It’s a fact that investment is the only way to exponentially grow wealth. But the caveat is that investment often comes with risk, sometimes low or sometimes very high. If you are looking to invest without having to worry about risk or loss, then you can consider the Bangladesh Government Treasury Bond (BGTB). Here’s everything you need to know about BGTB, how to buy, and calculate the return on your investment. What are Bangladesh Government Treasury Bonds? Before getting into BGTB, let’s talk about bonds. Bonds are essentially an instrument of debt where the investors (buyers of the bonds) loan money to a borrower (corporations or governments).  BGTB is one such bond where the investor loans money to the treasury department of the Bangladesh government. In exchange, the government offers a coupon rate (interest rate for simplification) on the face value of bonds based on the duration of the investment. Read more: Premortem Analysis: How to Anticipate Failure Here are some quick facts about BGTB.  - BGTB is a debt instrument issued by the Bangladesh Bank on behalf of the government. - Any resident, non-resident, and institutional investors in Bangladesh can invest in treasury bonds. - The minimum investment amount (face value) is set at 1 Lac BDT. Any amount multiple of 1 Lac can be invested with no upper limit.- Investments can be done over a maturity period of 2, 5, 10, 15, or 20 years. - The bonds are freely tradeable and transferable in primary and secondary markets. - The coupons (yields) are payable on a semi-annual basis.  Read more: How to Raise Angel Investment for Startups in Bangladesh Difference between Bangladesh Government Treasury Bonds and Sanchaypatra There isn’t much difference between Sanchaypatra and treasury bonds in the sense that both are debt instruments issued by the government. In principle, BGTB is offered through Bangladesh Bank whereas Sanchaypatra is offered through the National Savings Directorate under the Ministry of Finance.  Typically, Sanchaypatra is issued for a short term ranging between 3 to 5 years. There’s also an upper limit of up to 45 to 50 Lac BDT on individual investment depending on the type of Sanchaypatra. The interest rate also differs year on year which is typically outlined upfront during investment.  Compared to Sanchaypatra, BGTB has no upper limit of investment. The maturity duration can be up to 20 years with a fixed coupon rate for the entire duration of the investment.  In essence, both Sanchaypatra and BGTB are great risk-free investment options. The choice would depend on the investment amount and maturity duration. Read more: How to Build Social Capital to Grow Your Business How Does Treasury Bond Work? Treasury bonds are different from other investment opportunities like stocks and Sanchaypatra in the sense that treasury bonds can only be bought in stipulated auctions by the Bangladesh Bank. The bank and the brokerage firms act as the primary dealer/bidder on behalf of the investor in the auction (primary market).  At the onset of every auction, Bangladesh Bank stipulates a coupon rate (yield rate). Since the treasury bonds are bought in an auction, the bidder needs to set the expected yield rate equivalent to the stipulated rate or less. However, according to recent data, setting the expected yield equivalent to the stipulated rate is enough to secure the desired amount of treasury bond.  The auction calendar (https://www.bb.org.bd/en/index.php/monetaryactivity/auc_calendar) shows the dates of auctions in which you can bid for the bonds. Note that, every auction doesn’t have bonds for every maturity date. For example, the auction of 21st May 2024 only has bonds with 10-year maturity. If you want to invest in say 2-year maturity bonds, you will have to wait till the bonds become available on a subsequent auction date.  Read more: Gold vs Diamond: Which Should You Choose for Investment? The bonds bought in primary market bidding can be sold in the secondary market. For example, you need to sell your bonds before maturity. In that case, you will have to submit a written application to the bank or brokerage firm requesting sales of your bond. The bank or the brokerage firm will then direct the sales to BB and deposit the equivalent cash in your account. 

