United News of Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Pavilion at 'Fashion World Tokyo (Autumn) 2026' officially inaugurated on Wednesday at Tokyo Big Sight in Japan to showcase the country's manufacturing capabilities in apparel, home textiles, and leather goods to the global market. Under the initiative and financial support of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), 25 Bangladeshi companies are participating in the three-day international exhibition across 27 booths, while five additional Bangladeshi firms are taking part under their own management. Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Md. Daud Ali inaugurated the pavilion as the chief guest by cutting a ribbon. He later inspected various stalls, expressing satisfaction with the high quality of Bangladeshi products on display and engaging with participating entrepreneurs. Following the pavilion visit, a seminar titled "Bangladesh: Sourcing Excellence for Apparel, Home Textile and Leather Products" was held at the exhibition hall. Jointly organized by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Tokyo and the EPB with support from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the seminar brought together Japanese importers, investors, trading houses, and trade representatives from both nations. Addressing the seminar, Ambassador Daud Ali highlighted Bangladesh not merely as a manufacturing hub, but as a highly dependable sourcing and investment partner for Japanese businesses. He noted that Bangladesh has established a strong foundation across multiple sectors, including apparel, textiles, leather and footwear, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, ITES, and agro-processing. Elaborating on the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, the Ambassador stated that Bangladesh remains the world's second-largest RMG exporter, generating approximately $39 billion annually in export revenues. He emphasized that global fashion giants such as Uniqlo, H&M, Zara, and Walmart rely on Bangladesh, which also leads globally in sustainable manufacturing with over 230 LEED-certified green garment factories. He further pointed out that the leather and footwear sector is Bangladesh's second-largest export earner after RMG, generating nearly $1.5 billion annually, with a clear target to scale up exports to $5 billion over the next five years. He also expressed optimism that the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) would significantly reinforce bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan. Presenting at the seminar, Yuji Ando, Senior Director of JETRO's Global Strategy Department, underscored the quality and price competitiveness of Bangladeshi exports, particularly in apparel, home textiles, and leather products. He noted that Bangladeshi products strictly comply with international standards while offering competitive pricing, positioning Bangladesh as an ideal sourcing destination for Japanese buyers and brands, according to a press release.

The point-to-point inflation rose to 8.34 percent in September 2026 from 8.26 percent in August, according to data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Wednesday. However, the rate was slightly lower than the 8.36 percent recorded in September last year. Food inflation increased to 7.22 percent in September from 7.02 percent in August, while non-food inflation edged down to 9.30 percent from 9.32 percent. In September 2025, food and non-food inflation stood at 7.64 percent and 8.98 percent respectively. At the rural level, general inflation rose to 8.38 percent in September from 8.31 percent in August, but remained below the 8.47 percent recorded a year earlier. Rural food inflation increased to 7.18 percent in September from 7.01 percent in August, while non-food inflation fell slightly to 9.57 percent from 9.59 percent. In September 2025, rural food and non-food inflation were 7.54 percent and 9.40 percent respectively. In urban areas, general inflation increased to 8.26 percent in September from 8.20 percent in August, while it was 8.28 percent in September last year. Urban food inflation rose to 7.25 percent in September from 7.04 percent in August. Non-food inflation, however, declined to 8.94 percent from 8.97 percent. The corresponding rates in September 2025 were 7.94 percent for food and 8.51 percent for non-food items.  

Dhaka Stock Exchange Brokers Association of Bangladesh (DBA) has urged Bangladesh Bank to raise the ceiling of its special fund facility for the capital market from Tk 200 crore to Tk 300 crore per scheduled bank and extend its tenure by another five years, until November 30, 2031. The brokers' body said the move is needed to tackle the prevailing liquidity crisis in the stock market, boost institutional investment and strengthen investor confidence. In a statement issued Wednesday, the DBA said it submitted a formal letter on Tuesday to Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostaqur Rahman. A copy of the letter was also sent to Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) Chairman Masud Khan. According to the DBA, the special fund facility introduced by Bangladesh Bank for investment in and development of the capital market has played a positive role in enhancing institutional investment capacity, improving market liquidity and stability, and restoring investor confidence. At present, each scheduled bank can create a special fund of up to Tk 200 crore. However, the current tenure of the facility is set to expire on November 30, 2026. The DBA said that, given the existing liquidity crisis in the capital market and global uncertainty stemming from ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the facility should be strengthened rather than withdrawn. The DBA said raising the limit and extending the tenure would increase institutional investment, improve market liquidity and depth, and bolster investor confidence. It would also play an important role in the long-term and sustainable development of the capital market, the association added. The DBA expressed hope that Bangladesh Bank would take the necessary steps to raise the ceiling to Tk 300 crore and extend the tenure until November 30, 2031, considering the current market situation and broader national economic interests. The association also reaffirmed its commitment to work in coordination with Bangladesh Bank and other relevant regulators, as it has in the past, to implement the government's capital market development initiatives and to extend necessary cooperation. 

