Bangladesh’s garment sector is going through a period of sustained pressure as the war in the Middle East disrupts production and international retailers scale back orders.

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva warned Wednesday of difficult times ahead for the global economy if war in the Middle East is unresolved and oil prices stay high, adding that inflation risks could seep into food prices.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has further lowered Bangladesh’s cotton import forecast for the ongoing marketing year (MY) 2025-26, citing reduced use in mills.

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday, reversing earlier declines, on scepticism that peace talks between ‌the US and Iran will reach a deal to end the war that has bottled up oil output from the key Middle East producing region.

The government is navigating a critical situation amid a series of global crises, but remains committed to turning these challenges into opportunities, said Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, adviser to the prime minister on finance and planning.

Bangladesh Bank yesterday purchased $50 million from four commercial banks at a cut-off rate of Tk 122.75 per US dollar, as strong remittance earnings boosted inflows.

A sharp digital divide continues to shape Bangladesh’s connectivity landscape, with a 32.1 percentage points gap in internet use between rural and urban populations in the fiscal year 2024-25, according to the latest Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) survey.

Bangladesh has imported a large volume of wheat within nine and a half months of this fiscal year, exceeding the total amount imported in the previous year.

Bangladesh has imported a large volume of wheat within nine and a half months of this fiscal year, exceeding the total amount imported in the previous year.

The cut-off rate was Tk 122.75 per US dollar

The survey marks the first time the BBS has released district-level ICT data

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has resumed purchasing US dollars from the market after one and a half months, driven by higher inflows than outflows amid strong remittance earnings.

The government does not want to dictate the Bangladesh Bank’s actions under any circumstances, said Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, the prime minister’s adviser on finance and planning.

The ongoing Middle East conflict is severely disrupting production in the garment sector due to energy shortages, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Mahmud Hasan Khan said yesterday.

Designates ICT as special priority sector

The government has introduced a new policy framework to speed up renewable energy development by allowing unused or underutilised state-owned land to be used for clean energy projects under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Some investors of six liquidating non-banks have already died, while others struggle with medical bills, as families face uncertain future

Bangladesh-based agri-tech startup iFarmer has secured $1.5 million in foreign funding as it seeks to strengthen the country’s agricultural value chain.

The 19th Dhaka Auto Series of Exhibitions 2026, the country’s largest running automotive trade event, will be held from April 23 to 25 at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Purbachal, Dhaka.

While the World Bank and Asian Development Bank had lowered Bangladesh’s GDP growth forecast due to the Persian Gulf crisis and domestic vulnerabilities, the International Monetary Fund has kept its earlier projection unchanged.