Business

The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday after a key policy meeting, likely the last chaired by central bank chief Jerome Powell, a frequent target of President Donald Trump’s ire. Policymakers will weigh the risks of surging energy prices and snarled supply chains due to the US-Israel war on Iran, with analysts widely ...

Gold prices in Bangladesh have been reduced by Tk2,216 per bhori, with the price of 22-carat gold now set at Tk244,711, according to the Bangladesh Jeweller’s Association (BAJUS). In a statement issued on Tuesday (28 April) morning, BAJUS said the new prices were fixed considering the overall market situation, particularly a decline in the price of pure gold (tejabi gold) ...

A new report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has highlighted that while Bangladesh has made notable progress in improving its investment climate, urgent structural reforms remain critical as the country prepares for its scheduled graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in November 2026. The report evaluates the implementation of the 2013 Investment Policy Review ...

Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Monday stressed the importance of enhancing national capacity to keep pace with the global trading system and ensure strict adherence to World Trade Organization (WTO) notification obligations. “Notification is an essential element for complying with WTO rules, staying updated, and keeping pace with global progress,” Muktadir said. The Minister made these remarks while speaking ...

Representatives from the local business community and the United Nations (UN) focused on strengthening collaboration to mobilise and coordinate private sector contributions to humanitarian response in Bangladesh during a high-level meeting held at the UN House Bangladesh on Sunday. The meeting was held between Lisa Doughten, director of the Financing and Outreach Division (FOD) of the United Nations Office for ...

Bangladesh has faced a significant setback in revenue collection during the first nine months of the current 2025–26 fiscal year (July 2025–March 2026), with a shortfall of nearly Tk98,000 crore, according to the latest data released by the National Board of Revenue (NBR). The deficit already exceeds the entire shortfall of the previous fiscal year by Tk5,364 crore. In FY ...

Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves have risen to $35.12 billion, according to the latest data released by Bangladesh Bank on Thursday. The central bank also reported that, under the International Monetary Fund’s BPM-6 accounting standard, the country’s reserves stand at $30.48 billion. The BPM-6 method provides a more transparent calculation by excluding certain short-term liabilities, offering a clearer picture of usable ...

Renowned economist and former adviser to the interim government Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud has said that the upcoming national budget is unlikely to include major new initiatives, stressing instead the need to prioritise export-oriented industries and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In an interview with Bangladesh Pratidin on Thursday, he said the International Monetary Fund would continue to support Bangladesh out ...

Bangladesh’s economy is currently facing significant pressure as political uncertainty, tight policy measures, and global instability combine to slow growth, according to the Asian Development Outlook 2025 released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday. The report notes that uncertainty in the political landscape has not only weakened GDP growth but also reduced domestic demand for goods and services. ...

Bus fares have been increased by 11 paisa per kilometre across Bangladesh following a recent rise in fuel prices. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam announced the revised fares at Secretariat on Thursday, saying the new rates take effect immediately and apply only to diesel-run buses. Under the updated structure, fares for buses and minibuses in Dhaka and ...