EU to assess Bangladesh’s proposal for FTA
26 May 2026, 00:00 AM
The European Union is set to begin an internal assessment of Bangladesh’s proposal for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the bloc, nearly a year after the proposal was first placed.
26 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Over 95% of apparel factories pay April salaries
26 May 2026, 00:00 AM
More than 95 percent of factories across garment and textile associations paid April salaries ahead of Eid-ul-Azha as of yesterday evening, according to Industrial Police (IP) data.
26 May 2026, 00:00 AM
High duties on solar parts slow green transition
25 May 2026, 00:00 AM
The government should reduce import duties on solar equipment in the upcoming budget for fiscal year 2026-27 to encourage wider adoption of renewable energy and help exporters meet international compliance requirements, said Vidiya Amrit Khan, vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
25 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Dhaka Airport: Cargo exports hit as 3 of 4 scanners out of order
18 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Exports through Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) have been severely disrupted as three of the four Explosive Detection System (EDS) scanners remain non-functional.
18 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Bangladesh should move up the global value chain: ADB
7 May 2026, 00:00 AM
The study on GVCs, growth, and inequality was released yesterday
7 May 2026, 00:00 AM
BGMEA offers to help US define cotton use rules
7 May 2026, 00:00 AM
The offer was made as US officials are yet to clarify how the facilities will work in practice
7 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Apparel makers to seek clarity on US cotton tariff deal
5 May 2026, 00:00 AM
USTR officials arrive for talks on reciprocal tariff deal implementation and ongoing investigations into overcapacity and forced labour issues
5 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Exports snap 8-month decline with 33% surge in April
4 May 2026, 00:00 AM
Shipments reach $4b with all top 20 export markets posting positive YoY growth
4 May 2026, 00:00 AM
66 WTO members adopt interim e-Com pact
Sixty-six World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries, representing 70 percent of global trade, have adopted a pathway to bring into force electronic commerce (e-Commerce) agreement through interim arrangements.
30 March 2026, 00:05 AM
WTO conference: Dhaka for keeping flexibility on patents, copyrights
Bangladesh today sought continuation of the moratorium on non-violation and situation complaints (NVSCs) under the TRIPS Agreement until the next ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization, arguing that it will create flexibility in copy rights and patent rules for poorer countries.
29 March 2026, 22:14 PM
66 WTO members adopt interim e-commerce pact
Sixty-six World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries, representing 70 percent of global trade, have adopted a pathway to bring into force electronic commerce (e-Commerce) agreement through interim arrangements.
29 March 2026, 14:20 PM
Dhaka seeks EU help for LDC grad deferment
Bangladesh yesterday sought the European Union’s support for deferring its graduation from the group of least developed countries.
29 March 2026, 02:37 AM
Dhaka urges WTO reform without weakening core principles
Bangladesh has emphasised the need to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO), while cautioning that any such changes must not undermine the body’s fundamental principles.
29 March 2026, 00:22 AM
Bangladesh calls for WTO reform without undermining core principles
Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir made the call at the beginning of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference on March 26 in Yaounde, Cameroon
28 March 2026, 14:20 PM
WTO conference kicks off with push to resist protectionism
The 14th WTO Ministerial Conference began yesterday with a call to uphold the multilateral trading system, as rising trade protectionism poses challenges to the free flow of global trade.
26 March 2026, 23:25 PM
WTO flags trade risks from Middle East crisis
The prolonged high oil prices resulting from the Middle East conflict could lower the global trade forecast by 0.5 percentage points, from 1.9 percent to 1.4 percent, said the director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Okonjo-Iweala.
26 March 2026, 19:58 PM
Trade deals, LDC deferment top agenda at WTO summit
Bangladesh will prioritise bilateral trade negotiations, deferment of its graduation from least developed country (LDC) status, among other issues, at the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) 14th Ministerial Conference, which opens tomorrow in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé.
24 March 2026, 23:42 PM
Doreen Garments sues US buyer over $678,000 unpaid dues
Apparel exporter Doreen Garments Ltd has been struggling to collect $678,412 from US-based Zinntex LLC for a shipment delivered two years ago, prompting the supplier to file a lawsuit in an American court.
19 March 2026, 00:00 AM
Govt to rally support to defer LDC graduation
Bangladesh will use the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 14th ministerial conference in Cameroon next week to garner support for deferring its graduation from the group of least developed countries (LDCs), said officials familiar with the matter.
16 March 2026, 00:00 AM
Trade probe: USTR seeks hearing date from Dhaka
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has sought a date from Bangladesh for a hearing as part of the US’s twin investigations into trade and forced labour.
15 March 2026, 02:50 AM
180 RMG factories at risk of failure to pay before Eid
Some 138,392 workers of 180 ready-made garment factories at risk of failure to pay wages and bonuses before the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays could create labour unrest in different ways, the home ministry has warned.
15 March 2026, 02:41 AM
The rise of a denim empire
Bangladesh leads global markets with over $5b in exports
14 March 2026, 00:37 AM
Bangladesh in US trade crosshairs
The US has launched a fresh trade investigation into Bangladesh and more than a dozen other economies to examine whether their policies and production practices are contributing to global overcapacity that could harm American manufacturing.
13 March 2026, 03:23 AM
US launches trade investigation into Bangladesh, others as Trump revives tariffs
The investigation was initiated today by the Office of the United States Trade Representative
12 March 2026, 10:01 AM
Bhutan seeks free trade agreement with Bangladesh
The development came on the final day of a two-day visit to Dhaka by a commerce secretary-level delegation from Bhutan
10 March 2026, 23:49 PM
Freight piling up at Dhaka airport
The piling up of freight at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) has been increasing as some of the Middle East-based airliners suspended cargo flights due to the US-Israel war on Iran.
10 March 2026, 02:42 AM
Unable to buy diesel, RMG factories losing steam
Garment factories in Gazipur are struggling to keep production at full capacity due to a shortage of diesel, as filling stations in the area have stopped supplying fuel in containers over the past two days.
8 March 2026, 03:02 AM
Vegetable exporters hit hard by Gulf airspace closure
Bangladeshi exporters of vegetables and other perishable goods face mounting losses as airspace closures across the Middle East, triggered by escalating US-Israeli war on Iran, have severed vital trade routes since late February.
5 March 2026, 00:00 AM