Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a Washington-based financial sector research organization, said that an average of 7.53 billion 37 million dollars or  Tk 80,000 crores have been smuggled abroad from Bangladesh every year.  The organization says, 'Every year, an average of 80 thousand crore has been smuggled from this small third world country! A large part of which is smuggled in the guise of international trade.' Economists say that the main challenge now is to recover the laundered money anyway. They also said that for the past few years, the economy of the country has been suffering from various factors including dollar crisis, fragile economy, inflation, one of the reasons of which is money laundering. Lakhs of crores have been smuggled to different countries of the world in various ways including global trade manipulation, hundi, smuggling. According to the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), in the last one and a half years, more than 100 thousand crores have been smuggled to different countries of the world through only 24 loan scams embezzled from 19 domestic banks. Not only individual initiatives, several financial institutions and public, private banks are also indirectly involved in the money laundering process. Several years ago, Bangladesh signed several agreements with many countries to recover the money smuggled. Economists say that the current government can continue those agreements and joint ventures with related countries.

There is a large discrepancy between actual exports and data provided by the government agency Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). In the last 23 months, the company has shown more exports of 26.40 billion dollars. This came to light after Bangladesh Bank released actual export data. Bangladesh Bank released the actual export data for the financial years 2022-23 and 2023-24 on Thursday (August 29). It showed that in the fiscal year 2023-24, the exports decreased by 5.90 percent to 40.81 billion dollars compared to the previous fiscal year. EPB last released export data last May. The company had shown exports of $107.10 billion in 23 months, although the actual exports were $80.70 billion. Exports in 23 months showed a high of 26.40 billion dollars. Under pressure from the IMF, Bangladesh Bank started publishing monthly actual export data last April. After that, a large discrepancy was found in the EPB data. EPB has since stopped publishing export data. The company usually publishes the information in the week following the end of each month. But even though August is coming to an end, the information of June has not been published so far.

Bangladesh is showing an upward trend again in remittances sent by expatriates and exceeded $2 billion in 28 days of August. The relevant department of the Central Bank informed this information on Thursday (August 29). According to Bangladesh Bank's updated report on remittance as of 28 August, expatriate Bangladeshis sent $2.07 billion to the country through the formal channel. In the same period of August 2023, the remittance inflow was $1.43 billion. Bangladesh witnessed the lowest remittance in the last 10 months in July 2024 amid the student movement. In July, the country's remittance was about $1.91 billion. Bangladesh Bank officials said expatriates are now being encouraged to send remittances through legal channels. They are being made aware. We hope that more remittances will come in a legal way in future.

Bengal Commercial Bank plc held its 32nd meeting on Wednesday (August 21).  Bengal Commercial Bank's Chairman presided over the meeting at head office in capital's Gulshan area. Vice Chairman Alhaj Mahbubul Alam and Engineer Golam Mohammed Alomgir along with other directors, Managing Director and Chief Executive Tarik Morshed, Additional Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director and Company Secretary also participated in the meeting.

Sheikh Hasina left the country after resigning from the post of Prime Minister on August 5 in the face of student uprising. Since then, the amount of remittances coming through legal channels has increased.  In continuation of this, 13 thousand 374 crores came in the first 17 days of August. The updated information of Bangladesh Bank says that the remittance received till the first 3 days of this month is 9 crore 56 lakh 50 thousand dollars. And remittance received from August 4 to 10 is 38 crore 71 lakh 20 thousand dollars. Bangladesh Bank also says that in the first 17 days of August, remittances have arrived through legal means of 114 crore 42 lakh 20 thousand dollars. In Bangladeshi currency (as per dollar 118 taka) which amounts to more than 13 thousand 374 crore taka. At this time, 15 crore 29 lakh dollars came through the state-owned banks, about 3 crore 77 lakh dollars came through one of the 2 specialized banks (Krishi Bank). More than 94 crore 14 lakh dollars came through private banks and 2.15 million dollars came through foreign banks. The total number of banks which did not receive any remittance during the discussed period is 10. These include Bangladesh Development Bank or BDBL, the specialized Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB). Private Sector Community Bank, Citizen Bank, ICB Islami Bank, Padma Bank, Shimanto Bank. Foreign sector banks include Habib Bank, National Bank of Pakistan, State Bank of India and Woori Bank. Incidentally, expatriates had announced to send money in hundi expressing no confidence in the recently departed Sheikh Hasina government. This suddenly reduces the speed of remittance. But after the fall of the government, that picture changed. Remittances are coming in a legitimate way.

Gold price have already created a new history by breaking all previous records. Prices of per ounce gold touched 2 thousand 500 dollars for the first time in the world market. Gold price in the world market is increasing by leaps and bounds, the price of this metal can be increased at any time in the domestic market as well. Currently, gold is being sold at a record price in the country's market. If the price is increased again, the price of gold will break all previous records. Bangladesh Jewelers Association (BAJUS) is responsible for determining the price of gold in the country's market. Bajus Standing Committee on Pricing and Price Monitoring Committee decides to increase or decrease the price of gold on behalf of the organization. A member of this committee said that there is no option to increase the gold price in the country as the price in the world market is very high. He said, Bajus Standing Committee on Pricing and Price Monitoring Committee will decide to increase the price of gold after reviewing the price of matured gold in international market and local market. The committee will decide how much the gold price will be increased. After determining the price of gold in the domestic market, the price of gold per ounce has increased by 100 dollars in the world market. Naturally, the price of gold will increase in the country's market. In the review of the data, at the beginning of last week, the price of gold per ounce was 2 thousand 428.07 dollars. From there, the price of gold per ounce increased and settled at 2 thousand 507.82 dollars at the end of the week. That is, the price of gold per ounce increased by 79.75 dollars or 3.18 percent during the week. In the last working day of the week, the price of gold per ounce increased by 50.48 dollars or 2.05 percent. Meanwhile, the price of gold in the country's market was last determined on July 14. Which is effective from July 15. The Bajus Standing Committee on Pricing and Price Monitoring Committee,  the price of the best quality or 22 carat gold (11.664 grams) increased by 1,190 taka and per bhori gold price is now 1,20,081 taka. Through this, gold has risen to the highest price in the history of the country's market. Earlier, per bhori gold was sold at the highest price of Tk 1,19,638 in the country's market. Gold was sold at this price from 18 April 7 pm to 3:30 am on 20 April this year.

Since gold is an imported material, the price of gold in Bangladesh fluctuates almost constantly. This price is accurately fixed by Bajus. All those who are interested to know about the price of gold in Bangladesh are informed on 13 August 2024. Already on July 14, 2024, Bajus has again determined the price of different carat gold in Bangladesh. As an imported item, gold price has not decreased in Bangladesh.  As per the fixed new prices, the price of 11.664 gm (1 bhori) pure 22 carat hallmarked gold suitable for ornaments, is Tk 1,20,080. Also, 11.664 grams (1 bhori) of pure 24 carats gold is priced at approximately Tk 1,24,746. At the same time, 11.664 grams (1 bhori) of pure 21 carat hallmarked gold is priced at Tk 1,14,622.  The same type of hallmarked pure 18 carat gold is priced at Tk 98,245 per bhori. Traditional method gold is priced at Tk 81,228 per 11.664 grams (1 bhori) today. Price of different types of gold (Per bhori) 24 carats Tk 1,24,746 22 carats Tk 1,20,080 21 carats Tk 1,14,622 18 carats Tk 98,245,  Tk 81,228 in traditional method approximately.