United News of Bangladesh

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) has expressed deep concern over the sudden decision to halt all import and export operations through Benapole Land Port after 6 pm, without prior notice or consultation. The move, reportedly taken by Benapole Customs to curb smuggling and illegal goods, is expected to disrupt overall trade activities, the Chamber said. Benapole, Bangladesh’s largest land port, handles the bulk of bilateral trade with India. The abrupt restriction could significantly affect cross-border trade and revenue generation, the DCCI said. According to the Bangladesh Land Port Authority, during the 2024–25 fiscal year, the port processed 20,11,268 metric tonnes of imports and 4,21,713 metric tonnes of exports. Traders reported long queues of trucks, particularly those carrying perishable items, on both sides of the border, increasing the risk of damage and wastage. “Previously, an average of 400 to 450 trucks entered the port daily. After the new restriction, the number has dropped to 180–200 trucks,” said Sajedur Rahman, General Secretary of the Benapole C&F Agent Staff Association. Business users said the decision, reportedly made after consultation with C&F agent representatives, has created chaos at the country’s busiest land port, adversely affecting importers, exporters and other stakeholders. DCCI urged authorities to lift the restrictions immediately and implement effective measures to ensure smooth, uninterrupted trade operations. The Chamber stressed that while coordinated efforts to prevent illegal trade are essential, suspending legitimate trade at the country’s busiest land port is unacceptable

Stocks at both the Dhaka and Chattogram bourses witnessed an uptrend during the first hour of trading on Sunday, with most companies seeing gains. During the first hour, the key index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), DSEX, advanced by 3 points. Among the other indices, the Shariah-based DSES rose by 3 points, while the blue-chip DS30 index edged up by 1 point. Out of the traded securities, prices increased for 189 companies, declined for 117 and remained unchanged for 86. The DSE recorded a turnover of over Tk 210 crore in shares and mutual fund units during the first hour. DSE turnover dips 18% despite weekly gains in key indices The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also saw an upward movement, as its overall index gained 29 points. At the CSE, 41 companies advanced, 25 declined, and 14 remained unchanged, with shares and units worth over Tk 67 lakh changing hands in the first hour of trading.

President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports after an anti-tariff television commercial from Ontario angered him. The ad, aired during the first two games of the World Series, used a speech by former US President Ronald Reagan to criticize Trump’s trade policies. Trump said the campaign should have been canceled immediately and accused Ontario of spreading misinformation. “Their advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD,” Trump wrote on Truth Social while traveling to Malaysia. “Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now.” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the ad would be pulled after the weekend. It remained unclear what specific authority Trump would invoke to implement the new tax, when it would take effect, and which categories of goods it would cover. The White House has yet to comment. Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister responsible for US trade relations, stressed that negotiations are managed by the federal government, not the provinces. “Progress is best achieved through direct engagement with the U.S. administration,” he said. Trump halts Canada trade talks after Ontario’s anti-tariff ad Canada’s economy is already under pressure from US trade restrictions. More than three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the United States, with roughly C$3.6 billion (US$2.7 billion) in goods and services moving across the border daily. Many Canadian products currently face a 35% tariff, while steel and aluminum enter at 50%. Energy shipments are taxed at 10%. Most other trade flows through the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement, which is due for review. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been working to reduce tariff tensions but has not yet commented on Trump’s latest threat. Spokespersons for both Carney and Ford also declined immediate comment. Trump and Carney are expected to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia. Trump told reporters he has no plans to meet the Canadian leader during the event. Trump claimed Ontario’s ad distorted Reagan’s positions and suggested it was intended to influence a looming Supreme Court case on the legality of his wide-ranging tariff actions, after lower courts ruled he exceeded his authority. Source: AP

