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
Govt to conduct feasibility study for FTA with EU
EU FTA feasibility study begins soon to secure duty-free access post-2029
29 September 2025, 18:00 PM
Why hilsa prices soar despite ample catches
Traders create artificial crisis by storing hilsa to raise prices later
28 September 2025, 18:00 PM
Costs of trade with India rise 20% amid non-tariff measures
Bangladeshi businesses are paying higher costs when sending goods to India and bringing in industrial inputs from the neighbouring country amid retaliatory non-tariff measures imposed by Dhaka and New Delhi.
27 September 2025, 17:47 PM
South Asia’s unfulfilled trade promise
South Asia trades more with Europe, the US and China than with itself
26 September 2025, 18:00 PM
Apparel factories cut groundwater use with rain, new tech
Bangladeshi garment factories reduce groundwater use to 50 litres per kg of denim from 200
23 September 2025, 18:00 PM
Govt angling for free trade with EU
The EU accounts for more than $25 billion in annual shipments from Bangladesh, or over 60 percent of total exports.
17 September 2025, 18:13 PM
Govt to seek post-LDC trade benefits from key partners
Commerce ministry to pursue bilateral deals for LDC trade benefits
16 September 2025, 18:00 PM
Businesses request Yunus for LDC deferment to 2032
LDC graduation will end pharma, apparel export benefits, warn business bodies
13 September 2025, 18:17 PM
US officials to arrive in Dhaka Sunday for tariff talks
A United States trade delegation will arrive in Bangladesh on Sunday for meetings with commerce ministry officials on bilateral trade, progress on trade agreements and the reciprocal tariff imposed by the White House.
11 September 2025, 20:00 PM
EPA with Japan may be signed in two months
Bangladesh and Japan may sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) within the next one to two months as the final negotiation is scheduled to end in Tokyo tomorrow.
11 September 2025, 20:00 PM
Graduation from LDC: ‘We have 2.5 options to seek deferral’
Debapriya Bhattacharya says decision must rest on solid evidence, strong backing from development partners
8 September 2025, 18:07 PM
LDC graduation must reflect readiness, not just prestige
Says EuroCham Bangladesh President Nuria Lopez in an interview with The Daily Star
8 September 2025, 18:00 PM
Owners, rights activists debate over proposed trade union threshold
Key trade bodies such as the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and Bangladesh Tea Association have expressed support for the employers.
4 September 2025, 18:00 PM
LDC graduation: an economic cliff?
As Bangladesh approaches its scheduled graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category in November 2026, a sense of unpreparedness hangs over both the government and the private sector.
3 September 2025, 18:13 PM
Will Bangladesh benefit from higher US tariffs on China, India?
Bangladesh's garment industry sees potential in US tariff policy
3 September 2025, 18:00 PM
Hit by US tariff uncertainty, exports slip 3% in Aug
US tariffs slow garment exports, contributing to dip in August
2 September 2025, 18:00 PM
LDC graduation: Leveraging deferment for a stronger future
Ahead of the country’s scheduled graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category in November next year, former BGMEA president Rubana Huq says Bangladesh needs at least another five years to prepare for the transition.
1 September 2025, 18:00 PM
The LDC graduation conundrum
The least developed countries (LDCs) have been struggling to graduate to developing nations for years. But at the same time, these countries fear losing preferential trade, exports, and employment. So, they hesitate and step back even after becoming eligible for graduation.
28 August 2025, 18:00 PM
Final round of FTA talks with Japan begins Sep 3
Bangladesh is set to begin the final round of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan next week as part of its push to ensure such deals ahead of its graduation from the least developed country club next year.
26 August 2025, 20:22 PM
How Trump’s reciprocal tariff challenged WTO’s multilateral trading system
Bangladesh is in an advantageous position compared with competing countries in the US
20 August 2025, 02:00 AM