Angel investors are those who invest seed money into a business to kick start its operation. This investment usually comes in exchange for convertible debt or equity in the ownership of the company. From a startup perspective, angel investments are a great way to secure funds as well as mentorship from the investors working in the relevant industry. Here is how a business can raise angel investment, especially if they are from Bangladesh.  The Angel Investment Landscape of Bangladesh  Bangladesh is still in the early stages of angel investment. There were not many investors a few years back in the startup ecosystem. However, the pace is picking up. Bangladesh Startup Investment Report of 2022 shows that Bangladeshi startups were able to raise $112 million in 2022. A total of 47 startups were able to secure funds, among whom 39 brought unique service propositions. The largest funding was received by ShopUp who were able to raise $65 million from Valar Ventures and Flourish Ventures. About 8% of the total funding came from local investors. On average, the angel investment size for early-stage startups was around $588K. Bangladesh is in the lower tier when it comes to securing venture funds. Read more: How to Gain Funding for Startup: Best Practices to Attract Investors How to Get Angel Investment in Bangladesh  Getting an angel investor to invest is neither straightforward nor easy. A startup will need to put in the work, especially in Bangladesh where the investment ratio is low. There are several key things to consider when it comes to securing angel investment. Here are some of them.  Clear Business Idea and Plan  A startup should have a clear business idea backed up by a strong and detailed plan to secure angel investment. The plan should outline the startup's mission, market opportunity, revenue model, target audience, competition analysis, marketing strategy, and financial projections. A solid business plan is crucial for gaining investor confidence.  Market Validation  Investors look for product or service confidence while investing. As a result, it is important to create a market validation of the startup product or service before making the initial approach for funds.  Market validation can be done by developing a market-viable product. This product or service can be channeled to early adopters and customers. Based on their experience, a positive narrative for the product can be developed. This will play a crucial role in securing early-stage angel investment.  Read more: How to Build Social Capital to Grow Your Business

Nissan said Monday it is investing 2 trillion yen ($17.6 billion) over the next five years and developing a cheaper, more powerful battery to boost its electric vehicle lineup. The Japanese automaker’s chief executive, Makoto Uchida, said 15 new electric vehicles will be available by fiscal 2030. Nissan Motor Co. is aiming for a 50% “electrification” of the company’s model lineup, under what Uchida called the “Nissan Ambition 2030” long-term plan. Electrified vehicles include hybrids and other kinds of environmentally friendly models other than just electric vehicles. Read: Elon Musk tweets to ask if he should sell some Tesla stock The effort is focused mainly on electric vehicles to cut emissions and meet various customers’ needs, said Uchida. Nissan also will reduce carbon emissions at its factories, he added. The company has been struggling to put the scandal of its former Chairman Carlos Ghosn behind it. Ghosn, who led Nissan for two decades, after he was sent to Japan by French alliance partner Renault, was arrested in Tokyo in 2018 on various financial misconduct charges. Uchida made no mention of the scandal but referred to “past mistakes” he promised won’t be repeated at Nissan. Nissan’s “electrification” rests on developing a new ASSB, or all solid state battery, that it categorized as “a breakthrough” for being cheaper and generating more power than batteries now in use. That means electric powertrains can be more easily used in trucks, vans and other heavier vehicles because the batteries can be smaller. The ASSB will be in mass production by 2028, according to Nissan. The costs of electric vehicles will also fall thanks to the battery innovation to levels comparable with regular gasoline cars, Uchida said. Read: Dutch court orders former Nissan boss Ghosn to repay salary “Nissan has emerged from a crisis and is ready to make a new start,” he said. All top automakers, including Nissan’s Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp., are working on electric vehicles, amid growing concern over climate change and sustainability. Global consumers are also demanding more safety features. Uchida said Nissan was hiring 3,000 engineers to strengthen its research, including digital technology for vehicles. Nissan, based in Yokohama, Japan, has suffered recently from the computer chips shortage that’s slammed all automakers because of lockdowns and other measures at chip factories to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The maker of the Infiniti luxury models, Leaf electric vehicle and Z sportscar is projecting a return to profitability for the fiscal year through March 2022 after racking up two straight years of losses.

