Why does central bank’s independence matter?

An independent and effective central bank in a transforming economy is no longer a technocratic luxury or a symbolic nod to international best practice. It is a foundational safeguard for any country seeking macroeconomic stability, financial discipline and protection from elite capture.
29 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Govt drafts 25-year plan for agriculture

The interim government has set out to formulate the Agriculture Outlook 2050, a comprehensive long-term strategic framework designed to guide agricultural transformation over the next 25 years.
29 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Govt orders assessment of CDBL’s listing potential

The finance ministry has instructed the Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd (CDBL) and other relevant stakeholders to assess the company’s potential and the appropriate timing for its listing on the stock market.
29 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Allow banks to impose travel ban on defaulters

Top bankers have urged the central bank to allow commercial lenders to impose foreign travel bans on wilful defaulters and publish their names and photographs, as part of efforts to rein in the growing volume of defaulted loans.
29 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Economy stabilising but risks remain

Bangladesh’s economy is showing signs of stabilisation, yet risks and uncertainties remain, and long-term challenges require urgent attention, Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud has cautioned.
29 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Foreign loan inflows fall 29% as ADP hits five-year low

Bangladesh received reduced foreign loans in the first half of the current fiscal year (FY) 2025-26 as the execution of foreign-funded projects under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) fell to its lowest level in at least five years.
29 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Young innovators shine with cutting-edge tech at digital expo

From underwater drones exploring the ocean depths to Mars rovers navigating simulated alien terrain, Bangladeshi youth are quietly but confidently reshaping the nation’s technological landscape.
29 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Abolish minimum tax, wealth surcharges

Tax reform panel also calls for dropping the excise duty on bank deposits
29 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Foreign loan inflows fall 29% as ADP hits five-year low

Bangladesh received reduced foreign loans in the first half of the current fiscal year
28 January 2026, 20:50 PM

Impose travel restriction, publish identity of loan defaulters: ABB

The Association of Bankers, Bangladesh proposed a series of reforms to curb bad loans
28 January 2026, 17:34 PM

Sold-out first flight as Biman restarts direct Dhaka-Karachi route tomorrow

National carrier will operate twice-weekly nonstop flights
28 January 2026, 17:26 PM
28 January 2026, 17:16 PM

Incentives flow freely for big businesses, but farmers face barriers: adviser

The adviser said that industry owners take loans from banks but often fail to repay them, while farmers struggle to access credit
28 January 2026, 16:13 PM

Gold smashes all records: Tk 269,788 from today

This time, the jewellers announced new rate today morning with immediate effect
28 January 2026, 11:17 AM

Hybrid cars top choice in Europe

Hybrid-electric vehicles dethroned purely petrol-powered cars as the top power option among consumers in Europe last year, data showed Tuesday.
28 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Chinese firm to invest $16.34m at Bepza EZ

Chinese company Huazhu Accessories Co Ltd signed an agreement with the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza) to set up an accessories manufacturing factory at the Bepza Economic Zone in Mirsharai, Chattogram.
28 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Jute millers threaten shutdown from Feb 1 over raw jute shortage

Bangladesh’s jute millers have warned of a countrywide shutdown from February 1 if the government fails to resolve an acute shortage of raw jute, which they say has already disrupted production and forced several mills to close.
28 January 2026, 00:00 AM

How to raise revenue without hurting growth

As Bangladesh looks toward its next government, fiscal policy will be central to the economic debate. Rising development needs, climate vulnerability, and higher debt-servicing costs make stronger domestic revenue mobilisation unavoidable. Yet the real question is not whether Bangladesh needs more revenue, but how it can raise it without undermining private investment, growth, and jobs.
28 January 2026, 00:00 AM

US may cut tariffs on Bangladesh next week

The United States may announce a reduction in the reciprocal tariffs imposed on Bangladesh by the end of this week or early next week, Lutfey Siddiqi, special envoy on international affairs to the chief adviser, said yesterday.
28 January 2026, 00:00 AM

App-based banking gains traction as customers go digital

Banking is no longer limited to brick-and-mortar branches. People are banking remotely using the internet more and more. Of late, mobile applications have come up as a new and inviting option, and a growing number of customers are using apps for banking in Bangladesh.
28 January 2026, 00:00 AM