The Business Standard
PM calls for meaningful parliament, opposition MPS walk out on first DAY
NCP activists stage sit-in outside parliament demanding impeachment of president, reform MPS mourn Khaleda Zia, Manmohan Singh, Khamenei, Pope Francis The nation witnessed an eventful first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad yesterday as Prime...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Exporters alarmed as energy costs dampen global demand
With rising fuel prices, transportation, production costs to rise Bangladesh’s exporters are increasingly concerned that the ongoing war in the Middle East could slow new export orders as rising fuel prices push up living costs in major consumer...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Iran won’t block Bangladesh oil tankers
Iran has agreed to provide Bangladeshi oil ships with safe passage as the Bangladesh government has intensified efforts to maintain a stable fuel supply through multiple strategic measures amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. Bangladesh has...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Israel hits Tehran oil depot; Iran damages desalination plant in Bahrain
Israeli forces expanded their bombardment of Iran yesterday, striking fuel depots near Tehran, while Bahrain said an Iranian attack had damaged one of its desalination plants, signalling a widening assault on vital infrastructure across the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Energy crisis averted for now as more oil, gas on the way
Bangladesh has moved quickly to avert potential fuel and gas shortages triggered by the Middle East war, securing critical imports from alternative markets to keep national energy demand met throughout March. Officials said the government finalised...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Iranian missiles hit Tel Aviv, Trump demands Tehran’s unconditional surrender
The war between Iran and the United States-israel coalition entered its seventh consecutive day yesterday, as military operations intensified across Iran and regional tensions escalated, with effects rippling across the Middle East and beyond. Tehran...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Fuel rationing begins as govt hunts for energy
A war thousands of miles away is rapidly turning into an energy emergency for Bangladesh. Disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz caused by escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran have forced Dhaka to ration fuel...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
US sending more troops, sinks Iranian warship
Israel strikes Tehran, Beirut, Iran vows ‘complete destruction’ in region A United States submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean on Wednesday, in a dramatic escalation of the expanding conflict between Washington and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Strikes rock Gulf, Hormuz closes
into deadly strike on The conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran further escalated yesterday, with explosions reported across several Middle Eastern cities, drone and missile attacks targeting Us-linked sites in Gulf states, and Iran A...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HSBC highlights Bangladesh’s growth outlook, global opportunities at CFO Connect
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Limited in Bangladesh organised an event on 2 March titled “Bangladesh and the World: Economic Prospects for 2026 and Beyond”, highlighting the latest developments in global and Asian markets and...
Read Full Story (Page 7)
Khamenei killed, Iran vows revenge
A mourning, yet defiant Iran has vowed to avenge the killing of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, after his death was confirmed by the country’s state media yesterday. The country has formed an interim Leadership Council to carry...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Us, Israel strike Iran; Tehran retaliates
The United States and Israel have launched coordinated strikes on multiple locations across Iran, including the capital Tehran, in what US President Donald Trump described as “major combat operations”. Iran has retaliated with missile attacks...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Rail to revive as govt eyes major transport reset
The Planning Commission is finalising a multimodal transport roadmap that prioritises the railway sector. The strategy aims to alleviate pressure on the road network and bolster regional connectivity, sources in the Planning Commission and review of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Conflict of interest’
The appointment of Md Mostaqur Rahman, a cost and management accountant and garment factory owner, as governor of the Bangladesh Bank, has sparked sharp debate. The reaction is hardly surprising. A central bank is not just another regulatory outpost;...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Mostaqur Rahman replaces Ahsan H Mansur as BB governor
Md Mostaqur Rahman FCMA, a garment exporter and cost and management accountant, has been appointed governor of Bangladesh Bank for a four-year term, replacing Dr Ahsan H Mansur. The Financial Institutions Division (FID) under the finance ministry...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Airport cargo volumes drop 40% as export slowdown deepens
Normal: have remained subdued Current: Airport cargo movement is often a reliable barometer of a country’s manufacturing pulse. When factories hum, cargo bays fill up. When production slows, airport warehouses fall silent. Bangladesh’s airports are...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
RMG exports fear order loss as US buyers ‘sit os TME FESCE’ over tfriff smifts
Bangladesh’s export momentum braces for fresh headwinds as uncertainty over the fate of the United States’ short-term 15% tariff—whether it will be extended, increased or withdrawn after five months—has prompted American buyers to pause fresh...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Japan talks revived, PM orders swift Third Terminal opening
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday instructed the authorities concerned to expedite the opening of the long-delayed Third Terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in a bid to boost passenger handling capacity and operational...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Uncertainty overshadows relief as Trump now UAISHS tauiff to 15%
Bangladesh’s garment exporters welcomed short-term relief after the US Supreme Court scrapped reciprocal tariffs but uncertainty looms large as President Donald Trump increased to 15% the 10% fresh levy he announced immediately after the court...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Nation recalls language martyrs
