https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/tk-30-billion-credit-wholesaling-scheme-launched-to-boost-sme-sector-says-commerce-minister#google_vignette |
Garment exports from Bangladesh to the United States fell 2.54 percent to $5.59 billion in the July-March period of the current fiscal year.
The US accounts for about 20 percent of the country’s total annual apparel exports.
Exports to the United Kingdom, the third-largest destination with a 12 percent market share, also dropped 1.61 percent to $3.30 billion during the period, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau compiled by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, published yesterday.
Amid a volatile global supply chain, shipments to Canada edged down 0.26 percent to $961.34 million in July-March.
Exports to non-traditional markets declined sharply, falling 8.05 percent during the period.
Overall, readymade garment (RMG) exports stood at $28.58 billion in July-March, marking a 5.51 percent year-on-year decline.
Shipments to the European Union, which accounts for 49 percent of Bangladesh’s total apparel exports, also fell 6.99 percent to $14.02 billion, as per the data.
https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/rmg-exports-us-fall-254-july-march-4149761
Bangladesh faces a sharp escalation in inflation and foreign exchange pressure due to the Middle East war, with risks building across dollar market, reserves and external balance, according to the latest Bangladesh Bank assessment.
In its quarterly report for October-December 2025, the central bank used a structural vector autoregression model to simulate the impact of a severe geopolitical shock.
It projected that such a scenario could raise domestic inflation by nearly 2 percentage points and drain more than $6 billion from foreign exchange reserves by the end of 2026.
Politics analysis
The report modelled a steep surge in global oil prices, assuming a 70-per cent increase in the first quarter of 2026 and a further 30-per cent rise in the following quarter, alongside a depreciation of the taka.
https://www.newagebd.net/post/economy/296692/war-shock-may-drain-6b-from-reserves-bb
A decision to increase fuel prices from next month may be made following discussions at a cabinet meeting, the energy minister told parliament Tuesday, reassuring that Bangladesh holds adequate stock of fuels despite global crisis.
Bangladesh stock alerts
Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku made the statement in the House during question hour on the tenth day of the first session of the 13th National Parliament.
The session was chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.
The minister explains that there is a structured mechanism for adjusting fuel prices, which is reviewed on a monthly basis. “The final decision for the coming month will be determined at the cabinet level.”
Economists and energy experts are of the view that a hike in fuel prices would have domino effect on people’s living and the economy at large.
Highlighting global challenges, Tuku pointed to geopolitical instability over the Middle East and restrictions imposed by Iran on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which have disrupted global energy-supply chains.
Economic trend analysis
“Despite these challenges,” he emphasizes, “the government has ensured a steady supply of fuel from multiple sources.”
Providing an update on current reserves, the minister said Bangladesh has 164,644 metric tonnes of diesel in stock, with an additional 138,000 tonnes expected to arrive by April 30. The country also holds 10,500 tons of octane and 16,000 tons of petrol, with further large shipments expected within this month.
Comparing regional trends, he notes that Pakistan has increased fuel prices by 50 percent, while Sri Lanka has introduced fuel rationing. India, Afghanistan and Nepal have also raised fuel prices. “In contrast, Bangladesh has so far kept prices stable to reduce the burden on citizens.”
To support farmers during the irrigation season, the government has instructed district administrators to issue “agriculture cards” to ensure uninterrupted diesel supply.
On enforcement, the minister reaffirms government’s ‘zero-tolerance’ policy against illegal hoarding and smuggling of fuels.
Between March 3 and April 4, authorities had conducted 342 operations nationwide, filing 2,456 cases. These drives resulted in 31 jail sentences, fines totaling Tk 12.539 million, and the recovery of approximately 4.048 million litres of fuels.
The minister also assures parliament that monitoring has been strengthened through the appointment of “tag officers” at filling stations and regular virtual meetings with district administrations.
Economists are, however, divided over the government plan to raise fuel prices from next month, arguing about a difficult tradeoff between fiscal constraints and the cost of living.
One group says the increase will disproportionately hit low- and lower-middle-income households, as higher fuel costs are likely to feed through into the prices of essential goods and services.
Rising transport and production costs could amplify inflationary pressures already felt by consumers, they alert.
Dr M. Masrur Reaz, chairman and chief executive Officer of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, says the impact would be broad-based.
Bangladesh stock alerts
Higher fuel prices would raise labour and freight costs, feeding into the wider economy.
“Power and electricity costs will increase as a result of the adjustment, with multiple knock-on effects,” he told The Financial Express.