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has decided to give no objection to the reconstitution of the boards of Bangladesh Export Import Company PLC (Beximco) and Shinepukur Ceramics PLC, subject to the withdrawal of a related case. The decision came at the commission's 1032nd meeting held at its Agargaon office in Dhaka and chaired by BSEC Chairman Masud Khan, according to a press release issued Wednesday. The commission said it took the decision after being informed, through a letter from its panel lawyer of the High Court's verbal directive, and after considering the interests of investors and other relevant issues. Beximco On the company's application, the commission also approved a seven-member board, comprising: ASF Rahman as chairman (sponsor), OK Chowdhury as managing director, Iqbal Ahmed, Ajmal Kabir and Quamrun Nahar Ahmed as directors, all nominated by the sponsor group, Shah Monjurul Hoque as independent director. One more independent director will be appointed in line with the Corporate Governance Code, 2018. Shinepukur Ceramics Responding to the company's application, the BSEC agreed to a seven-member board. The proposed structure includes: ASF Rahman as chairman (sponsor), OK Chowdhury, Iqbal Ahmed, Ajmal Kabir and Quamrun Nahar Ahmed as directors, all nominated by the sponsor group. Two independent directors will appointed in compliance with the Corporate Governance Code, 2018 For both companies, the commission also decided that its earlier orders, dated December 31, 2024 and January 15, 2026 will be withdrawn once the companies withdraw the case.

Digital banking services—comprising card operations, ATM transactions, and National Payment Switch Bangladesh (NPSB)-linked services across several banks— faced severe disruptions this week, due to a routine system-wide migration and maintenance exercise, Bangladesh Bank (BB) said on Tuesday. The central bank has summoned the management of IT Consultants PLC, the operator of the Q-Cash network, and directed them to restore all card-related services, including switching, at the earliest possible time, according to a press release signed by Sayeda Khanam, Director (Ex-Cadre – Publication) and Assistant Spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank. The press release stated that the service disruption began around 9:00 PM on October 4, 2026, due to urgent technical upgrades, system migration, and maintenance work executed by IT Consultants PLC, causing significant inconvenience to bank clients. Bangladesh Bank assured that it is taking all necessary measures to safeguard customer interests and ensure the continuity of financial transactions nationwide. The central bank clarified that transactions for banks, Mobile Financial Services (MFS) providers, and other Payment Service Providers (PSPs) directly connected to the NPSB platform remain entirely unaffected and are functioning normally. Additionally, all other primary payment systems operated by Bangladesh Bank—including the Bangladesh Automated Cheque Processing System (BACPS), Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN), and Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)—continue to operate without interruption. Bangladesh Bank has advised affected customers to follow instructions issued by their respective banks and utilize alternative payment platforms where necessary during this transition period.

