Middle East war challenges and opportunities for Bangladesh

There is no denying that any war between two or more nations carries a huge financial cost, apart from human casualties, including deaths, partial and permanent disabilities, loss of property and damage to infrastructure and strategic installations.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

US now Bangladesh’s top soybean supplier

The United States has become Bangladesh’s top soybean supplier, as private importers increased purchases under a reciprocal trade deal and US prices eased earlier in the year when Chinese demand briefly slowed.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Oil prices rally as Hormuz stays shut

Oil ​prices extended gains on Tuesday as a US-imposed deadline loomed for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or be “taken ‌out”, with US President Donald Trump threatening to order attacks on Iranian bridges and power plants.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Bangladesh, UK sign MoU to boost aviation investment

Bangladesh and the UK have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in public-private partnerships (PPP), reinforcing their shared commitment to boosting investment and sustainable infrastructure development in the aviation sector.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

City Bank gets nod for Tk 1,200cr bond

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has approved City Bank’s subordinated bond worth Tk 1,200 crore.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Industry loses share as services race ahead in economy

Small businesses and service providers, from retail shops to transport and personal services, are expanding more rapidly than formal manufacturing units, prompting economists to question the sustainability of the country’s long-term growth.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

FDI growth masks slowdown in fresh capital inflow

Bangladesh’s net foreign direct investment witnessed a sharp 39 percent increase in 2025, reaching $1.77 billion, according to central bank data.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Digital invoice launched to ease customs clearance

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Bangladesh Bank yesterday began piloting an electronic system for commercial invoices issued by exporters for importing industrial ingredients.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Governor asks banks’ shariah board members to work independently

Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman has promised full protection to the members of the country’s shariah boards and urged them to work independently.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

AI dreams crash into stark $7tn reality

Artificial intelligence is squeezing the planet’s resources. Serious questions have yet to be answered about whether there’s enough labor, copper, water and other basics to build and operate all the data centers now under consideration.
8 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Governor asks shariah scholars to work independently, promises full protection

The BB governor recently met with leading shariah scholars to discuss the current state, challenges, and future reforms of Islamic banking in Bangladesh
7 April 2026, 20:52 PM

Bangladesh sees slowest growth in economic units since 1996

The country also registered the lowest growth in the number of persons engaged in economic units in 28 years, since 1996
7 April 2026, 13:49 PM

Oil prices little changed

Oil prices were little changed in choppy trade on ‌Monday, as investors awaited clarity on the status of talks between the US and Iran even as they remained wary about sustained supply losses due to shipping disruptions.
7 April 2026, 00:00 AM

BTRC to unlock more low-band spectrum to boost coverage

The telecom regulator has decided to allocate spectrum from the 850 MHz and Extended GSM (EGSM) bands for a month-long trial to examine potential interference between the two frequencies.
7 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Indonesia raises jet fuel surcharge

Indonesia announced on Monday a 28-percentage point rise in the surcharge on jet fuel, and said it will allow airlines to raise the domestic ticket price, which the government caps, by up to 13 percent.
7 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Safeguarding our chemical-dependent industries

The chemical industry, built on a foundation of oil, gas and petrochemical feedstocks, underpins modern manufacturing.
7 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Rain damage, oversupply cause sharp drop in onion prices

Onion farmers are facing mounting losses this season as a sharp fall in prices, coupled with rain-induced damage, offsets a significant rise in production.
7 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Bangladesh produces 80% of world’s hilsa: minister

Over 80 percent of the world’s total hilsa production comes from the rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters of Bangladesh, said Mohammed Amin Ur Rashid, minister of fisheries, livestock and agriculture.
7 April 2026, 00:00 AM

FICCI calls for clear tax roadmap to boost investment, jobs

The Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has called for a clear roadmap to optimise the effective tax rate, aiming to create a level playing field for all investors and support job creation.
7 April 2026, 00:00 AM

Listed firms’ profitability drops to at least 4-year low

The last fiscal year 2024-25 (FY25) was hard for listed companies. During the period, firms saw their profitability fall to the lowest level since post-Covid,  squeezed by inflation that outpaced sales growth, rising borrowing costs, political upheaval and limited public spending.
7 April 2026, 00:00 AM