Jagaran Chakma

Bangladesh’s processed food exports to key Middle Eastern markets have come to a standstill as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran have halted shipments, leaving containers stranded and exporters fearing mounting financial losses.

Bangladeshi companies are increasingly investing abroad, with net foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows soaring more than ninefold in the July-September quarter of 2025 compared with the same period the year before.

Despite a slight improvement toward the end of the year, Dhaka’s luxury hotel industry struggled through much of 2025 amid political uncertainty, economic slowdown and declining foreign tourist arrivals.

The country’s furniture industry is showing signs of stabilisation after nearly two years of decline, though recovery remains fragile and uneven across segments, according to leading manufacturers.

The government’s abrupt cancellation of Ahsan H Mansur’s appointment as governor of Bangladesh Bank (BB) yesterday has drawn sharp criticism from stakeholders, including economists and bankers.

Private passenger car sales in Bangladesh have plunged to the lowest level in 13 years, reflecting persistent economic headwinds, high import costs and tightening consumer purchasing power, according to market insiders and official data.

Surging home loan interest rates have brought Bangladesh’s mid-segment housing market to a near standstill in 2025, squeezing salaried buyers who depend heavily on bank financing and sharply raising monthly instalments beyond affordability.

Bangladesh’s healthcare system has become capable of meeting the majority of domestic demand, but chronic mismanagement and poor planning are draining nearly four-fifths of the sector’s public spending, according to AM Shamim, general secretary of the Bangladesh Private Hospital, Clinic and Diagnostic Owners Association.