Bangladesh Jewelers Association (BAJUS) on Saturday announced it was reducing the price of gold again after an interval of just two days from the last price change. Earlier, Bajus had last set gold prices on September 27, which was effective from last Thursday. The new rate will be effective from tomorrow (Sunday, October 1). The price of good quality 22-carat gold has been reduced by Tk 1,750 to Tk98,211 per bhori (11.664 grams). Until Saturday 22 carat gold was Tk99960 per bhori. MA Hannan Azad, chairman of the Bajus Price Determination and Price Monitoring Standing Committee said this by a notification on Saturday (September 30). According to the notification, the price of acidic gold has decreased in the local market. Considering the overall situation, Bajus has fixed the new price of gold. The price of 21-carat solid gold is Tk93779 per bhori, 18-carat is Tk80365 per bhori and traditional gold price is Tk 66951. As of today, the price of 21-carat solid gold is Tk95412 per bhori, 18-carat gold is Tk81765 and traditional gold is sold at Tk68118. The price of gold has increased but the price of silver has been kept unchanged. According to the category, currently, a bhori of 22-carat silver price is Tk1715, 21-carat price is Tk1633, 18-carat price is Tk1400, and traditional method silver price is Tk1050.  

Bangladesh national cricket team all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz has been re-appointed as the “Brand Ambassador” of Walton for the third consecutive time. The local electronics giant renewed the contact with the young cricketer for the next two years. Earlier in 2015, Miraz became Walton's 'Youth Ambassador' for two years while he was the captain of the Bangladesh U-19 cricket team. Read: Walton brings new models of single door all-rounder fridge Recently, an agreement between Miraz and Walton was signed in this regard at Walton Corporate Office in the capital, said a media release. Walton Hi-Tech Industries PLC.'s Deputy Managing Director Nazrul Islam Sarker inked the deal with Miraz. Among others, Walton Hi-Tech's Senior Executive Directors SM Zahid Hasan, Md. Shahjalal Hossain Limon, Md. Mahmudul Islam and Didarul Alam Khan (Chief Marketing Officer), Senior Deputy Executive Director Rabiul Islam Milton and Power Play Communication's Managing Director Niamur Rahman Palash, were present at the agreement signing ceremony. Read: Walton Plaza fulfills Jonayed's dream of flying in the sky Welcoming cricketer Miraz, Nazrul Islam Sarker said, “Walton has always been sponsoring cricket and other sports of the country. The National Cricket Team is branding Bangladesh around the world. Similarly, Walton is also branding Bangladesh in the global tech product sector. Miraz is a very talented and one of the top all-rounders of Bangladesh cricket team. We are delighted to have a talented all-rounder like him as Walton's brand ambassador for the third time.” Cricketer Mehedi Hasan Miraz said, "Walton has always been ahead in sponsoring cricket. They are not only sponsoring all kinds of games, but also patronising the players. Walton made me a youth ambassador when I was little known playing in the Under-19 team. After that, Walton appointed me as brand ambassador for the third consecutive time. It is a great honour for me. I am proud to be a member of the Walton family. I will try my best to represent Walton positively at home and abroad, and brighten the brand image of the company.” Read: Walton starts export trades with India in Rupee

Robi has organised a special screening of Shahrukh Khan starrer latest Bollywood blockbuster movie- 'Jawan', as a gesture of gratitude to the premium customers of its loyalty program- ‘Robi Elite’. Robi’s Diamond and Platinum category Elite customers enjoyed three special screenings of the movie in Dhaka at the Star Cineplex movie theatre in Bashundhara City and Mirpur, said a press release. Read: 'Jawan' director Atlee says got calls from Hollywood because of this scene In addition, two shows were organized in Chattogram as well as a special show in Rajshahi. The much-anticipated movie- 'Jawan' was released in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu languages worldwide on September 7. As the first film to have been released in Bangladesh and India on the same day, Jawan created a frenzy among Shahrukh Khan fans. Directed by Atlee Kumar, from Southern India, Jawaan has Nayan Tara, a famous actress from the South, playing the role of lead actress in the movie. Southern superstar Vijay Sethupathi, Bollywood veteran, Sanjay Dutt and Deepika Padukone appear in the movie as guest characters. Read: Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Jawan’ makes historic debut in Bangladesh Robi’s Head of Brands and Market Communication, Shamim uz Zaman said, "The aim of this special screening is to strengthen Robi’s relationship with our valued customers and raise awareness about our loyalty program. Robi has plans to host such special screenings and other exclusive events in future." Robi always strives to do something special for its elite customers. It has established itself as a company that is committed to providing new experiences in the customers’ lives.