The language Martyrs' Day and lmernational Mother Lan · guage Day are being observed today, ma rking 74 years of the historic Language Movement. People from all walks of life will pay tributes to the !an guage martyrs - Salam, Rafiq, Shafiq, Jabbar,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PM Tarique fast-tracks ‘Family Card’ to pilot in 8 upazilas before Eid
Within two days of assuming office as prime minister, Tarique Rahman yesterday convened an interministerial meeting to fast-track the launch of his election pledge “Family Card”, with a pilot programme set to begin in eight upazilas during Ramadan and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tarique becomes PM, envisions unity, stability
After years in exile, BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman took oath as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh yesterday, envisioning national unity, political and economic stability, and rule of law, as he said on several occasions before polls. For the first...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Debt rises Tk2.6 lakh crore in 14 months of Yunus govt
Debt of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus increased by Tk2,60,257 crore during the first 14 months of its tenure, even though development expenditure fell to its lowest level in seven years. According to the latest debt bulletin published...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Businesses hope for revival as new govt taking charge
“Give us energy — everything else will follow.” It was less a plea and more a prescription from Moynul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BCMEA), as the country prepares for a new government to take...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘No chaos, no retaliation’: Taritue’s first message after victory
Peace and law and order must be maintained at any cost, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman said yesterday, warning that his party would not tolerate any form of unrest following its election victory. Speaking at his first post-election press conference at...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
A verdict of the hour
Thursday’s high-stakes contest delivered a clear and emphatic verdict. At a time of deep economic strain, political uncertainty and fraying law and order, voters opted for change. The result reflects a public desperate for stability, security and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BNP candidates lead in early count across Gopalganj seats amid low turnout, sporadic violence
BNP leads in landmark polls The BNP was leading in the 13th parliamentary election as Bangladeshis exercised their most fundamental democratic right yesterday by voting in the country’s first nationwide double-ballot poll. According to the latest...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Japan EPA widely welcomed
Bangladesh’s signing of an economic partnership agreement with Japan on Friday has drawn a mixed response from businesses and trade experts, who see both strategic gains and significant long-term risks for the economy as the country approaches...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Bangladesh, Japan sign major trade deal to safeguard market access post-ldc
Bangladesh and Japan yesterday signed a landmark Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in Tokyo, a major step in Dhaka’s efforts to preserve export market access and attract investment as it prepares to graduate from least developed country (LDC)...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ctg port strike paused for two days, but 6-day standoff already costs Tk3,000cr
Port operations in Chattogram are set to resume this morning after workers and employees agreed to a two-day postponement of their work abstention following a high-stakes meeting with Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Shakhawat Hossain. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ctg port paralysed as open-ended strike over NCT lease defies resolution
Chattogram Port has been shut since Tuesday after workers, who observed an eight-hour work abstention for three days from Saturday morning, launched an open-ended strike protesting the proposed lease of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Legal clouds, labour fury trail interim govt’s push on Ctg port deal
A high-stakes race to hand over Bangladesh’s most profitable maritime asset to a foreign operator has ignited a firestorm of legal challenges, labour strikes, and allegations of massive financial undervaluation. Under the watch of an interim...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ctg port standoff threatens ripple effects across economy
The paralysis at Chattogram Port caused by work stoppage is no longer confined to the port gates; it is rapidly evolving into a broader supply-chain disruption with economy-wide implications. As work remains suspended, containers are piling up, import...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MRT-1, MRT-5 face re-tender as bids far exceed approved costs
The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has halted the procurement process for two major metro rail lines, initiating a total revision of project proposals to curb “abnormal” cost escalations that have seen bids come in nearly double the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Float glass cracking under overcapacity, low demand
But demand stagnated Import, dumping pressure further strain sector Now, key producers under pressure Installed capacity 10 lakh tonnes Capacity is nearly 3x demand Bangladesh’s float glass industry is grappling with a growing mismatch between...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trade deal set to cut tariff, get duty-free access for RMGS made with US cotton
Garments made in Bangladesh using American cotton are likely to receive duty-free access to the US market, while the country’s reciprocal tariff rate is set to fall from the current 20%, officials said. A trade agreement incorporating these benefits...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tk15,000cr in concealed wealth traced as years of tax evasion comes under scanner
Nearly Tk15,000 crore in hidden assets and income linked to more than 3,100 individuals and entities, has been unearthed by Bangladesh’s tax intelligence over the past year, as political change begins to expose years of entrenched tax...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Enough evidence to take Adani to international arbitration
The national review committee probing power sector agreements signed during the ousted Awami League regime has gathered evidence strong enough for Bangladesh to initiate international legal proceedings against Adani Power Limited, committee members...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Cost of project delay: Bangladesh misses WB grace periods
Imagine a factory owner forced to start repaying bank loans before the factory produces a single product. Inevitably, financial stress and eventual default would almost be assured. That, in effect, is what is happening to the Bangladesh government....
