Construction sector loses steam
21 July 2026, 00:00 AM
The country’s construction sector is facing one of its worst slowdowns in years as weaker public development spending, slower private investment and high borrowing costs reduce demand for housing and construction materials.
21 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Will ‘Invest Bangladesh’ make investing easier?
20 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Invest Bangladesh -- about to become the country’s sole investment promotion agency -- cannot remove every roadblock on its own
20 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Will 'Invest Bangladesh' make investing easier?
19 July 2026, 20:51 PM
The new authority promises a genuine one-stop service through integrated digital platforms, statutory timelines for approvals and a single-window clearance system
19 July 2026, 20:51 PM
Non-leather footwear exports stall, miss global boom
19 July 2026, 00:00 AM
After rebounding strongly over two years, the non-leather footwear exports lost momentum in the last fiscal year, logging only 1.6 percent growth as manufacturers grappled with high borrowing costs, capacity constraints and lingering political uncertainty.
19 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Business Plus / Pharma industry’s next big leap
18 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Bangladesh’s drugmakers are pursuing complex medicines to expand exports and improve patient access
18 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Star Interview / Stability key to drawing Japanese investors
5 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Japanese firms see promise in Bangladesh, but they attach great importance to economic, political, and social stability, said Tanaka Akihiko, president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
5 July 2026, 00:00 AM
Big duty cuts to power up API supply chain: pharma leaders
25 June 2026, 00:00 AM
Industry leaders say the inclusion of 77 raw materials under new or expanded duty concessions will help reduce procurement uncertainties
25 June 2026, 00:00 AM
Big duty cuts to power up API supply chain: pharma leaders
24 June 2026, 21:48 PM
Bangladesh's pharmaceutical manufacturers are hoping for a more stable supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and improved production efficiency under the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27, which expands duty-free access to a wide range of raw materials used in medicine production.
24 June 2026, 21:48 PM
Consumer uncertainty weighs on electronics sales
The electronics and home appliance sector in Bangladesh is facing one of its most challenging periods in recent years due to inflation, currency devaluation and declining consumer spending on non-essential items.
15 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Economic slowdown lowers container handling at Mongla port
Mongla port, the second largest seaport in Bangladesh, witnessed a sharp decline in container handling throughout the first seven months of the current fiscal year (FY), with growing economic constraints eroding business activities in the country.
15 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Falling SME sales shake economic backbone
If the macroeconomic stress does not ease soon, these small ventures, which contribute 32 percent of the country's GDP and employ 85 percent of the industrial workforce, face closure.
15 March 2025, 18:00 PM
A business titan with unshakable ethical values
The business world often thrives on boldness, but in Syed Manzur Elahi, Bangladesh found something more: a quiet fortitude, a moral compass, and an entrepreneurial mind that always seeks to build.
12 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Syed Manzur Elahi: a visionary entrepreneur and nation-builder
Syed Manzur Elahi was one of Bangladesh’s most distinguished industrialists and entrepreneurs.
12 March 2025, 04:52 AM
Bangladesh needs one lakh flats annually
Bangladesh requires around 100,000 new apartments every year. Despite having the capacity to meet this demand, realtors can only supply 8 percent of the required units, leaving a substantial gap.
8 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Corruption still unbridled for businesses
Although the interim government is focusing on reforms and new measures, corruption remains a major concern for businesses. Instead of waning, demands for undue payments by public officials have increased in some cases, said a top industrialist.
1 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Declining investments dampen growth outlook
Bangladesh’s investment-to-GDP ratio declined by 0.25 percentage points to 30.70 percent in the fiscal year (FY) 2023-24, according to official data, signalling a potential slowdown in future economic growth.
13 February 2025, 18:00 PM
Local AC industry seeks ‘fair’ govt procurement policy
Local air conditioner (AC) manufacturers in Bangladesh are pushing for “fair” government procurement policies, arguing that existing rules favour foreign brands despite local companies meeting global standards.
8 February 2025, 18:00 PM
In fragile trust, economy falters
Over the last several years, Ahsan, a rickshaw puller in his 50s, has been eagerly waiting for relief from the high prices of food and other essentials. Days and months have passed, but his pursuit of a better living by escaping the curse of elevated inflation has remained a distant dream.
8 February 2025, 18:00 PM
Waning foreign investment a wake-up call for policymakers
The inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Bangladesh is facing critical challenges as a plethora of factors have caused it to stagnate to a mere 0.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in recent years.
25 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Bangladesh must switch to hollow blocks to reduce pollution
Clay bricks cost Tk 12 per piece. A hollow block, which is four times larger than a clay brick, is priced at Tk 50.
22 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Chinese firms bullish on manmade fibre exports to Bangladesh
Non-cotton garments are particularly lucrative, fetching higher prices than traditional cottonwear for having better flexibility, durability
18 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Motorcycle sales hit six-year low
Interestingly, the premium motorcycle segment bucked the trend, showing significant growth in 2024.
18 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Polythene ban: A litmus test for will and eco-innovation
Although Bangladesh became the first country in the world to announce a complete ban on the use of polythene bags in 2002, strict enforcement of the much-lauded initiative has only started taking shape recently.
17 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Inflation, political uncertainty eat through furniture recovery
After two years of sluggish business, local furniture makers saw a slight improvement in sales in June, only to meet with nationwide student protests culminating in a fierce anti-government campaign that ultimately ousted the Awami League regime in early August.
28 December 2024, 18:00 PM
REHAB fair gives realtors a reality check
Real estate developers in Bangladesh participating in REHAB Fair-2024 were unsure of the event’s potential outcome until yesterday, when the sparse presence of visitors, let alone potential buyers, gave a reality check of the persistent economic challenges.
26 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Geyser sales pick up as winter bites
Like last year, there is a good demand for electricity-run residential water heaters, locally known as geysers, since the coming of winter this year thanks to changing lifestyles in semi-urban and urban areas and affordable prices, according to industry insiders.
25 December 2024, 18:00 PM
As dollar jumps, old inflation battle to get tougher in new year
After a four-month lull, US dollar prices made an abrupt jump in December, making imports more expensive and pushing up business costs.
24 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Non-leather footwear on course to half-billion export club
Bangladesh’s synthetic and athletic footwear exports have been growing rapidly, emerging as a bright spot in the country’s export basket, which is heavily dominated by readymade garments.
16 December 2024, 18:00 PM