He adds that irrigation and transport costs would rise sharply, placing an additional pressure on lower-income groups. Others argue that an adjustment is unavoidable, as such.
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/economy/wars-impose-deep-and-prolonged-economic-costs-on-countries-imf-research-finds
Inflow of remittances witnessed a year-on-year growth of 28.6 percent reaching US$660 million in the first six days of April, according to the latest data of Bangladesh Bank (BB) issued today (Tuesday).
Last year, during the same period, the country’s remittance inflow was $514 million, BSS reports.
Throughout the July to April 6, 2026, of the current fiscal year, expatriates sent remittances of $26,869 million, which was $22,299 million for the same period of the previous fiscal yea
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/economy/bangladesh/services-dominate-manufacturing-declines-as-economic-units-jump
Bangladesh’s per-capita income has risen to $2,769, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament Monday, outlining their new government’s broader ambition to transform the economy into a trillion-dollar powerhouse by 2034.
The disclosure came during the ninth sitting of the first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, in response to a written question from Dhaka-18 lawmaker S M Jahangir Hossain. The session was chaired by Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal.
Citing the latest official data from Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the finance and planning minister said the increase in per-capita income “reflects steady economic progress, even as policymakers seek to accelerate growth through structural reforms and targeted investments”.
“The government is prioritising a broad-based development strategy focused on investment, employment generation, economic democratisation, as well as the expansion of the creative and sports economies.”
To sustain income growth, he told the House, authorities are placing particular emphasis on job creation across key sectors, including manufacturing, construction, information technology and agro-processing.
“Efforts are also under way to improve the business climate and encourage private- sector investment by simplifying regulations and fostering an industry-friendly environment.”
The minister mentions small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as another central pillar of the strategy.
The government aims to expand access to finance for women and young entrepreneurs while improving market linkages, with the goal of boosting grassroots economic activity.
On the external front, he said, policymakers are working to diversify exports and explore new markets to strengthen foreign-exchange earnings. Measures are also being introduced to enhance the skills of overseas workers and facilitate remittance inflows through formal channels.
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/economy/bangladesh/bangladeshs-pmi-declines-by-22-points-in-march
The telecom regulator has decided to allocate spectrum from the 850 MHz and Extended GSM (EGSM) bands for a month-long trial to examine potential interference between the two frequencies.
The move is part of a broader effort to eventually assign this spectrum through auction or other regulatory mechanisms, with the goal of ensuring better services and improved network reliability across the country. The decision was made at a recent commission meeting.
“It’s just a trial and any band can participate,” said Md Emdad ul Bari, Chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
“After assessing the trial results and interference implications, we will allocate spectrum from these bands through auction or other appropriate regulatory mechanisms,” he added.
The EGSM band is an extension of the standard GSM 900 MHz range, offering additional radio frequencies for mobile operators. It allows networks to handle more users at once, improve coverage, and deliver better call and data quality, particularly in areas where connectivity is otherwise weak.
Its low-frequency nature also ensures strong indoor penetration and wide-area connectivity, making it crucial for urban and rural network reliability.
However, the 850 MHz and EGSM bands sit adjacent to each other, meaning signals from one can leak into the other. This can cause interference, receiver overload, and degraded service quality if not carefully managed. Both bands are nonetheless highly valued for enabling wide coverage with fewer towers.
According to BTRC documents, 8.4 MHz of EGSM spectrum (880-888.4 MHz paired with 925-933.4 MHz) will be assigned to operators for four weeks at no financial cost.
The commission’s technical committee and operators will jointly collect and analyse data, then submit a consolidated report.
This is not BTRC’s first attempt to utilise this band. In 2024, a plan to assign EGSM spectrum to Grameenphone was shelved after objections from Robi Axiata and Banglalink, which cited high filter costs, potential coverage degradation, and concerns over market imbalance.
A proof-of-concept test also flagged interference risks.
After BTRC awarded 700 MHz spectrum earlier this year, Robi sought allocation in lower frequency bands, prompting the regulator to commit to addressing that demand. A technical committee was then formed to manage the spectrum shortage and ensure coexistence between the two bands.
At a February 3 meeting, operators were asked to specify their requirements. Robi and Banglalink each requested 3.4 MHz from the EGSM band, totalling 6.8 MHz, along with a four-week interference trial.
Grameenphone, which recently acquired 10 MHz in the 700 MHz band, said it has no immediate plans for either band but raised concerns about cross-border interference and regional harmonisation. Teletalk has not yet submitted any plans to the regulator.
https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/news/btrc-unlock-more-low-band-spectrum-boost-coverage-4145186
A vessel carrying 30,000 tonnes of refined diesel has arrived at Chittagong Port from Malaysia amid concerns over energy supply linked to Middle East tensions.