The global outsourcing market has been on the rise for the last decade. The market has had a sharp growth in the past few years owing to the boom of work-from-home culture induced by the pandemic. The online marketplaces are highly dynamic. There are thousands of niches that hire millions of offshore workers. However, as many people are looking for jobs in the online outsourcing platforms, many beginners are struggling to get hired. Here’s a list of 5 soft and hard skills that can help freelancers to earn money online.  5 Essential Skills to Find Jobs on Outsourcing Platforms Digital Marketing Skills  Digital marketing is essentially a sales job on an online platform. Skills like SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and paid advertising are in high demand on different gig platforms.  SEO and advertising require a good knowledge of content management and promotion strategies which are in high demand in today’s competitive market.  Read more: Top 10 Free Online Digital Marketing Courses Content Creation Skills  Another highly demanded skill for making money online is content creation skills. Content creation can range from writing to video production, graphics design, and photography. Among these, graphics design and video production are in high demand. Content creation requires high level of technical skills regardless of the niche. As a result, it generally pays a lot more than low-skilled high-volume gigs like web research and data entry online jobs.  Read more: YouTube Affiliate Marketing: Tips to build a successful channel E-Commerce Skills  E-commerce is the future of shopping. Globally e-commerce has paved the way for many businesses to tap into target audiences beyond geographical boundaries.  E-commerce skills like online store setup, inventory management, payment processing, and customer service skills are in high demand on online marketplaces. Besides these affiliate marketing and drop-shipping are promising niches to make stable online earnings. Nowadays, diverse local and international brands are offering commisons for selling products through affiliate links.  These specialized skills will not only help find jobs in the relevant niche but will also help if you plan to start your own e-commerce or drop shipping businesses.  Read more: Online Business: How to Get Started from Home? Analytics and Data Science  Data Science jobs are in high demand globally because of the offshore nature and high pay structure of the industry. Technical skills like data science certification, Google Analytics certification, A/B Testing, etc are in high demand for business and platform growth.  Many organizations employ data scientists on an offshore or contractual basis making it a lucrative skill to earn money from the comfort of your home.  Read more: How to Be a Data Analyst from CSE or Non-CSE Backgrounds?

