The Business Standard

Rice intake falls 25%, we are now eating more fruit and protein

For generations, the essence of a proper Bangladeshi meal was simple: a mound of white rice anchored by a modest splash of dal or a small piece of fish. To be full meant to be satisfied by rice. Not anymore. A quiet revolution is happening across the...

Money gets cheaper, yet takers are hard to get

Money is getting cheaper in Bangladesh, esh, but the falling cost of credit reflects a slugluggish economy rather than a recovery. Internterest rates have steadily declined as banks anks accumulate vast excess liquidity amid weak credit demand....

US cotton to reach Bangladesh faster as private warehouse opens in Nov

Bangladeshi textile businesses will be able to buy American cotton locally from November through the country’s first privately operated US cotton warehouse, a move expected to significantly reduce import lead times and lower reliance on...

PRAN-RFL, Walton go big on solar equipment manufacturing amid energy crisis

Amid the ongoing energy crisis and a strong government push for renewables, industrial conglomerates Walton and PRAN-RFL are establishing local manufacturing units for solar inverters and lithium-ion batteries. Walton is also planning a dedicated solar...

EU wants ‘level-playing field’ FOU $IUEUS

The European Union has urged Bangladesh to ensure a “level-playing field” for European companies including Airbus in government procurement and remove regulatory barriers that hinder the bloc’s business and investment in the country. At a meeting with...

9.5-hour trip takes 75 hours – locomotive crunch derails freight movement

A journey scheduled for nine and a half hours ended up taking nearly three days. On 28 June, a freight train left Chattogram Goods Port Yard for the Kamalapur Inland Container Depot in Dhaka, only to breakdown in the Hasanpur-nangalkot section. Without...

How Bangladesh became an energy-importing nation despite early warnings

The country’s energy crisis was not created overnight. Since 2002, it was widely known that Bangladesh’s primary source of affordable energy – natural gas – would be comompletely depleted by 2030-31. To deal with this looming deadline, successive...

DHAKA-ASHULIA EXPRESSWAY: SERVICE BRIDGES NOW OPEN

Two 3.71km-long service bridges from Dhawr intersection to Ashulia under the Dhaka-ashulia Elevated Expressway project were opened to traffic on 2 September. The bridges are toll-free. The photo was taken on Thursday.

After Metro’s costs, Japanese loan rates also set to rise

Revised proposals for Dhaka’s MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 Northern reveal that Bangladesh faces not only sharp project cost overruns, but also significantly higher interest rates on its Japanese loans. Estimates indicate that interest rates on Jica...

Rooftop solar boost: Govt promises Tk10.50 per unit for surplus power

The government has launched a new incentive scheme offering rooftop solar producers a guaranteed rate of Tk10.50 per kilowatt-hour for feeding surplus power into the national grid, bolstering efforts to expand renewable energy generation and stabilise...

BNP marks 48th founding anniversary today as Khaleda Zia’s absence weighs heavily

PAY RISE FOR GOVT EMPLOYEES Maximum rise from to Minimum rise from to Full implementation to raise expenditure to Equivalent to of NBR’S total revenue last fiscal To increase in three phases by 1 July 2027 pensioners The BNP will observe its...

AI monitoring boosts RMG productivity by up to 25%

Bangladeshi readymade garment exporters are increasingly installing artificial intelligence-driven Internet of Things (IOT) devices on their production lines to boost productivity and maintain global competitiveness. Some factories have installed the...

PM orders Karwan Bazar kitchen market, Fulbaria terminal relocation

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has issued a series of directives to ease Dhaka’s traffic congestion, including the introduction of an electronic toll collection (ETC) system, relocating Fulbaria bus terminal to Keraniganj, and Karwan Bazar kitchenmarket...

Nepal faces another flood threat from new lake as death toll rises to 579

Himalayas Langtang Valley NEW BARRIER LAKE FORMED HERE The death toll from devastating flash floods and landslides in Nepal has risen to 579, according to the latest update issued by the country’s national disaster risk reduction and management...

