Bangladesh's export competitiveness is coming under increasing pressure ahead of its graduation from the least- developed country (LDC) status due to uncertainty over post-graduation market access, tougher compliance requirements, and new free-trade agreements (FTAs) signed by competing exporting c
The ambition to elevate Bangladesh into a trillion-dollar economy by 2034 fundamentally demands sweeping institutional reforms, as structural overhauls and good governance are indispensable for sustainable qualitative development, said eminent economist Biru Paksha Paul. "Without ensuring the pr
Foreign exchange reserves remained above the US$36.5 billion mark after the country settled $1.48 billion in import payments to Asian Clearing Union (ACU) member countries. Robust remittance inflows, lower import demand and Bangladesh Bank's dollar purchases from commercial banks helped keep the r
The private sector continued to expand in June, albeit at a slower pace, as manufacturing and construction slipped back into contraction, highlighting mounting pressure from higher production costs, weaker demand and seasonal disruptions. Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell by 9.9 points in June
Bangladesh netted a phenomenally higher annual foreign direct investment worth US$1.78 billion in 2025 as the global flow of FDI marked resurgence last year after two barren years. The global and local FDI rises are quantified in the World Investment Report (WIR) 2026 just released in Geneva
Bangladesh is borrowing US$1.0-billion hard-term loan from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for much-needed upgrading of Eastern Refinery's oil-refining capacity by 3.0 million tonnes a year, officials say. The government's Standing Committee on Non-Concessional Loans, headed by Finance and Pla
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Sunday directed officials to modernise the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) to strengthen the country's statistical system and support evidence-based policymaking. He instructed overhauling the national statistical organisation by
Ensuring proper valuation of imports at ports, mainly at premier seaport Chattogram, could significantly boost government revenues and help achieve an ambitious Tk 6.0-trillion revenue target for this fiscal year. Newly appointed National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Ahsan Habib has made such o
The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) on Sunday unveiled investment portfolios for 44 state-owned enterprises (SOEs), inviting private sector participation to revive underperforming industrial assets, create jobs and reduce the government's fiscal burden. Under the initiative, loc
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Sunday warned taxpayers against fraudsters posing as tax officials and demanding money on the pretext of exempting tax files from audits. In a press statement, the revenue authority said it had recently noticed that a group of scammers has been contacting tax
The government has decided to continue export incentives and cash assistance for 43 sectors in fiscal year (FY) 2026-27, despite having its previous plan to phase out such subsidies ahead of Bangladesh's LDC graduation. The Foreign Exchange Policy Department (FEPD) of Bangladesh Bank (BB) in a cir
Bangladesh signs a US$3.3-billion annual financing deal with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) for this fiscal year, ensuring continued support for fuel, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fertilizer imports. Officials say the agreement was signed Sunday at the ITFC headquart
Industries Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir today (Sunday) directed officials of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) to work towards increasing the Cottage, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (CMSME) sector's contribution to the national economy to more than 60 percent,