Now is a better time than ever to start earning anytime, anywhere with the help of tech. The increasing tech penetration in everyday life has paved the way for many earning opportunities using the right skills and the internet. But among the flurry of opportunities, there are also risks of getting replaced by AI. Let’s take a look into some popular online money-making skills that can be replaced by AI.  Online Money-Making Skills that AI Can Replace in Future  The online money-making skills can be classified into two categories – one that involves soft skills and others that are hard skills.  The problem with soft-skilled online jobs is that they require less technical skills. They are abundant and the online job markets are already saturated with them. Because of the nature of these jobs, they will soon be replaced by AI which will render most of the workers in these fields jobless.  Read more: Payoneer to Bkash Fund Transfer: A Great Advancement of Freelancing in Bangladesh Here are some mentionable online work niches that are under threat of being replaced by AI. Copywriting  Copywriting and content creation have been facing threats of AI for well over a decade now. With the advent of advanced chatbots like ChatGPT, the threat has been simply expedited. It's almost certain that human copywriting will become obsolete soon.  Data Entry  Low-skill jobs like data entry will also be completely replaced by AI soon. There are already powerful tools that can extract and compile data at the push of a button. As the technology gets more streamlined, it is sure to replace the data entry gigs found on different platforms today.  Read more: YouTube Scriptwriter Career Guide: Essential Skills and Free Online Courses Paid Online Marketing Paid online marketing mainly involves pay-per-click or PPC advertisement. The paid online marketers create campaigns or ads to target buyers from age-group, geographic location, gender, shopping preference and many other factors. As the search engines are becoming more optimized and sentient, the AI tools are continuously evolving and improving. In future, business owners may choose machine learning algorithms for managing their PPC campaigns. Therefore, demands for paid online marketers, such as PPC advertisers, may become obsolete in the future. Client Service  Client service workers are also under threat of being replaced by AI as more and more advanced chatbots enter the market. While there is scope for monetary gains in the short run, it will too become obsolete in the long run.  Read more: Want to start freelancing from Bangladesh? These are the best platforms for you Proofreading and Editing  Just like copywriting, proofreading and editing online gigs will also be replaced by AI, albeit at a much slower rate. There’s already advanced software like Grammarly that is spot-on at catching grammatical errors. It's only a matter of time before AI will catch up with editing style and tones as well. But there’s a high chance that the need for highly skilled editors and proofreaders will be around even after 10 years. However, the market size and demand for that would significantly shrink. It's important to note that these jobs may have a market value today, but in the long run, they will cease to exist for the majority of workers. It's important to identify similar online money-making traps that may bring returns in the short run, but will essentially yield nothing long term.  Read more: Recession-Proof Your Career With Tech Skills

Grameenphone’s flagship startup innovation platform GP Accelerator has launched “Jelay Jelay Smart Uddyokta” - Regional Design Bootcamp with the endeavor to unleash the potential of youth ideapreneurs. A formal announcement was made at a hotel in Dhaka on Wedneday, where community builders from different districts, startup founders, GP Accelerator (GPA) alumni, mentors alongside industry specialists, esteemed personalities and stakeholders came together, according to a press release. Startup Bangladesh Ltd is working as a Strategic Partner with GP Accelerator to strengthen and drive this initiative at the regional level, it said. Zunaid Ahmed Palak MP, state minister of ICT Division attended the event as the chief guest. Also present at the ceremony were Sami Ahmed, Managing Director and CEO, Startup Bangladesh Ltd., Yasir Azman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Grameenphone and high officials from both the organizations, the release said. “Jelay Jelay Smart Uddyokta” initiative aims to foster entrepreneurship to address regional challenges and build local innovative solutions. The program will engage 30 community builders and conduct pitch sessions at 20 locations, with the goal of identifying and rewarding the top 20 ideapreneurs, it said. This initiative is particularly targeted at university students and potential entrepreneurs who are passionate about innovation through startups, offering them valuable skills, mentorship, networking opportunities, and funding support. This effort aligns with Bangladesh’s goal of becoming a Smart Nation, leveraging the potential of its youth demographic. “I am delighted to witness the launch of ‘Jelay Jelay Smart Uddyokta’ from GP Accelerator, a remarkable initiative aimed at nurturing the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of our youth. In our journey towards becoming a Smart Bangladesh, the next generation entrepreneurs and innovators will play a pivotal role, and programs like these are essential to harness their potential,” said Palak “I applaud Grameenphone for its commitment to supporting startups providing training and mentorship to thousands of ‘ideapreneurs’. This initiative in partnership with Startup Bangladesh aligns perfectly with our Smart Bangladesh 2041 vision, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our startup ecosystem,” je said. “Grameenphone is committed to empowering society and fostering a smart knowledge-based economy that is inclusive. Our GP Accelerator program embodies this commitment. The introduction of Regional Design Bootcamps signifies a new phase in our mission to promote entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the country,” said GP CEO Yasir Azman. “We are confident that the innovative ideas of young entrepreneurs can spur significant regional growth, which is the essence of this initiative. The bootcamps will not only to provide thousands of innovative entrepreneurs with the necessary skills but also to boost the network of startup communities that will collectively contribute to building a ‘Smart Bangladesh,’” he added.

