Business

A new organisation named the “France-Bangladesh Business Forum (FBBF)” has been officially launched in Paris with the objective of strengthening commercial relations and building an economic bridge between France and Bangladesh. The announcement was made during a press conference held on Friday evening in the Aubervilliers area of the French capital, where the forum’s goals and future work plans were ...

British Airways fares will rise to try to recoup most of a €2bn (£1.7bn) hit in fuel costs this year, its parent group has said, adding that the Iran war will dent profits. The International Airlines Group (IAG) said its annual fuel bill was now expected to be about €9bn, up from the forecast €7.1bn, as 70% of its supply ...

Shops and shopping complexes will stay open till 10pm every day ahead of the Eid day, announced the Shop Owners’ Association on Thursday. Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Hassan Mahmud confirmed the government’s consent to the extension in a phone call with Md Helal Uddin, president of the association, earlier in the day, the business leader told ...

The gold market in Bangladesh has turned volatile once again, mirroring sharp movements in the global market. Just a day after prices declined, gold rates in the country rebounded significantly as the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) announced a fresh price hike. According to BAJUS, the adjustment was made due to rising prices of pure gold in the local market. The ...

Oil prices fell for a second day on Wednesday on expectations bottled up supply from the key Middle East producing region could resume flowing after US President Donald Trump indicated a possible peace deal may be reached to end the war with Iran. Brent crude futures for July fell $1.52, or 1.38%, to $108.35 per barrel as of 0103 GMT, ...

Gold prices in Bangladesh have been reduced by Tk2,158 per bhori, with the price of 22-carat gold now set at Tk240,336, according to the Bangladesh Jeweller’s Association (BAJUS). In a statement issued on Tuesday (5 May) morning, BAJUS said the new prices were fixed considering the overall market situation, particularly a decline in the price of pure gold (tejabi gold) ...

US Ambassador Brent T Christensen is leading a delegation of 25 Bangladeshi business leaders to the SelectUSA Investment Summit 3-6 May in Washington, DC. The delegation includes leaders representing energy, technology, agribusiness, engineering, and business services, reports a press release. The 2026 Summit, hosted by US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, is the premier destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) ...

A bilateral Reciprocal Trade Agreement (RTA) between Bangladesh and the United States was signed on 9 February, just three days before Bangladesh’s national parliamentary election. The agreement has drawn widespread debate and criticism for what appears to be a highly asymmetrical set of obligations. Critics argue that the deal imposes extensive and binding commitments on Bangladesh, while placing comparatively minimal ...

Bangladesh has added four more environmentally certified ready-made garment (RMG) factories to its growing list of green industrial facilities, taking the total number of LEED-certified factories in the sector to 284. Of these, 121 factories have achieved the prestigious Platinum rating, while 144 hold Gold certification. The country now also boasts 52 factories among the world’s top 100 highest-rated LEED-certified ...

The government is set to face mounting financial pressure in the 2026–27 fiscal year, with external debt repayments expected to rise significantly amid growing economic challenges. According to sources from the Finance Division, the government’s expenditure on foreign debt servicing could reach nearly $5 billion in FY2026–27, up from an estimated $4.80 billion by the end of the current 2025–26 ...