Investment is one of the best ways to increase your wealth. It’s a proven means to generate more money as well as a source of passive income for the investor. Compared to savings, the investment provides a higher return. However, a higher return comes with its own set of risks. If you aren’t careful enough, you might end up losing more money than making through investment. So how do you make sure your investment is safe? What are the things to be considered before investing? Let's find out. Why are you investing? Before anything else, you should find out the reason for investment. Savings are something that can work as your financial cushion. Investments are a bit different considering your money gets locked up for a considerable period. As a result, you should carefully evaluate whether you’ll have any immediate need for the money. You should also assess whether you want to make a short-term investment or a long-term one. Based on your investment period and the risk factors, your return will vary. Therefore you should be clear on your goals and strategies to make sure of the correct investment decision. Read: Investment Opportunities in Bangladesh amid Pandemic What should an investor consider when making an investment? Life stage Where are you in your life right now? This is an important factor many people ignore when investing. If you are a young professional with a steady income source, it becomes easier to take risks. However, if you are someone at a late stage of your life, or you are planning on child education support or retirement, it becomes increasingly difficult to make risk-related decisions. All of it depends on your commitments. Usually, it's ideal to invest at a young age where you will have sufficient time to turn things around in case anything goes south. The same doesn’t hold for someone who is investing their life’s saving at an old age. Read Investment Guide: How Bangladeshi Youths Can Invest money and Create Wealth? Time frame We have already talked about the ideal stage of your life for investment. But what is the ideal period for investment? Truth is, there is no fixed answer for this. You can invest for a long time or for a short time. The choice is yours. However, each short-term and long-term investment has its own perks. Long-term investments tend to generate a higher return. Short-term investments will give you profit much faster. If you are looking for long-term investment opportunities, you should consider stock and mutual funds. These are the best long-term investments out there. But if it’s short-term that you’re looking for, a fixed deposit can be a good option. Read Saving vs. Investing Money: Know the Pros and Cons Income or increment of capital Some people use investment as a steady source of income. Some invest to increase their existing capital. While both of these are meant to generate money for you, there are some subtle differences between them. Investments are through and through associated with risks. So if you are looking for a steady income source, the common investment strategies might not be a good option. You can invest in MIP, MIS, or fixed deposit as it will guarantee a return after a fixed interval. And if growing the existing wealth is your priority, you can consider investing in equity or real estate. Read:Real Estate Business in Bangladesh is booming again overcoming the brunt of Pandemic Return on your risk Depending on your investment strategy, risks will vary. There are countless streams of investment that will provide you with more return than the usual interest on your savings. However, the more the return there are, the merrier the risk will be. If you are someone willing to play in a high-risk scenario, you can consider investing in equity-related investment strategies. If you want a quick return on your investment, there are high-risk bonds. As long as you are willing to play on the market fluctuations, you can be sure to make a good return on your investment. Read: F-commerce in Bangladesh: Problems and Prospects State of taxation Many people don’t consider the tax burden that comes along with investment. As you start receiving a return on your investment, the tax will start to add up on your investment. However, there are different tax waivers and rebates associated with investments. The only downside of the waiver is that there is a minimum lock-in period of investment. Depending on the investment strategy, the lock-in period can be as high as 10 years. So you should be careful before choosing an investment strategy as it can effectively lock you out of your capital for a long time. Read Angel Investment 101: Is It the Right Track for Your Startup? Liquidity of the investment In layman’s terms, ‘liquidity’ is the state of how soon an asset can be sold off in the market in exchange for a good return. Risks on investment are directly associated with the liquidity level of any asset. The more the liquidity, the lesser the risk, and the lesser is the return. If you are someone looking for an easy investment scheme without having to worry much about capital loss, then you should invest in high liquidity assets. But if you are a risk-taker looking to make a good profit out of your investment, then you should go for low liquidity assets. Read Investing in startups second innings of Sachin Tendulkar's life Emergence Capital The last factor here isn’t directly related to investment; rather it’s a precautionary measure for you. Investments are high-risk games no matter how you look at them. There’s no guarantee that you will end up losing all your investments in a matter of hours or days. There might be situations where you will have an emergency need for funds but you won't be able to access them because of lock-in periods or losses. The ideal approach would be to set up an emergency capital fund before you embark on investments. This will not only cushion you against any investment-related drawbacks but will also be a source of capital for future use. No matter how you use it, an emergency fund can always be your plan B. Read:ToguMogu: One Stop Solution for Bangladeshi Parents Bottom Line Investments aren’t for everyone. But if you are willing to take the risk, you can be sure to make a good return out of it. But for that, you will need careful planning and consider your options. In this article, we have discussed the key factors to consider before making investment decisions. We hope our discussion will help you to lay the groundwork for your investment options and make a good fortune in the process.