Budget targets chocolate, lipstick

If you're planning to import cheap lipstick into Bangladesh anytime soon, think again. The country's interim government, in its latest budget, has quietly declared war on undervalued imports with a series of oddly specific tweaks to customs rules. Among the victims: chocolate bars, lipsticks, eye shadow, and -- wait for it -- inflatable toys.
3 June 2025, 18:01 PM

Trade deficit narrows 2.6% in July-April

The country’s trade deficit narrowed by 2.60 percent in the first ten months of the current fiscal year compared to the same period a year ago, thanks to a rise in export earnings coupled with subdued imports..During the July-April period of fiscal year (FY) 2024-25, the trade gap was $18.
3 June 2025, 16:20 PM

Reducing penalty on false declarations will encourage smuggling: experts

In the Finance Ordinance 2025–26, presented on Monday, the government proposed amending the Customs Act 2023 and revising the penalty structure for tax evasion related to intentional false declarations during import clearance, reducing the minimum fine from twice the evaded amount to an equivale
3 June 2025, 15:55 PM

Truely secures $2m to accelerate global expansion

The fresh funding will help the company accelerate its expansion in the eSIM market
3 June 2025, 13:25 PM

Commerce ministry forms FBCCI election boards

Md Abdur Razzak, additional secretary (IIT) at the commerce ministry, is the chairman of the election board
3 June 2025, 11:21 AM

Budget should focus on reducing inequality

Economist Dr Mustafa K Mujeri has urged the government to place its main emphasis on reducing of societal inequality in the forthcoming national budget for the fiscal year 2025-26..He made the call during a pre-budget discussion titled “National Budget for FY2025-2026: A Pre-Budget Discuss
2 June 2025, 09:13 AM

Budget for FY26: OTT platforms may get costlier

The interim government is likely to impose a 10 percent supplementary duty on over-the-top (OTT) platform services in the upcoming budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 — a move that is expected to raise consumer costs and increase spending on paid streaming services.
1 June 2025, 18:07 PM

Chinese investors eye strategic sectors for long-term investment

Chinese investors have shown interest in strategic sectors in Bangladesh — including textiles, renewable energy, electronics, and agribusiness — signalling a new phase of bilateral investment cooperation, according to the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida)..The interest was
1 June 2025, 16:35 PM

Economic partnership deal with S Korea likely by this year

Bangladesh and South Korea are expected to sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) at the end of this year, said Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman yesterday..The first round of talks will start at the end of July in Dhaka and around six to seven rounds of negotiations will take place
1 June 2025, 16:00 PM

Investor confidence dips amid absence of meaningful talks

Investors have been grappling with uncertainty over the absence of meaningful discussion between political players and the interim government about the country’s future fiscal direction, said Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
31 May 2025, 18:05 PM

High-powered panel formed to attract FDI

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed will lead the panel
31 May 2025, 14:26 PM

Bida to host China-Bangladesh conference on investment

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) is set to host the China-Bangladesh Conference on Investment and Trade on June 1 as part of efforts to attract foreign investment.
29 May 2025, 23:20 PM

Budget to be placed on June 2

The interim government is going to place the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025–26 on June 2.
29 May 2025, 19:57 PM

ILO-IFC programme helps brighten garment sector’s image

Readymade garment factories enlisted under the Better Work Bangladesh (BWB) programme undergo fewer social audits compared to non-BWB units, resulting in significant savings in both time and costs..Babylon Group, which operates four garment factories, both knit and woven, previously faced
29 May 2025, 16:30 PM

Bangladesh's foreign debt repayment surges 25%

The country paid $3.5 billion in debt during the July-April period of FY25
29 May 2025, 14:39 PM

Starlink signing deals with local firms to expand footprint

Starlink is steadily consolidating its presence in Bangladesh through a series of partnership agreements with local companies, with deals spanning ground station development, colocation and data centre services, core site hosting, transmission, and international internet gateway (IIG) facilities.
28 May 2025, 18:33 PM

Bangladesh youth unemployment rate to stay high

Youth unemployment in Bangladesh will continue to be high -- more than double the national unemployment rate -- with university graduates being the hardest hit, according to the World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO) report released yesterday by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
28 May 2025, 18:01 PM

“What’s changed since the fall of the dictator?" Debapriya asks

The CPD distinguished fellow also questions transparency in policy formulation
28 May 2025, 11:15 AM

Pharma needs diverse financing to unlock full potential: experts

The banking sector alone cannot provide the billions of taka required as investments to reap all the pharmaceutical sector’s potentials, for which a financing mix of equity, foreign direct investment, bonds, sukuk, and others is necessary, suggested analysts..They were addressing an event
27 May 2025, 16:30 PM
27 May 2025, 15:12 PM