BB’S Tk60,000cr stimulus package: 17 banks sign deal to provide Tk41,000cr

Seventeen banks have completed agreements to provide Tk41,000 crore for Bangladesh Bank’s Tk60,000 crore stimulus package aimed at reopening closed factories, boosting private sector investment and reviving the stagnant economy. The 17 banks are...

Govt turns to CNG rationing, oll-firhg powhr to savh GAS for industries

The government has decided to restrict gas supplies to CNG stations to specific time slots in a bid to increase availability for industries ustries grappling with production disruptions ruptions amid an ongoing gas crisis. In a dual approach h to free...

Beximco now struggles to pay salaries, service debts and revive

Once a titan of Bangladesh’s corporate landscape and home to its premier manufacturing hubs, Beximco Group is struggling to maintain basic operations. Hundreds of administrative staff remain unpaid, and the vast majority of its industrial plants sit...

Steelmakers burn expensive alternative fuel as gas pressure hits near-zero

A severe and prolonged gas supply shortage has brought Bangladesh’s steel manufacturing sector to a virtual standstill, pushing major plants to cut output and forcing nearly 40% of rerolling mills to shut operations completely. Industry leaders warn...

Paypal in Bangladesh: How close is the long-awaited entry?

The Bangladesh Bank has stepped up efforts to attract international digital payment platforms to the country, opening new avenues for freelancers, travellers, and businesses to conduct legitimate cross-border foreign-currency transactions. Over a...

Mirza Fakhrul sworn-in as Bangladesh president

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has taken oath as the 23rd president of Bangladesh. He formally assumed office as the country’s highest constitutional post through an swearing-in ceremony at the historic Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban yesterday. Acting...

LIBERTY PIZZA: DOES BANANI’S NEW YORKSTYLE PIZZERIA LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?

net F www. tbsnews. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the power, energy and mineral resources ministry to take urgent steps to increase power generation from coal-fired plants to free up more gas for industries and ensure timely LNG imports...

Narsingdi factories burn wood to keep production going

As more than 100 factories in Narsingdi have remained shut for three days due to a severe gas shortage, at least 50 factory owners are now burning wood as an alternative fuel to keep some production running. Sizing mills, which process yarn, are using...

$8b of World Bank finance stuck in long project procedures, design flaws

Of the roughly $12 billion in project aid pledged by the World Bank, more than $8 billion remained undisbursed as of June, for reasons including procedural delays at various stages – from project conceptualisation and appraisal to board approval and...

38 banks seek Tk28,000cr in stimulus funds for struggling businesses

Thirty-eight banks have signed agreements with Bangladesh Bank, seeking over Tk28,000 crore under its stimulus scheme, a senior central bank official told The Business Standard on Sunday. The central bank has cleared the path for loan disbursements to...

VAT refunds pile up as NBR’S online system stalls

Hundreds of businesses are facing liquidity challenges as thousands of crore taka in value-added tax (VAT) and supplementary duty refunds remain trapped with the National Board of Revenue, months after its online refund system effectively ground to a...

Switching to electricity only way out of gas crisis

1,000 000 800 600 400 200 0 With Bangladesh’s gas reserves set to run dry by 2031, the country began importing costly liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2018-19 to partially bridge the demand gap. But this stopgap has become another headache –...

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir set to be country’s 23rd president

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is set to become Bangladesh’s 23rd president after the ruling BNP yesterday submitted his nomination for the presidential election. His election is now virtually a formality as the ruling BNP commands 249 votes in...

High bids, weak competition drive Metro Line-1 cost surge by 130%

The cost of Bangladesh’s first underground metro rail project, MRT Line-1, which will connect the airport with Kamalapur, has been proposed to increase by 129.82% to Tk120,794.13 crore by the implementing agency, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited...

Banks turn to retail as corporate lending piles up bad loans

One in every three taka lent by Bangladesh’s banking sector has now turned into a classified loan, exposing the danger of banks’ long-standing dependence on large corporate borrowers. But there is one segment where bad loans are far lower: retail...