The manufacturing sector dominates Dhaka district’s economy, contributing 56 percent compared to the service sector’s 44 percent, according to a new study by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI). The findings were revealed during a Focus Group Discussion on Saturday at the DCCI auditorium, where the chamber presented its Economic Position Index (EPI), a data-driven tool designed to offer real-time insights into the country’s economic activities and guide policy formulation. Presenting the keynote paper, AKM Asaduzzaman Patwary, Acting Secretary General of DCCI, said the study surveyed 654 respondents between February and March 2025 — 365 from the manufacturing sector and 289 from the services sector. The manufacturing sample covered eight industries: food products, textiles, readymade garments, leather and leather goods, pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals and botanical products, rubber and plastic products, other non-metallic mineral products and basic metals. The services sector included wholesale and retail trade, land transport and real estate activities. Patwary recommended prioritising improved law and order, uninterrupted energy supply for industries, financial sector strengthening, simplified loan disbursement and lower interest rates, enhanced trade infrastructure, stronger local supply chains, expanded export markets and reduced VAT on import–export goods. Former DCCI President Abul Kasem Khan noted that the ready-made garment sector receives disproportionate benefits compared to other industries, complicating direct comparisons. He underscored the need for SME development, digitisation of trade licensing, and benchmarking against competitor countries to improve policy effectiveness. Md Nurul Alam, Director General of the National Productivity Organisation, stressed the importance of accurate data collection for sound policymaking. Former DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed also highlighted the role of statistical analysis in supporting future research. International trade expert Nesar Ahmed observed that Bangladesh has largely exhausted its pre-LDC graduation advantages and urged refinement of research tools for greater precision. Syed Muntasir Mamun, Director General of the International Trade, Investment & Technology Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, suggested incorporating the agriculture sector to present a more complete economic picture and emphasised maintaining investor confidence. Meanwhile, Saif Uddin Ahammad, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and CEO (Additional Charge) of the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute, called for better alignment between DCCI’s findings and other institutional datasets, along with broader sectoral inclusion such as light engineering and service industries. According to DCCI, the EPI will function as a key policy-support instrument, providing insights into production, sales, orders, exports, employment, and investment trends — enabling policymakers to make timely, evidence-based economic decisions.

bKash has recently organized four awareness workshops in Dhaka, Khulna, Bogura, and Cumilla for all its distributors to further strengthen its commitment in preventing financial crimes such as hundi, betting, and money laundering. The day-long sessions brought together bKash’s channel partners to enhance their understanding of compliance practices, focusing on accurate financial transaction management within the nationwide agent network, awareness of fund sources, timely reporting of suspicious transactions, regular data updates, staff monitoring, action against non-compliant agents, and effective use of technology, said a press release. By making bKash services accessible to all walks of life, the extensive agent network of 350,000 agents spread across the country plays a vital role in ensuring financial inclusion. Distributors as bKash’s channel partners are responsible for managing this robust network. They not only supervise and guide agent operations but also regularly provide training, ensure transaction accuracy, promote technology usage, and maintain service quality. During the workshops, distributors shared how maintaining strict compliance standards has strengthened their business operations and minimized risk. They appreciated bKash’s continuous initiatives to promote awareness and ensure safe, transparent financial practices. Emphasizing the importance of vigilance and accountability, bKash called for increased monitoring, timely reporting, and enhanced awareness among all stakeholders to curb illegal financial activities such as hundi, betting, and money laundering. Ali Ahmmed, chief commercial officer of bKash, said that a strong network has been built through the collaborative efforts of bKash and its distributors, enabling uninterrupted services to 82 million customers. Beyond basic services like cash-in and cash-out, agent points have evolved into hubs of financial accessibility and management, offering a growing range of services that bring convenience to customers. These distribution partners play a crucial role in making these services available to the customers. During the sessions, Mohammad Irfanul Huq, Head of Distribution and Retail Business at bKash, said that as a company regulated by Bangladesh Bank, bKash is playing a leading role in financial inclusion and building the digital payment infrastructure in the country.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) has witnessed an 18 percent decline in average daily turnover this week, even as all major indices edged higher, reflecting cautious investor sentiment amid a modest market recovery. The report shows that the market’s average daily turnover during the week stood at Tk 427 crore, down from Tk 522 crore in the previous week — a decline of nearly Tk 100 crore. Despite the lower trading volume, all DSE indices recorded growth over the five working days. The benchmark DSEX rose 30 points, starting the week at 5,119 points and closing at 5,149 points. The blue-chip DS30 index gained 30 points, the Shariah-based DSES added 2 points, and the SME index DSMEX rose 24 points. However, price movements were mostly negative. Out of the companies active in trading, 203 saw their share prices decline, 157 companies recorded price gains, and 32 remained unchanged. Sector-wise Performance Among the 21 sectors, prices fell in 16 and rose in five. Corporate bonds suffered the steepest decline at 77 percent, followed by the banking sector (-22 percent), general insurance (-35.59 percent), and life insurance (-30.67 percent). Other notable declines were seen in energy (-30.91 percent), leather (-47.39 percent), telecom (-10.88 percent), textiles (-32.63 percent), tourism (-27.58 percent), ceramics (-26.21 percent), and the food sector (-7.88 percent). Miscellaneous (-21.68 percent), paper (-6.51 percent), and pharmaceuticals (-5.50 percent) also posted losses. On the upside, mutual funds led sectoral gains with a 32.89 percent increase, followed by financial institutions (+2 percent), real estate (+2 percent), IT (+13 percent), and cement (+6.34 percent). Top Five Gainers at DSE ·         Information Services Network Ltd. ·         Bangladesh Finance PLC ·         VFS Thread Dyeing Limited ·         Samata Leather Complex Ltd. ·         Aramit Limited   Top Five Losers at DSE: ·         Apex Footwear Limited ·         First Security Islami Bank PLC ·         Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries Limited ·         Monno Agro & General Machinery Limited ·         Zaheen Spinning PLC ·         Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) At the CSE, the benchmark CASPI fell 55 points during the week. While the CSE30 index rose 46 points, the CSCX lost 16 points. Among 310 companies traded during the week, prices fell for 191 companies, rose for 97, and remained unchanged for 22. Top Five Gainers at CSE ·         Bangladesh Finance Limited ·         VFS Thread Dyeing Limited ·         National Housing Fin. & Inv. PLC ·         Union Capital Limited ·         Crown Cement PLC Top Five Losers at CSE ·         New Line Clothings Limited ·         Apex Footwear Ltd. ·         FAS Finance & Investment Ltd. ·         Union Bank PLC ·         People’s Leasing & Fin’l Serv.    

