Gold prices rose more than 2 percent on Friday and were headed for a weekly gain as weaker-than-expected US inflation data reignited hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts this year, offsetting concerns from stronger-than-expected jobs data earlier in the week.

LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC (LHB) has launched a new salinity- and sulphate-resistant cement, branded “Holcim Coastal Guard”, aiming to capture the 30-lakh-tonne market in the country’s south-western and south-eastern coastal regions.

Over the past three and a half decades, Bangladesh has seen the entry of several dozen private airlines and helicopter operators, driven by the ambition to capture a share of the country’s growing passenger and cargo market.

The new government takes office at a time when Bangladesh’s banking sector is adrift after years of widespread plunder.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has raised its forecast for Bangladesh’s wheat imports by 7.4 percent to 72 lakh tonnes for the 2025-26 trade year ending in June, citing higher demand for food, seed and industrial use.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the country’s internet regulator, is taking a cautious approach to Starlink Services Bangladesh Ltd’s proposal to export unfiltered internet bandwidth to neighbouring countries via local cable providers, and will seek the government’s opinion before approval.

Bangladesh’s apparel exports to the European Union (EU), the largest export destination in terms of trade bloc, grew 5.97 percent year-on-year to €19.41 billion in 2025.

Economists urge the next government

Although the BNP swept to a landslide victory in the February 12 national election, business leaders say the new government will inherit an economy that allows little time for celebration.

A trade agreement signed between Bangladesh and the United States on February 9, just days before a national election, has drawn sharp criticism from economists and policy observers.

Bangladesh’s recently signed trade deal with the United States promises slight tariff relief but carries deeper implications for fiscal stability, foreign policy and democratic transparency, according to Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

Customs officials say they had no objection, as the matter does not fall under their jurisdiction

It is expected to provide safely managed sanitation services to 550,000 people and improve solid waste management to 500,000 people

Oil prices edged down on Tuesday as traders gauged the potential for supply disruptions after US guidance for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz kept attention squarely on tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Planned or under-construction solar and wind projects slowed last year, analysis showed Tuesday, casting doubts on whether countries will hit a goal of tripling renewable capacity by decade-end.

United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB) has appointed M Latif Hasan to the post of deputy managing director (DMD) and head of structured corporate.

To improve access to public health services in underdeveloped and developing countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) first published a list of 200 medicines in 1977, identifying them as essential medicines.

As Bangladesh heads towards the February 12 parliamentary election, agriculture has found prominent space in the manifestos of political parties.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has fixed new office and transaction hours for banks across the country during the holy month of Ramadan in 2026, according to a circular issued yesterday.

PRAN-RFL Group, a leading conglomerate in Bangladesh, is set to invest Tk 500 crore over the next three years to manufacture and market motorcycles and electric scooters.