Expedite Hasina’s extradition, return Hadi’s killers: Dhaka to Delhi as Indian envoy meets PM

The extradition of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the return of those accused in the murder of Osman Hadi were among the key issues discussed between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi yesterday, said a...

PM stresses efficient use of existing infrastructure for power, energy security

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday stressed the maximum and efficient use of existing infrastructure to strengthen Bangladesh’s power and energy security, alongside ensuring transparency and accountability in project management, regular...

Arbitration meant to be swift, but slow pace puts foreign investment at risk

Foreign companies and investors increasingly face years of delays in Bangladesh when seeking to enforce or resolve commercial disputes through arbitration, undermining a mechanism intended to provide a faster and more effective alternative to court...

Govt picks Chinese, Korean e-buses in big EV push

As part of its plan to modernise urban public transport and d reduce emissions, the government is preparing to procure 800 electric ric buses from South Korea and China at an estimated cost of Tk4,584 crore. ore. The Bangladesh Road Transport...

SYMBOLIC GRAVES HONOUR JULY MARTYRS

Hundreds of symbolic graves commemorating the martyrs of the July Mass Uprising stand at the entrance of the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum at Ganabhaban in Dhaka, which was opened to the public from 11am on Thursday, a day after its official...

How freelancing changes rural economy – but exposing it to crypto risks

In a remote village in Lalmonirhat, a 25-year-old former rental car driver now earns at least Tk2 lakh a month after leaving his driving job to work as a freelancer. The freelancer, who requested anonymity, told The Business Standard that he now...

Cepa signed with South Korea – could it reshape Bangladesh’s industrial future?

Bangladesh has signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) with South Korea, its second such deal after Japan, as the country seeks to safeguard export competitiveness and attract foreign investment ahead of its graduation from the...

TRANSITION THROUGH AMBITIOUS REFORMS

Dhaka seeking 3-year extension for LDC graduation preparation Dev partners sought detailed reform roadmap for deferral Dhaka finalises roadmap to persuade UN members to back deferral request 5 reform pillars underpin graduation strategy Roadmap...

Cargo logjam for years eating up 40% of Chattogram Port’s capacity

A growing logjam of stranded import cargo at Chattogram Port, Bangladesh’s main maritime gateway, is eroding nearly two-fifths of the port’s operational capacity, dragging down turnaround times and inflicting severe losses on the country’s trade-driven...

PM pledges industry-focused gas supply, faster business approvals

PM discusses business expansion, FDI DI promotion with biz leaders 3rd FSRU to be dedicated for industries Damaged FSRU expected to resume operations by 10 August Business licences and approvals to be issued within 14 days 24/7 customs services to...

Export freight costs double, lead time rises as shipping lines trim Bangladesh bookings

Shipping firms cut export container bookings from Bangladesh They blame strong demand for Chinese cargo, Mideast disruptions Shipping companies have sharply reduced bookings for export containers from Bangladesh, creating fresh uncertainty for...

Decades lost in courtrooms, insurance claims still out of reach

Chattogram-based electrical goods wholesaler Famous Enterprise took out a risk insurance policy with Mercantile Insurance to cover its business, with stock insured for Tk8.25 crore. On 29 November 2015, a fire ripped through its warehouse and...

Gas crunch cripples industries, threatens export orders

GAS CRISIS BITES INDUSTRIES Gas pressure drops sharply across industrial zones Most factories at or less capacity Several factories suspend production Household gas supply also severely disrupted Rising diesel use significantly raising production...

NBR wants Tk52,000cr extra source tax, businesses worried

Despite offering tax relief in several areas as in the FY2026-27 budget, the government has set the National Board of Revenue (NBR) R) an ambitious target of collecting 56% more income tax than the previous fiscal year. To achieve this goal, the tax...

3BR TARGETS TVER 10,000 FIRMS TT plug Tk38,000cr VAT leakages

More than 10,000 businesses deemed to pose a high risk of tax evasion are set to come under the National Board of Revenue’s (NBR) scanner as part of a drive to collect an additional Tk38,000 crore in value-added tax (VAT) through enhanced...

