Bangladesh Bank (BB) has clarified that no final decision has been taken regarding the issuance of digital bank licences, amid reports published in several national dailies. As part of the government's initiative to expand technology-driven inclusive financial services and build a "Cashless Bangla
High interest rates, a declining tax-to-GDP ratio and stagnation in export markets are putting additional pressure on Bangladesh’s economy, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Taskeen Ahmed has said. He also warned that restoring stability in the economy would not be poss
Moving away from a long-standing tradition, Bangladesh Bank (BB) has decided not to release special sets of new currency notes for the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. The central bank announced on Sunday that instead of focusing on specific festivals, new notes will now be supplied through commercial banks
Inflationary pressure on the country’s economy increased further in February, mainly due to a rise in both food and non-food prices, ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr festival. Inflation as measured by the consumers' price index (CPI) rose to 9.13 per cent in February 2026 from 8.58 per cent in the p
Food prices have driven up the inflation rate past 9.0 per cent for the first time in eight months. Inflation rose for a fourth consecutive month, hitting 9.13 per cent year-on-year in February. The rate was 9.32 per cent in February, 2025. This means that a bundle of goods and services that cost
The escalating military tensions in the Middle East centered around Iran, Israel, and the United States have sent shockwaves through the Bangladeshi economy, sparking a sharp rise in energy costs and leaving thousands of tons of export goods stranded. As the conflict threatens the vital Strait of
Officials at the ministry of finance have started assessing the possible impacts of the ongoing war in the Middle East on Bangladesh's economy and ways to manage the potential financial burden arising from it, sources said.Financial literacy course The ministry launched the study on Thursday follo
Bangladesh Bank now decides to sit with leading economists and think tanks tomorrow (Saturday) to discuss the crisis-management strategies in the wake of war against Iran by the Israel-USA coalition. The central bank's decision came just a day after the postponement of the Monetary Policy Committe
Persistent inflationary pressures continue to outpace wage growth in Bangladesh, eroding household purchasing power and real income, according to the latest Economic Update and Outlook of the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission. Released on Thursday, the February economic o
Bangladesh's footwear exports to the US market witnessed about 52-percent growth in 2025 amid trade and tariff tension, which encouraged American buyers to diversify sourcing destinations and reduce dependence on China and Vietnam. In the last calendar year, Bangladesh exported footwear worth $387
Inflationary pressure in Bangladesh remained elevated at the start of 2026 as rising prices of fish, fruits and vegetables continued to push up food costs, even though rice prices showed signs of easing, according to the latest report of the General Economics Division (GED). Inflation rose slightl
Dr Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), has urged a coordinated approach combining monetary and fiscal policies to tackle inflation, warning that isolated policy measures will not effectively contain rising prices. She said the current inflationary pressure i
Business leaders and policy experts on Tuesday urged the government to tackle long-standing structural bottlenecks to fully capitalise on the newly signed Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan, warning that the deal alone will not automatically boost trade and investment. They said that
