Chairman and CEO's name appears in files released by Department of Justice

A trade agreement signed between Bangladesh and the United States on February 9, just days before a national election, has drawn sharp criticism from economists and policy observers.

Bangladesh’s recently signed trade deal with the United States promises slight tariff relief but carries deeper implications for fiscal stability, foreign policy and democratic transparency, according to Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

Bangladesh has long imported agricultural commodities from abroad. Last year, it became the eighth-largest market for US wheat. Under a reciprocal trade agreement signed on February 9, American dairy, meat and poultry producers will get sweeping access to Bangladesh’s market.

Bangladesh has agreed to eliminate customs duties, supplementary duties, and regulatory duties on approximately 4,500 products from the United States as part of the newly signed reciprocal trade agreement, marking one of the most significant tariff reduction measures in recent years.

The gap between what Bangladesh buys and sells abroad, known as trade deficit, grew over 18 percent in the first half (H1) of the current fiscal year 2025-26, driven by rising imports and declining export earnings.

With Ramadan beginning in just over a week, a period when demand for essentials typically surges, households are facing mounting pressure from rising prices.

The signing of the economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Japan marks a historic milestone in Bangladesh’s trade diplomacy, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said yesterday.

At the centre of this evolution stands Shanta, a developer whose projects go beyond eye-catching architecture and exceptional quality. The sense of community, the value of greenery and the importance of livable spaces have not been replaced but reinterpreted through projects like Shanta Avira on Road 21 and Shanta Celestial on Road 18. Together, they have set a new benchmark for the standard of living in Banani.

In Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhia, one issue overshadows all others: the Rohingya refugee crisis.

Bangladesh’s external debt has nearly doubled in just over three years, driven by a surge in emergency budget financing in the post-Covid period and a sharp devaluation of the local currency that inflated the value of dollar-denominated obligations.

The country’s merchandise exports held nearly steady in January, with shipments totalling $4.41 billion, down 0.50 percent year-on-year, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data.

The spark that lit this wildfire wasn’t a war, a border clash, or even a match. It was the quiet exclusion of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from an Indian Premier League franchise in early January -- a decision that, at the time, felt like just another cricketing call.

Migrants sent home $3.17 billion in January

Foreign debt servicing by the government and its guaranteed loans rose 17 percent to $7.09 billion at the end of June in the last fiscal year.

The Washington-based multilateral agency made the observation in a statement issued yesterday

Tax reform panel also calls for dropping the excise duty on bank deposits

Domestic gold price broke its previous record and reached Tk 2.62 lakh per bhori

Production remains over 10 lakh tonnes thanks to improved varieties

As Bangladesh approaches the February general election, political parties are once again centring their campaign promises on the household ledger.