Industry leaders say reaching $100 billion in exports is not a formal target but a realistic possibility as global demand for apparel continues to grow and supply chains return to normal

The prolonged period of high inflation in the country has had a significant impact on people's lives

The proposed budget grants significant duty benefits to EVs while raising the tax burden on popular reconditioned vehicles, particularly mid-range fossil-fuel-powered cars used by middle-income consumers

Under the new directive, a keynote presenter will receive Tk 4,500. Moderators and discussants will each receive Tk 4,000, with a maximum of three discussants allowed. Rapporteurs will be paid Tk 2,500 each, limited to two persons. Participants will receive Tk 1,000 each

The following is a recap of those major stories as covered by Star Business

Alignment is often achieved the way we achieve traffic discipline: everyone honks, nobody moves, and yet each driver is fully confident that the jam is caused by someone else.

The government has proposed a landmark overhaul of the customs bond regime in the fiscal year 2026-27 budget, extending duty-free import facilities to emerging export sectors and easing compliance requirements for garment factories -- steps exporters say will significantly boost trade competitiveness.

Swedish retail giant H&M has said Bangladesh remains “a very important sourcing market”, amid media reports suggesting it may reduce purchases from the country.

The Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has welcomed the proposed na-tional budget for offering greater policy predictability and positive signals for investment, while raising concerns over the government’s ambitious revenue target.

Indian authorities are expected to recommend the continuation of anti-dumping duties on Bangladesh’s jute products despite a decline in overall shipments in recent years, raising concerns among local millers.

Bangladesh has formally requested a deferral of its LDC graduation by at least three years to allow time to implement key domestic reforms

The actual fiscal deficit in the proposed national budget for fiscal year 2026-27 could be close to Tk 4 lakh crore, according to Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID).

The  budget’s  focus on investment, industrialisation, SME development, digital economy expansion, renewable energy, and a higher tax-free income threshold sends a positive signal for business and employment, said Lutfunnisa Saudia Khan, president of the International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB).

Oil prices fell 2 percent on Thursday to their lowest since the first trading day of the Iran war, as a US-Iran interim deal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease sanctions on Tehran boosted the global supply outlook. Brent crude futures were down $1.59, or 2 percent, at $77.96 a barrel as of 0811 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate fell $1.83, or 2.38 percent, to $74.96 a barrel.

Energy shortages, particularly the scarcity of natural gas, remain the single biggest challenge facing both local and foreign investors in Bangladesh, Ashik Chowdhury, executive chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), said yesterday.

The Netherlands emerged as the leading source of net foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bangladesh in 2025, contributing $544.61 million, or 30.76 percent of total inflows, according to a Bangladesh Bank report.

Indian authorities are expected to recommend the continuation of anti-dumping duties on Bangladesh’s jute products despite a decline in overall shipments in recent years, raising concerns among local millers.

Banks have been given the go-ahead to facilitate outward remittances for lease rentals of ships and vessels by shipping companies incorporated in Bangladesh, in a move aimed at strengthening the country's maritime sector

Special T-Class tickets lower travel costs to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Malaysia

Feasibility studies are underway to convert existing STOL facilities into operational airports