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has suspended 21,725 accounts belonging to different Mobile Financial Services (MFS) for their alleged involvement in online gambling and hundi. Deputy Chief Officer AFM Shahinul Islam of BFIU briefed reporters about the decision on Wednesday. Most of these accounts are from Bkash, Nagad, and Rocket and MFS operators have also been warned not to engage in such transactions future, he said. MFS transaction decreased by Tk34 thousand crore in July: BB BFIU collected information from 371 online gaming and betting transactions, 91 transactions related to online forex trading and 413 transactions related to cryptocurrency in nine months of this year. These data are being analyzed and sent to the law enforcement agencies. Besides, BFIU has sent a list of 814 websites, 159 apps, and 442 social media pages and links related to illegal hundi, gaming and  betting  to law enforcement agencies for action and investigation. The BFIU has sent details of 21 money changers and their 39 bank accounts to the Criminal Investigation Department of the police. MFS transactions record breached again in April; number of accounts now 26.5 crore BFIU presented these facts in a meeting with anti-money laundering compliance officers of commercial banks held at Bangladesh Bank headquarters in Motijheel on Tuesday. The head of BFIU Masud Biswas presided over the meeting, Deputy Chief Officer AFM Shahinul Islam, the Director of BFIU, chief of anti-money laundering enforcement officers of all commercial banks were present. Head of BFIU,Masud Biswas said that criminals and money launderers should be aware that they cannot use the banking system to commit any crime. Daily transaction of MFS crosses Tk3200 crore: BB  

In today’s rapidly-evolving professional landscape, achieving continuous career growth is a crucial objective for individuals across various industries. One powerful strategy to propel one’s professional career forward is self-learning. This is an approach where individuals take charge of their learning journey. This article delves into self-learning, exploring its advantages and limitations in the context of career advancement. How Self-learning Strategy Can Help Career Growth Tailored Learning Experience Self-learning allows individuals to personalise their learning path according to their unique learning styles, pace, and preferences. In contrast, traditional classroom education often follows a standardised curriculum. Sometimes it might not align perfectly with an individual's specific career goals. Flexibility and Convenience Self-learning offers flexibility in terms of when and where one can learn. It accommodates busy professionals who may not have the time to attend regular classes. On the other hand, formal education often requires a fixed schedule and physical presence. This procedure makes it less convenient for those with full-time jobs or other commitments. Read more: Effective Self-marketing Tips for Job Candidates Cost-effectiveness Self-learning can be a cost-effective alternative to formal education. Many online resources and courses are available for free or at a significantly lower cost compared to tuition fees and other expenses associated with traditional education. Speed of Learning Self-learners have the freedom to progress at their own pace. They can dive deeper into subjects they find challenging or swiftly move through material they already understand well. In a traditional classroom setting, the pace of learning is determined by the instructor and the class as a whole. Diverse Learning Resources The internet provides an abundance of learning resources in various formats. It includes videos, articles, forums, and interactive platforms. Self-learners can access a vast array of materials that cater to different learning preferences. This ensures a comprehensive understanding of the topic at hand. Read more: Uber Driver Account in Bangladesh: How to Activate, Delete, and Reactivate

