Asif Ibrahim

Bangladesh is entering a crucial phase in its trade diplomacy as the government pursues Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and other preferential arrangements with several countries.

Bangladesh’s export competitiveness has long been one of the country’s greatest economic strengths.

As a business leader in Bangladesh, I see a prolonged war in the Middle East not as a distant political development but as a direct and serious economic risk for our country.

As Bangladesh approaches the 2026 national election, the business community is examining political manifestos with greater urgency and realism.

In 2025, tight economic policies helped curb inflation and protect foreign exchange reserves

NPLs in the banking sector surged to around 34 percent by late 2025

More than a hundred distinct goods and services are subjected to the newly announced value-added tax (VAT) and supplemental duty (SD) rates, further complicating matters for businesses in Bangladesh. Services, industrial manufacturing, apparel and food processing all fall under this category.

In 2024, we have seen the highest devaluation of the Bangladeshi taka (BDT) against the United States dollar (USD).