Exports face massive 15% growth test

Bangladesh has set an ambitious export goal for the current fiscal year, targeting a 15% jump in earnings to $63.4 billion despite factories operating well below capacity for months amid a persistent shortage of orders. The challenge is clear,...

Fast road, limited access

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday said Bangladesh’s semiconductor industry could become the country’s next major export sector after the ready-made garment (RMG) industry, as the government seeks to build a globally competitive ecosystem around...

Why offshore borrowing not taking off

The country’s foreign exchange market has started to feel the pinch as recent changes to the interest rate cap on trade financing, along with the reimposition of tax on interest paid on offshore loans, have discouraged foreign borrowing, creating...

Even I am a victim: BTMA president exposes unchecked extortion in industries

Following the ouster of the Awami League government, new groups took control of industrial areas and, after the BNP government took office, fresh power struggles have now emerged in some areas over control of these networks, factory owners have...

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A GARBAGE DUMP IN THE FOREST

Gazipur City Corporation is constructing a waste transfer station inside the protected Bhawal National Park after knocking down the park’s boundary wall. It has also built a paved road through the forest to allow garbage trucks to access the site,...

Govt plans $3.9b in foreign aid for 17 key infrastructure, tech schemes

The government has shortlisted 17 new projects for implementation with foreign financing, with the proposed schemes carrying a combined estimated cost of Tk48,199.60 crore or around $3.9 billion at the current exchange rate. Prepared under preliminary...

Drug pricing deadlock stalls hundreds of new medicines, strands investment

A regulatory deadlock over drug pricing has stalled the launch of new locally manufactured medicines, including life-saving therapies, dealing a blow to both patient care and one of Bangladesh’s most successful manufacturing sectors. Nearly two years...

Local airlines go for biggest-ever billion dollar expansion ahead of 3rd Terminal opening

Bangladesh’s commercial aviation industry is gearing up for its biggestever fleet expansion. Spurred by the massive capacity created by Dhaka airport’s upcoming Third Terminal, four domestic airlines plan to increase their combined fleet by 78.4% by...

EIGHT YEARS OF ENDLESS RENOVATION

Shahid Zia Shishu Park remains closed as renovation and modernisation work continues more than eight years after it began, leaving Bangladesh’s first children’s amusement park abandoned and depriving city children of a long-standing recreational...

BSRM plans Tk10,000cr flat steel Slant tr hels Fut imsrrt desendenfe

Bangladesh’s largest steelmaker, BSRM, plans to invest approximately Tk10,000 crore to establish the country’s first integrated hot-rolled flat steel manufacturing plant, a major industrial initiative that could replace imports worth up to Tk15,000...

Housing sector sinks deeper amid plunging sales, soaring costs

The country’s housing market is sinking deeper into a prolonged slump as soaring construction costs, political uncertainty, the Middle East conflict and stubbornly high inflation continue to erode both buyer confidence and developer activity. Industry...

Metro Rail safety audit

HSC and equivalent examinees staged demonstrations in Dhaka and four other districts yesterday to press home their three demands, including the resignation of Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon within 24 hours. Protests were held in Dhaka,...

How BSEC chairman plans to revive the stock k market by boosting institutional investors

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has undertaken a series of plans to revive the country’s long-sluggish stock market by increasing the participation of institutional investors through removal of regulatory barriers in existing...

Relentless rain paralyses Dhaka with waterlogging, traffic chaos

Incessant heavy rainfall disrupted normal life in Dhaka and Chattogram yesterday, inundating roads, triggering widespread waterlogging and causing severe traffic congestion as an active monsoon continued to batter large parts of the country. In the...

From Tk500 to Tk10,000cr: The phenomenal rise of bkash & City Bank’s nano loan

A private service holder Rezaul Karim first accessed the digital nano loan feature around four years ago, shortly after it was introduced, when the initial credit limit was Tk1,000. Since then, he has used the service numerous times, with the credit...