Bangladesh Bank is ready to extend all possible support -- from policy reforms to easier loan access -- to strengthen the country’s private sector, said Nawshad Mustafa, Director of the central bank’s SME and SPD departments. Speaking at a seminar organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) on Saturday, Nawshad said the SME loan policy has already been revamped to make credit access smoother. “However, if further simplification is needed, Bangladesh Bank is ready to take that step,” he added. Nawshad urged businesses to provide specific feedback rather than general requests. “Instead of saying ‘make loans easier,’ please tell us exactly where and how much flexibility would help you. We will consider those points in revising the policy,” he said. Terming the private sector the main driving force of Bangladesh’s economy, Nawshad reaffirmed the central bank’s openness to cooperate with businesses, and emphasised the importance of timely and reliable data for effective policymaking. “The data we receive must be actionable and free of major gaps. Discussing 2024’s data in 2025 won’t lead to timely solutions,” he noted. Bangladesh Bank reinstates extra increment benefit to attract, retain top talent Unlike countries such as the UK, Nawshad said, Bangladesh’s monetary policy is not yet credit-oriented, an area where future reforms could bring positive changes. Bangladesh Bank’s Director (Research) Salim Al Mamun also spoke at the event, stressing that data should not only highlight progress but also reveal underlying challenges. “Only then can proper analysis lead to meaningful decisions,” he said. Salim underscored the importance of cross-time comparisons to better interpret economic indicators and understand subtle trends within the economy.

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has announced plans to introduce a quarterly Economic Position Index (EPI) to assess Bangladesh’s overall economic activities on a regular basis. DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed disclosed the initiative on Saturday during a focus group discussion held at the DCCI Auditorium in Motijheel. He said the existing indicators — such as the Business Confidence Index, Ease of Doing Business Index, or GDP growth — cannot fully capture the country’s real economic dynamics. “To bridge this gap, DCCI has taken the initiative to develop the EPI.This index will provide real-time insights into key aspects of the economy including production, sales, order flows, exports, employment and investment trends,” said the DCCI president. Initially, the survey for the index has been conducted in Dhaka, but the chamber plans to gradually expand it nationwide to reflect broader economic movements across the country. Taskeen said the EPI will not just be a statistical report, but a practical policy-support tool that can help identify sectoral trends and shifts more faster. DCCI voices deep concern over HSIA cargo village fire The index will enable a quarterly analysis of performance across manufacturing and service sectors, covering areas such as ready-made garments, textiles, wholesale and retail trade, real estate, transport, storage and banking. Discussants at the event emphasised that in a rapidly changing economy, timely and data-driven policymaking is essential.  They said the EPI will serve as an 'early-warning economic assessment platform,' helping policymakers take informed and effective decisions. Effective branding, compliance key to boosting CMSME exports: DCCI  

