The hearing on the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) twin investigations into alleged overcapacity in various sectors and forced labour in Bangladesh is scheduled for April 29, as the country prepares for it.

The country’s tax system has been deliberately made “complex” to create opportunities for corruption, said economist Prof Selim Jahan yesterday, urging simplification of the tax regime.

Even as Gulf tanker traffic slowly resumes, the road back to normal food production will be long and arduous, given the war’s impact on fertiliser supplies, the UN has warned.

AB Bank has made a decisive strategic shift toward micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), moving away from its earlier concentration in large corporate lending, said Reazul Islam, acting managing director and CEO.

City Bank PLC reported its highest-ever profit of Tk 1,324 crore in 2025, posting a 31 percent year-on-year growth despite a challenging economic environment. The bank had earned Tk 1,014 crore in the previous year.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) held its 22nd convocation at the InterContinental Dhaka yesterday, celebrating the achievements of newly qualified chartered accountants.

Al-Arafah Islami Bank PLC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Filon Poultry & Fish Feeds PLC, an agro-based manufacturing company in Bangladesh, to facilitate the collection of sales proceeds through digital channels.

Southeast Bank PLC yesterday held its quarterly business review meeting for the Dhaka region at its training institute in the capital.

Bangladesh is hopeful of signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with South Korea within the year as the two sides are set to hold the third round of negotiations in Seoul today.

Bangladesh may harvest a lower quantity of rice from the current Boro season as farmers have faced difficulties in ensuring adequate irrigation and fertiliser application, due to shortages of key production inputs, according to a projection by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The following is a recap of those major stories as covered by Star Business

The initiative is expected to benefit at least 400,000 residents

The introduction of minimum tax under Section 163 is not only ultra vires but also in contravention of the constitution of Bangladesh

The ADB said the economy might pick up and grow by 4.7 percent in the next fiscal year

Growth predictions could fall to as low as 4.7% for 2026 and 4.8% in 2027 should the war drag into third quarter

The budget for 2026-27 fiscal year is likely to exceed the Tk 9,00,000 crore mark, as the government moves to fulfil its electoral pledges, partially implement recommendations to raise salaries of its employees, and shield the economy from the fallout of the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has extended the tenure of its pre-shipment credit refinance scheme until December 31, 2030, aiming to ensure continued financing support for export-oriented industries amid persistent global economic uncertainty.

Oil prices rose on Thursday as doubts over ​a fragile two-week Middle East ceasefire raised concerns that energy flows through the crucial Strait of ‌Hormuz will remain restricted.

India has hiked subsidies for farming fertilisers by 11 percent from last year to support its vast agriculture sector from surging prices sparked by the Middle East war.

Business leaders and institutional investors are increasingly turning to Asia and artificial intelligence (AI) as they reposition for growth in an uncertain global environment, according to a new survey by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation PLC (HSBC).