POLLUTION CHOKES THE BAY

A dark plume of untreated waste spreads into the Bay of Bengal off Chattogram’s South Halishahar, highlighting how pollution from the city’s canals threatens a vital marine ecosystem and the livelihoods that depend on it. The photo was taken from the...

Govt plans raising RMG’S incentive to 5% to revive struggling spinners

The government is set to step in to support the country’s struggling spinning industry by raising the cash incentive for apparel exports made with locally produced yarn from the existing 1.5% to 5%. The move would cost the exchequer an estimated...

Ten die in Ctg, Cox’s Bazar as relentless monsoon triggers landslides

Days of relentless monsoon rain have left a trail of death and destruction across the Chattogram division, killing at least 10 people yesterday and raising the three-day death toll to at least 28, as torrential rain inundated towns and refugee camps,...

Egypt was so close, but it was Messi again

Everything seemed to be over. The scoreboard read 2–0 and the clock had ticked into the 67th minute. Lionel Messi had missed a first-half penalty, while Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobier had turned into an impenetrable wall. Argentina’s elimination...

Why Bangladesh investigators struggling to recover laundered money

Investigators in Bangladesh attempting to claw back billions of dollars in laundered funds are facing a sophisticated global maze as money launderers deploy complex, “multi-layered” tactics to completely obscure the final destination of illicit...

Mysterious case of 250 high-risk, loaded containers going missing from Chattogram Port

At least 250 high-risk import containers flagged for suspected customs offences cannot be physically located at Chattogram Port despite the port having one of the country’s most stringent cargo clearance systems. Official correspondence reviewed by...

Modern housing, 60% open space: Can

Old Dhaka, the historic heart of the capital, could undergo its most ambitious transformation in decades under a government proposal to replace ageing buildings with modern housing and significantly expand open spaces. The multi-billion-taka initiative...

Back in gear: Motorcycle market revives after five years of decline

structural evolution. A decade ago, Bangladesh relied almost entirely on imports, with more than 95% of demand met by fully built imports. Today, local manufacturing and assembly plants supply nearly 99% of the motorcycles on the country's roads. With...

Magic vs the Wall: Messi and Vozinha set for knockout showdown

For decades, Argentina have ruled football’s biggest stages, with Lionel Messi at the heart of their most iconic nights and defining moments. From Copa America glory to World Cup triumph in 2022, Argentina’s modern identity has been built around his...

Green energy investment RFY GEY CHEFP finfnce, tax relief

In a bid to bridge a long-standing green investment gap, the government plans to introduce a sweeping financial framework under the upcoming National Renewable Energy Development Strategy (20262030). The draft strategy proposes a statebacked payment...

BB to allow waiver of Tk1 lakh crore interest on default loans to clean balance sheet

The Bangladesh Bank has come up with a mega offer of waiving interest for defaulters as most loans regularised under special rescheduling policy for 10 to 12 years since 2024 turned defaulted again. In a circular issued on Monday, banks were allowed...

SETTLEMENT ROUTE FOR DEFAULTERS

Banks can settle bad loans through negotiated repayment Facility applies to loans classified up to Scheme requires board approval and borrower-bank assessment Borrowers must repay outstanding principal in a lump sum Facility remains valid...

11 China firms willing to invest $9.21b in Bangladesh

hiChinese C firms made investment i proposals to PM P Tarique They Th show interest in energy, ports, logistics, recycling, education, connectivity Largest $4.5b proposal made to upgrade Highway t$1.65b has been proposed for e-waste recycling,...

VAT on retailers, mandatory TIN for opening bank account may be scrapped

The government is likely rolling back several budget proposals for FY2026-27, including a package VAT on retail businesses and a mandatory TIN for opening bank accounts, while raising the personal tax-free income limit to Tk4 lakh. The government may...

Bangladesh, China ink 13 Mous to bolster investment, trade Bida’s first overseas office soon in China to woo investors: PM Tarique

Bangladesh and China yesterday signed 13 memorandums of understanding (Mous) covering various areas of cooperation between the two countries. The Mous were signed following talks between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang at...