Jagaran Chakma

Actual investments at six government-owned economic zones have remained at a far lower level compared to the proposals put forward by both foreign and local investors owing largely to inadequate facilities, official figures showed.

Meghna Automobiles Ltd, a concern of Meghna Group, is working to assemble passenger cars of South Korean automobile manufacturer Kia in Bangladesh, said a top official.

A three-day blockade enforced by major opposition parties and protests of garment workers disrupted the supply chain of daily essentials and sent the cost of transport higher, according to industry people and traders.

The opening of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli river will lead to the development of numerous industrial units from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar and encourage urbanisation, said Mahbubul Alam, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).

Imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) declined due to problems in opening letters of credit (LCs) amidst the ongoing dollar crisis, operators said.

Sales of heavy-duty commercial trucks in Bangladesh fell nearly 34 percent year-on-year in the January-September period this year due to shrinking economic activities and higher prices stemming from the devaluation of the local currency against the US dollar.

MK Shipping Lines is planning to operate a cruise from Dhaka’s Sadarghat to Howrah of Kolkata, starting off on November 20. 

Locally manufactured and assembled televisions now dominate the country’s TV market, with an enormous 90 percent market share, which is a significant change from just 12 years ago, when Bangladesh was fully dependent on imports.

Both imports and sales of reconditioned cars declined due to price increases stemming from the increase in the price of US dollars and the prevailing macroeconomic vulnerability, according to market insiders and market data.

With major indicators showing stress in the economy, there is no good news in the investment flow too as investors now prefer to stay away from taking new projects or expanding their existing capacity.

Fresh investment of around Tk 2,500 crore has been made in the automobile industry in the past two and half years since the formulation of the Automobile Industry Development Policy 2021, according to industry insiders.

The contribution of local construction companies and building material suppliers to establishing the third terminal of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) is proof of their capacity to provide world-class products and services, according to industry people.

The new Drugs and Cosmetics Act 2023 will help the pharmaceuticals sector of Bangladesh get rid of adulterated and substandard medicines and climb to the next heights, manufacturers say. .The inclusion of rigorous punishment for offences will also be beneficial, they say. In the Drugs (Con

With just days to go before ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, television purchases should have naturally picked up by now, with demand primarily expected to arise from sports enthusiasts trying to make do with limited means. 

A land port in Khagrachari’s Ramgarh upazila, around 99 kilometres away from the country’s biggest sea port in Chattogram, is set to open tomorrow, which is likely to boost trade and tourism between Bangladesh’s southeast regions and India’s northeastern states.

In Bangladesh, the peak season for the tourism and hospitality sector begins in September and continues until March. And the upcoming long weekend is going to provide an initial boost to the sector, with operators in major holiday destinations coming up with various offers.

While already established as a major player in garment and pharmaceutical exports, Bangladesh is now expanding its presence in the global market for high-tech circuitry, namely printed circuit boards (PCBs).

In Bangladesh, the peak season for the tourism and hospitality sector begins in September and continues until March. And the upcoming long weekend is going to provide an initial boost to the sector, with operators in major holiday destinations coming up with various offers.

Mohammad Plastic Industry Limited, a concern of Chattogram-based N Mohammad Group, has deferred its Tk 500 crore expansion plans by around two and a half years citing construction materials and the US dollar turning costlier. 

Modern Syntex Limited, a concern of TK Group, is likely to begin commercial operations of one of the largest man-made fibre plants in Bangladesh next month at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar in Chattogram.