' interests are not being fully protected through the labor courts, with a significant backlog of 20,000 cases awaiting resolution. One of the main reasons for this delay is the lengthy proceedings. In some courts, there are thousands of cases, with some even exceeding 6,000. Judges in these courts are struggling to resolve the cases. However, in four of the 14 related courts, there are no more than 100 cases, and in two other courts, the number of cases is under 200. In the remaining eight courts, the case count exceeds 1,000.

Labor courts were established as the final resort for workers to claim their rightful dues. The government set up 14 labor courts across the country, including the Labor Appeal Tribunal. Currently, more than 20,000 cases are still under trial or awaiting resolution in these courts, as confirmed by sources from the Ministry of Labor and Employment. Labor Secretary A.H.M. Safiquzzaman himself acknowledges that the existing labor courts are unable to fully protect workers' rights. As a result, steps are being taken to restructure the labor courts. He mentioned that the new initiative will be implemented with the consent of the Ministry of Law and the High Court Division.

When asked what this new initiative might look like, the Labor Secretary explained that the labor court in Cumilla could assist with cases from Narayanganj. Additionally, the judges in the labor courts in Khulna and Barisal might work two days a week in their respective courts, while assisting in courts in Dhaka or Gazipur for the rest of the week.

Currently, the Labor Appeal Tribunal has 1,044 cases. There are three labor courts in Dhaka, with the first court handling 4,365 cases. In total, the three courts have 8,515 cases. Gazipur's labor court has the highest number of cases, with 6,077, while the labor court in Sylhet has the least, with only 56 cases.

It is reported that in some labor courts, no work is done after 1 p.m. Workers, who must leave their jobs or take leave to attend court, often face delays due to late hearing dates. Because of the prolonged proceedings, workers lose interest in continuing their cases.

Justice S.M. Faruk, former chairman of the Labor Appeal Tribunal, identified seven reasons for the unresolved cases in a paper he submitted to the Ministry of Labor and Employment. These reasons include the complexity of labor laws, the lack of an appeal option against interim orders of labor courts, the transfer of labor court judges, the failure of employers and workers' representatives to attend court on time, the incompetence of supporting staff, the absence of centralized authority in the Labor Appeal Tribunal, and the shortage of space in both the labor courts and the Labor Appeal Tribunal.

Recently, three workers—Mahbubur Rahman, Rana Sheikh, and Ariful Islam—received a verdict from the labor court in Gazipur against the management of Keya Cosmetics. However, the verdict has not been enforced because several other cases against the same company are still pending. One of the plaintiffs in such a case, Kamrul Islam, shared his experience with *Prothom Alo*, explaining that he had worked as an operator at Keya Cosmetics for 10 years before retiring, but the company had dismissed him without providing any compensation.

Keya Cosmetics' lawyer Nasreen Akhtar told *Prothom Alo* that she would comment after reviewing the court order and consulting with the company.

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## A single VAT rate to apply to most products and services from the next fiscal year

2026-09-21. Source: The Business Standard.

Enforcement is set to begin in the second half of the current fiscal year, with more than 20 items expected to lose their reduced VAT rates within this month.

Products and services currently taxed at 5%-10% VAT will be subject to a standard 15% VAT rate, in accordance with the law. Additionally, many existing exemptions for certain industries may be eliminated, and supplementary duties could rise, according to sources within the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

However, certain services, such as electricity and gas, may continue to have reduced rates to protect consumers from additional cost burdens amid persistent inflation, officials said. "We plan to implement a 15% unified rate across the board starting this month," a senior VAT policy official from the NBR told *The Business Standard* yesterday.

Sources also suggest that the advisory committee responsible for NBR reforms may support a unified VAT rate, but potentially at a rate lower than 15%.

While a single rate could increase VAT collection and streamline the process for the NBR, experts and business owners are concerned that this could pass the burden onto consumers, leading to higher prices across goods and services and adding further pressure to inflation.

Currently, around 120 goods and services, including powdered milk, various spices, food items, LPG, internet services, and ride-sharing services, are taxed at VAT rates ranging from 5% to 10%. Most of these may soon be included under the unified VAT rate.

A senior official from the NBR's VAT wing stated, "In line with IMF conditions, we expect a significant number of products to transition to a single VAT rate by the end of this month."

"After that, in the upcoming budget, most exemptions are likely to be removed, and nearly everything will come under the unified rate," the official added.

NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan declined to comment on the matter but mentioned at a recent event in Dhaka that the revenue authority was under pressure to significantly reduce tax exemptions to meet IMF conditions.

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## In the first 19 days of October, Bangladesh received remittances totalling $1.553 billion

2026-09-20. Source: The Business Standard.

In the first 19 days of October 2024, Bangladesh received $1.553 billion in remittances, averaging $87 million per day, according to Bangladesh Bank. This marks an increase from September’s $1.47 billion over the same period. The majority of remittances came from private banks, contributing $1.0496 billion, followed by state-owned banks with $400.8 million and specialized banks with $78 million. Foreign bank branches accounted for $4.10 million. Expats sent $546.3 million between October 13-19, $561.9 million from October 6-12, and $424.7 million in the month’s first five days.

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