President Donald Trump has announced an end to “all trade negotiations” with Canada, citing anger over a television commercial sponsored by the province of Ontario that uses Ronald Reagan’s words to oppose U.S. tariffs. The move escalates tensions with Washington’s closest trading partner. Trump’s post on his social media platform late Thursday came shortly after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reiterated his intention to boost the country’s exports to markets beyond the United States, saying Trump’s tariff threats were driving the shift. White House officials said the president’s response reflected deep frustration over Canada’s recent trade strategy. By Friday afternoon, Ontario Premier Doug Ford agreed to pull the ad, saying it will stop airing after the weekend so negotiations can restart. He said the message had already reached “U.S. audiences at the highest levels.” “Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses,” Ford said, adding that the campaign had “achieved our goal.” Trump argued the ad distorted Reagan’s stance and was aimed at influencing a looming Supreme Court case that could determine the president’s authority to impose sweeping tariffs, a cornerstone of his economic agenda. He has indicated he may personally attend the court arguments. Oil prices surge as Trump sanctions Russian giants; Wall Street opens mixed “You know, it’s a crooked ad,” Trump told reporters Friday before leaving for Asia. “They could have pulled it tonight. Well, that’s dirty play — but I can play dirtier than they can, you know.” The dispute grew after the Reagan Presidential Foundation said the ad “misrepresents” a 1987 radio address on free and fair trade and was used without permission. Trump claimed online the advertisement was “FAKE” and said, “ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.” While Reagan routinely warned against tariffs, Trump maintains they are vital to America’s security and economy. Officials at the White House suggested the reaction was not solely about the ad. “It’s not just about one ad,” said Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, pointing to Canada’s “lack of flexibility” and “leftover behaviors from the Trudeau folks.” Carney said Canada remains open to talks to reduce tariffs in key sectors, though he acknowledged American trade policy has “fundamentally changed.” Trump, however, dismissed the possibility of meeting Carney at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, where both are traveling. Carney vows to double Canada’s non-U.S. exports, says country ‘can’t rely on one partner’ Ontario invested more than $275,000 to air the Reagan-themed ad across most major U.S. media markets this month. It follows previous trade tensions between Ford and Trump, including retaliatory tariff exchanges that hit Canada’s auto industry hardest. Earlier this month, automaker Stellantis revealed plans to shift a production line from Ontario to Illinois due to the tariff dispute. Despite the current freeze, more than three-quarters of Canada’s exports still head to the United States, with nearly $2.7 billion in goods and services crossing the border each day. Source: AP 

Noted businessman Abdul Awal Mintoo has been awarded the Top Agri-Food Pioneer (TAP) 2025 by the World Food Prize Foundation for his outstanding contribution to agriculture, food technology and innovation in Bangladesh. The award was handed over to Mintoo on Wednesday at the Borlaug Dialogue conference held in Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States, said a press release on Friday. The event was jointly organised by the World Food Prize Foundation (WFPF) and the US Department of State. This prestigious recognition, coinciding with the Foundation's 39th anniversary, celebrates Mintoo's outstanding contributions to transforming food systems and strengthening global food security. Lal Teer Seed Ltd and Lal Teer Livestock Development (BD) Ltd are concerns of Multimode Group. The Foundation gives this award every year to honour individuals who play a leading role in transforming the global agriculture and food system through innovation, sustainability and improvement of farmers’ livelihoods. Taufiq Uddin Ahmed awarded for contributions to aviation and tourism sectors The organisers said Mintoo has made remarkable contributions in three areas – improving the quality of Bangladesh’s agriculture and food sector, expanding technology-based farming, and building a market for local agricultural products. Mintoo is the founder of Lal Teer Seed Ltd and Lal Teer Livestock Development (BD) Ltd, two leading concerns of the Multimode Group. Founded in 1995, Lal Teer Seed Ltd is now one of the country’s top seed suppliers, meeting around 20 percent of the total national demand. The company works with about 14,000 contract growers, benefiting around 15 million farmersacross Bangladesh. In 2011, Mintoo set up Lal Teer Livestock Development (BD) Ltd to boost milk and meat production. The company produces quality semen from improved breeds of bulls and runs sustainable artificial insemination programmes. Its farmer training and knowledge-sharing initiatives have also helped increase livestock productivity. Speaking after receiving the award, Mintoo said the honour was the result of the joint efforts of Bangladesh’s farmers, researchers and young entrepreneurs. Agri-visionary Abdul Awal Mintoo named ‘Global Agri-Food Pioneer’ “This achievement belongs to all who work for our country’s agriculture. We want Bangladesh’s farming to be innovative, sustainable and globally competitive,” he said. Mashal Husain, President of the World Food Prize Foundation, said the 2025 TAP award highlights individuals who show extraordinary leadership and creativity in building a fair and sustainable global food system. A law and agricultural economics graduate, Mintoo has long been recognised for his contribution to promoting food and nutrition security in Bangladesh.