The largest show on food processing sector in Bangladesh “9th BAPA FoodPro International Expo 2023” will take place from September 28-30. The three-day long fair will be held at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka. It was announced through a press conference held at the capital’s Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) office on Tuesday. Bangladesh Agro-Processors’ Association (BAPA) and Rainbow Exhibition and Event Management Services (REEMS) are jointly organizing the expo with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture. The expo will remain open for all from 10 AM to 7 PM. More than 200 companies from 20 countries including Bangladesh, India, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Germany, Singapore, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, Malaysia, Italy, USA, UEA and Switzerland will display their products and services at the fair. In addition to this fair, two other co-located Expo named "11th Agro Bangladesh Expo 2023" and "Food Ingredient Expo 2023" will also be held at same time. This is known to be the most prominent platform for the organizations who are involved in this sector to exhibit their products and service to the Bangladeshi market and to expand their businesses. “The agro-processing sector of the country is doing well. This sector is one hand, working on food security of our country, on the other hand it also enriched our economy by earing foreign currency through exporting the products. The agro-processing sector can represent itself of their capability to the world through this international fair,” said Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, chairperson of the fair committee and chairman and CEO at PRAN-RFL Group, at the press meet. BAPA has been working relentlessly for the development of the food processing sector since its inception. BAPA’s aim is to ensure the growing development of the sector and move forward in keeping pace with the international level. In the age of globalization, development is not possible without the use of technologies. So BAPA is working relentlessly so that Bangladesh does not fall behind in this sector under any circumstances, said Md Iqtadul Hoque, BAPA general secretary. “We got huge response from the previous fair where many leading national and international food and beverage company exhibited their products and services and visitors came here to gather their knowledge on food sector. I hope, 9th BAPA Foodpro is going to get good response,” said Chanmohan Saha, Managing Director at REEMS. BAPA Vice President Abdul Majed, Executive committee Members Nazmul Haque, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Al Imran, Moin Uddin, Syed Md. Mustafa, Nur A Alam Dewan and other members of the organization were also present at the program.

Fitch Ratings has revised its outlook on Bangladesh's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to Negative from Stable, and affirmed the IDR at 'BB-' An IDR represents an assessment of an issuer's (such as a company or government) relative likelihood of defaulting on its financial obligations. A Long Term Foreign Currency IDR indicates its ability to meet its financial obligations in foreign currency in the long term. Also read: Fitch downgrades US credit rating to AA+ from AAA, cites rising debt and ‘decline’ in standards of governance Fitch’s rating action today means the reputed credit rating agency is particularly concerned over Bangladesh’s ability to repay its foreign currency debts, although the situation for now remains ‘manageable’. The downgrade was driven in large part by the country’s dwindling foreign exchange reserves, and the fact that it has been met with an inadequate response. Also read: 'Liquidity challenges' persist in Islamic banking sector in Bangladesh: Fitch Ratings “The Negative Outlook reflects a deterioration in external buffers, which has increased vulnerability to shocks. It also reflects our view that the country's incremental policy response, including exchange-rate system changes, and continued support from external official creditors, has been insufficient to stem the fall in foreign reserves and resolve domestic US-dollar liquidity strains,” Fitch said. “We forecast foreign-exchange reserves to stay under pressure, driven by rising imports and foreign-currency intervention by the central bank. We estimate that gross reserves fell by 19% in 9M23 (first 9 months of 2023) to USD27.3 billion, or USD21.5 billion excluding the portion allocated to the Export Development Fund and Bangladesh Investment Development Fund,” it added. Also read: Moody's downgrades Bangladesh's sovereign credit rating one notch; outlook 'stable' Fitch also said the country’s foreign-exchange reserve outlook is challenging, amid a still-managed exchange rate, elevated oil prices and a further relaxation of import restrictions, which it expects will widen the current-account deficit through to 2025. However, Fitch had better things to say while affirming the IDR. “Ratings are affirmed, reflecting Bangladesh's manageable external-debt repayment profile, still-favourable growth prospects and government debt that is below that of peers. This is balanced by low government revenue and per capita income as well as a weak banking sector and deficient governance indicators,” said Fitch. Despite the lower external buffers, Fitch said Bangladesh should be able to meet its external debt obligations over 2024-2025, since external debt service remains low relative to peers. Analysts and bankers said if a country's outlook is revised negatively, it may face higher borrowing costs when it seeks to raise funds in international financial markets. This can make it more expensive for the government and businesses in the country to access international capital, they said. Another impact may be on foreign investment as a negative credit rating outlook may mean less willingness for foreigners to invest in a country with a deteriorating credit profile.