Business

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 ...

Young Chinese, many who fear age discrimination in their workplace after turning 35, are increasingly starting “one-person companies” that have artificial intelligence do most of the work. Smaller startups are already in vogue in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, with rapidly advancing AI tools seen as a welcome teammate even as they threaten layoffs at existing firms. More young people in ...

US stock futures rose and the dollar wavered on Wednesday after President Donald Trump said he would indefinitely extend the Iran ceasefire, keeping sentiment buoyed, although with the Strait of Hormuz still closed, oil prices stayed near $100. Trump’s announcement appeared to be unilateral, and it was not immediately clear whether Iran, or US ally Israel, would agree to extend ...

Bangladeshi expatriates sent home $2.12 billion in the first 19 days of April alone, continuing a remarkable run of remittance growth that has seen the country break multiple records in recent months, according to data from Bangladesh Bank. The figure represents a jump of $408 million compared to the same period last year, when inflows stood at $1.71 billion, underscoring ...

The government is facing mounting financial pressure as revenue collection continues to fall short of expectations, widening the budget deficit. Instalments of loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are also being delayed due to unmet conditions, leaving the state with limited fiscal space for expenditure. As a result, the government is increasingly relying on borrowing. It has already taken ...