The tanker “PVT Solana” reached the Alpha Anchorage on Tuesday, said Port Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim.
He said unloading will begin once the tanker is brought to the port’s Dolphin Jetty.
On Thursday, another vessel from Singapore entered the port’s territorial waters carrying 10,000 tonnes of diesel and 20,000 tonnes of jet fuel.
Port authorities said two LPG carriers “Paul” and “Sena-9” also arrived in the outer anchorage on Monday night.
Another LPG vessel Gas Challenger is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, while an LNG tanker Celsius Galapagos is expected on Apr 4.
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/gold-price-rises-by-tk-3266-per-bhori
Bangladesh’s remittance inflows have reached a historic high, recording US $3.62 billion in the first 30 days of March 2026.
This surge, fueled by expatriates’ increasing transfers ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, has pushed the foreign exchange reserves to a robust $34.05 billion.
The March figure marks a significant 10.7 percent growth compared to the $3.27 billion received during the same period in 2025. This record-breaking performance in March 2026 contributes to an exceptional trajectory for the current fiscal year (FY 2025-26).
Cumulative remittance from July 2025 to March 28, 2026, has reached $26.07 billion, a staggering 19.8 percent increase over the $21.76 billion recorded during the corresponding period of FY 2024-25. Central bank officials attribute this record-breaking trend to the government’s 2.5 percent cash incentive on formal banking channels, which has effectively discouraged the informal “hundi” system.
Bolstered by the influx of foreign currency, Bangladesh’s gross foreign exchange reserves rose to $34.05 billion as of March 30, 2026. Under the IMF’s BPM6 manual, the reserves stood at $29.35 billion. This is a slight adjustment from mid-month figures, where gross reserves peaked at $34.22 billion on March 16.
The surge was most concentrated in the first half of the month, with expatriates sending home $2.20 billion in just the first 14 days—a 35.7 percent jump compared to the previous year. Industry insiders noted that Non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) traditionally ramp up transfers during Ramadan to support family festival expenses, providing a vital seasonal boost to the national economy.
Economists suggest that if this momentum continues, total remittance for FY 2025-26 will likely surpass all previous annual records. Such a milestone would further stabilize the exchange rate of the Taka and ease pressure on the country’s balance of payments amidst ongoing global economic volatility.
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/economy/dedicated-bb-div-pursuing-200-major-npl-cases-of-tk-20b-each
মধ্যপ্রাচ্যে চলমান যুদ্ধ থেকে সৃষ্ট অর্থনৈতিক অভিঘাত, আগামী কয়েক মাস পর্যন্ত সামাল দিতে পারবে বাংলাদেশ। কারণ জ্বালানির দাম বাড়লেও বাড়তি আমদানি ব্যয় মেটাতে দেশের পর্যাপ্ত বৈদেশিক মুদ্রার রিজার্ভ রয়েছে বলে জানিয়েছেন কেন্দ্রীয় ব্যাংকের গভর্নর মো. মোস্তাকুর রহমান।
রোববার (২৯ মার্চ) জ্যেষ্ঠ সাংবাদিকদের সঙ্গে মতবিনিময় সভায় নবনিযুক্ত গভর্নর দেশের বৈদেশিক খাতের অবস্থান নিয়ে সতর্ক আশাবাদ ব্যক্ত করেন। তবে মুদ্রানীতির বিষয়ে কঠোর অবস্থান তুলে ধরে বলেন, উচ্চ মূল্যস্ফীতির প্রেক্ষাপটে সুদের হার কমানো এ মুহূর্তে ‘অবিবেচনাপ্রসূত’ হবে এবং স্বল্পমেয়াদি প্রবৃদ্ধির চেয়ে মূল্যের স্থিতিশীলতাকে অগ্রাধিকার দেওয়া হচ্ছে।
গভর্নর আর্থিক খাতকে রাজনৈতিক প্রভাবমুক্ত রাখা এবং গ্রামীণ অর্থনীতিকে শক্তিশালী করার প্রতিশ্রুতিও দেন, যা সামগ্রিক অর্থনৈতিক স্থিতিশীলতা নিশ্চিতের অংশ।
ইরান যুদ্ধ দীর্ঘায়িত হলেও রিজার্ভ ও আমদানি নিয়ে উদ্বেগ নেই: গভর্নর