The Business Standard
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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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‘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;...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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‘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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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)...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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,...
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‘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...
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Violence erupts after Hadi’s death, Prothom Alo, Daily Star offices attacked
Violence flared up in different areas, including the capital, Chattogram and Rajshahi, following the death of Inqilab Mancha Spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi last night. Hadi, who was critically injured in a gun attack on 12 December, passed away while...
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New microcredit bank in the offing, to operate on social business model
Draft ordinance mandates borrowers own 60% of shares; Microcredit Regulatory Authority to regulate instead of Cenbank The interim government has moved to institutionalise the “social business” model championed by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus,...
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From dream homes to legal maze: Flat buyers’ decade-long battles for ownership
For thousands of Bangladeshis, buying a flat or plot was meant to secure a stable future. Instead, many have found themselves trapped in a legal labyrinth stretching for years, and in some cases, decades, with little hope of timely redress. Delays in...
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Tk10,000cr equity fund, tax breaks proposed for capital market boost
A finance ministry-formed committee has recommended creating a Tk10,000 crore fund to boost liquidity in the capital market, alongside a Tk3,000 crore fund offering loans to small investors at a 4% interest rate. The committee in its report also...
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Govt moves to revise Rampal, Payra power TARIFFS USING MATARBARI RATE AS BENCHMARK
Using the tariff of the Matarbari coalfired power plant as a benchmark, the interim government has begun renegotiating electricity prices from the Rampal and Payra coal plants, which officials and experts say were set excessively high under the...
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Who and why? Targeted shooting of Hadi prompts outcry
Hadi’s condition critical; CA orders swift investigation; BNP, Jamaat, NCP condemn attack A day after the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election was announced, Sharif Osman Hadi, an aspiring candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot in...
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Polls set for 12 February: Businesses relieved as year-long uncertainty lifts
Ending a year of uncertainty, the country now has a firm date for the 13th parliamentary election and the July National Charter referendum, raising hopes for economic stability and business confidence. The election and the referendum will be held on...
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