Read Full Story (Page 1)
How kleptocracy, cronyism ruled Hasina-era power sector
Bangladesh’s power sector has been mired in cronyism and kleptocracy, with one-sided deals signed under the 2010 special act draining nearly $1.5 billion annually, according to the National Review Committee formed by the interim government to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Either renegotiate coal price or cancel Adani deal: Review panel
The National Review Committee examining power contracts signed under the 2010 special act has recommended that Bangladesh either renegotiate the coal pricing formula with Adani Power Limited (APL) or move to cancel the agreement if the Indian company...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Low revenue growth, stagnant investment: Can BNP, Jamaat deliver on job creation and social security pledges?
As Bangladesh heads towards the 2026 national election, the country’s two main political parties – the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-islami – have unveiled a range of election pledges, placing the economy, jobs, industrialisation...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
RMG exports at risk
Garments account for 85% of Bangladesh’s total exports Textile mill shutdown to disrupt the entire supply chain BTMA’S shutdown threat from 1 Feb, just 11 days before the 12 Feb election Around 10 lakh workers in textile sector to face wage...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Slow unloading, capacity limits choke Ctg port, importers asked to clear cargoes in 5 days
Chattogram Port is facing severe congestion due to an acute shortage of lighterage vessels, as some of the major importers continue to keep more than 200 lighter vessels unloaded, prompting the Ministry of Shipping to issue a five-day ultimatum to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Silt chokes Payra Port, forcing vessels to Chattogram
International Power Limited (RNPL) now unload at Chattogram’s outer anchorage. The coal is then brought to Payra via lighter vessels, a slow, costly, and increasingly unsustainable workaround. Additional lightering strains an already stretched system...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Media convention protests mob violence, urges unity for courageous journalism
A media convention in Dhaka yesterday protested recent mob violence, with organisers warning that such incidents pose unprecedented threats to freedom of expression and democratic values, while calling for unity in defence of independent, responsible...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Pharma must sell 25% essential drugs for new medicine approval, govt mandates
Alongside expanding the essential medicines list, the government is set to introduce a new pricing policy mandating pharmaceutical companies to ensure at least 25% of their annual sales from these essential drugs. Under the new policy, companies that...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Cargo congestion at Bay
With Ramadan fast approaching, Bangladesh’s supply chain for essential food items is coming under strain as a severe shortage of lighterage vessels has stalled cargo discharge at Chattogram Port’s outer anchorage, raising fears of shortages and price...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Enforced disappearances weren’t isolated incidents, but instrument of governance: Commission
Enforced disappearances in Bangladesh over the past 15 years were not isolated deviations but a core instrument of governance, according to the final report of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances. The report said the practice was...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
How big cement, steel makers survive lean demand investing in tech, ships
Bangladesh’s steel and cement industries have spent much of the past two years in survival mode, battered by weak demand, high financing costs and a prolonged squeeze on margins. Yet, even in this prolonged downturn, a group of large millers have...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Why stock market failed to fund businesses when they needed it most
Companies turn to the stock market to raise long-term capital and ease balance-sheet pressure, particularly when bank borrowing becomes costly. Yet even as lending rates in Bangladesh climbed to 14–15% from single digits over the past two years, the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Default loans exposed, market stability restored as banking reforms usher in new hope
Bangladesh Bank’s sweeping reform measures under the interim government – ranging from exposing the true scale of default loans to stabilising the foreign exchange market and enforcing monetary discipline – have marked a decisive turning point for the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
To delight of businesses, NBR rolls out E-VAT refunds today
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has taken a long-awaited step towards digitising tax refunds, moving away from the slow, manual process that businesses have long criticised as cumbersome and corruption-prone. Starting today, VAT refunds will be...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tarique tells biz leaders BNP to focus on security, energy, lending rates if voted to power
BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman has assured business leaders that if the party returns to power, it will prioritise restoring law and order, resolving the energy crisis, reducing interest rates, strengthening the capital market, and developing a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Borrowers face jail even after losing assets as banks pursue dual legal action
Banks are increasingly pursuing defaulting borrowers through a parallel legal strategy that critics say amounts to double punishment: seizing assets through loan recovery courts while simultaneously pushing the same borrowers towards jail or heavy...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
High taxes squeeze telecom sector, push costs onto consumers
When 28-year-old ride-sharing driver Hasan Mahmud tops up his mobile each week, he does not think about supplementary duty, VAT or spectrum fees. Hasan only notices that mobile internet feels increasingly expensive and sometimes slower. What he does...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NBR scans bank transactions of 100 exporters to crack down on bond misuse
Amid allegations that nearly $5 billion worth of fabric, garments and accessories enter Bangladesh’s domestic market every year through misuse of bonded facilities and smuggling, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has launched a major enforcement...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Millions say tearful goodbye to Khaleda Zia
After a grand funeral attended by millions from all walks of life, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been laid to eternal rest beside her husband, late president and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, at the capital’s...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
The uncompromising light goes out
Bangladesh woke up Tuesday morning to grieve for Khaleda Zia as her eventful life came to an end. She left for heavenly abode at a critical time for Bangladesh politics when she was needed the most – once again, like before. Khaleda Zia was not born...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
How unexpected cost of bank merger puts govt in liquidity stress
The rise of an unexpected Tk20,000 crore cost for bank mergers has created liquidity stress for the government, prompting additional borrowing from the banking system and crowding out private sector credit. Moreover, election costs, higher house rent...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
A paper plan to curb health treatment abroad
Some promising healthcare reform plans taken a year ago by the interim government remain largely unmaterialised, with severe gaps in hospitals, equipment, and skilled personnel, leaving critical care patients in Bangladesh with no choice but to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
I have a plan – let us build a safe Bangladesh for all: Tarique
BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman finally returned to Bangladesh yesterday, delivering a message of peace and unity while declaring that he has a plan to rebuild a nation that serves its citizens. In his first speech on home soil after more than 17...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tarique Rahman returns home today
BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman is finally returning home today after 17 years in exile. The BNP has completed extensive preparations to make his return memorable. The government welcomed Tarique Rahman’s scheduled homecoming, affirming that all...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Fleet crunch deepens at Biman as leasing efforts fail, new aircraft years away
At a time of surging passenger demand, Biman Bangladesh Airlines is facing a worsening fleet crisis after failing to add a single aircraft over the past five years. Instead of expanding, the national carrier’s fleet has shrunk to just 19 aircraft,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Wanted democracy, but got mobocracy: BNP’S Salahuddin
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed yesterday expressed concern over a growing trend of targeting media outlets, saying mobocracy is flourishing instead of the democratic transition people had fought for. “We wanted democracy. But why...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Saving govt sugar mills – is it possible?
Bangladesh’s state-owned sugar mills have an average extraction rate of about 6%, meaning six kilograms of sugar are produced from every 100 kilograms of locally produced sugarcane, according to annual financial statements of these mills. By contrast,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Assault on Bangladesh’: Editors’ Council, NOAB condemn Prothom Alo, Daily Star attacks
The Editors’ Council and the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) have expressed deep concern, anger, and strong condemnation over the shocking attacks, vandalism, and arson at the offices of the country’s leading dailies, Prothom Alo and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)