Global efforts to curb tax avoidance by multinational corporations are fundamentally altering the strategies countries use to attract foreign investment, moving the focus away from traditional tax havens toward broader economic fundamentals, according to a report released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In an analytical insight following its latest (October 2026) global outlook, the IMF highlighted that international tax reforms, including the implementation of the global minimum corporate tax framework, are significantly diminishing the efficacy of low-tax regimes as a primary tool for courting global business. It noted that for decades, several jurisdictions relied on ultra-low corporate tax rates and preferential tax incentives to attract multinational enterprises. However, as international rules tighten to prevent profit shifting and base erosion, governments are increasingly forced to re-evaluate their investment promotion strategies, the organisation said. Instead of competing in a "race to the bottom" on corporate tax rates, countries are now shifting their focus toward non-tax competitive advantages, it said. These include strengthening physical and digital infrastructure, building a highly skilled labor force, ensuring regulatory predictability, and improving the overall ease of doing business. The Washington-based lender pointed out that this structural shift offers both opportunities and challenges, particularly for developing and emerging economies. While the erosion of tax-based competition levels the playing field, countries with severe infrastructure deficits or weak governance may face greater pressure to accelerate structural reforms to remain attractive to foreign direct investment (FDI). The IMF urged policymakers globally to adapt to this changing landscape by aligning domestic tax administration with international standards while simultaneously prioritizing investments in productivity-enhancing public assets, human capital, and transparent legal frameworks to secure sustainable long-term economic growth.

Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Tuesday said the government will fast-track the establishment of a Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) and simplify approval procedures for the shipbuilding and recycling industry to create a working environment that suits foreign buyers. “The government has taken initiatives to simplify the approval process and remove institutional complications to boost the international competitiveness of the shipbuilding and recycling industry,” he said. The minister made the remarks at a meeting of the committee formed to review existing laws, rules and policies on the ship recycling industry and make recommendations, held at the Ministry of Commerce. The meeting discussed waste management, yard modernisation, compliance with environmental standards and ways to reduce delays in obtaining necessary approvals. Participants also stressed completing clearances and file approvals in Chattogram to avoid delays in Dhaka. Muktadir said Bangladesh must compete with rival countries in terms of capacity and efficiency to attract ship orders and expand its share of the international market. He stressed simplifying domestic procedures by taking the policies and practices of leading shipbuilding nations as benchmarks. A special committee, led by the minister, is working to simplify rules and procedures. Stressing the need for effective and implementable policies, Muktadir said enacting laws alone is not enough and that proper enforcement and compliance must be ensured. “Rules that cannot be implemented eventually lose their relevance,” he said, urging regulatory agencies to change their approach to their work. The minister said Bangladesh will prioritise implementation of the Hong Kong Convention to make the ship recycling sector more environment-friendly and bring it up to international standards. Calling for a balance between environmental protection and economic potential, he said environmental standards must be ensured, but the sector’s growth should not be hindered by unnecessary complications. Muktadir said the process of establishing the TSDF is already underway and will be expedited. On financing and stuck loans in the shipbuilding industry, he said stakeholders should not dwell on the complications of old loans but focus on overcoming the current crisis and moving the sector forward. The minister also called for quick meetings with all concerned parties and coordinated steps to expand facilities for entrepreneurs and remove existing barriers. Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo said parties linked to European ships are hesitant to work in Bangladesh and are choosing alternative destinations because of the absence of a TSDF, preventing the industry from fully tapping its potential. European ships carry various types of recyclable materials, he said, stressing the need to build the necessary waste treatment, storage and disposal infrastructure to attract them. Mintoo advised all concerned to work together to remove unnecessary procedural complications. Industries Secretary Abdun Naser Khan presented the working paper at the meeting. He said a working group on a one-stop service platform has started work to speed up ship recycling operations. Work is also underway to draft guidelines for building green yards in line with the Hong Kong Convention and decentralise the Department of Environment’s clearance process. The meeting also discussed completing file approvals in Chattogram to avoid the 45- to 60-day delay in obtaining clearances. Participants stressed cutting the processing time by completing approvals locally and streamlining industry operations.

Around 60 university students and aspiring entrepreneurs took part in a daylong programme at Dhaka International University (DIU) on Tuesday, learning how to test business ideas and understand the policy and regulatory factors that can affect their ventures. The Campus Incubation Bootcamp and Smart Policy Reform Lab, organised by Preneur Lab Youth & Innovation Trust with support from Atlas Network, was held as part of StartKoro Season 5. The programme focused on helping participants identify problems worth solving and test whether potential customers need their proposed solutions, according to a press release. Mentors Alamin Pranto, director of Start2Scaleup, and M. Ashraful Tanvir, head of operations and administration at Preneur Lab, led the sessions, while university faculty members joined as guest speakers. Participants worked through ideation, market research, customer needs, product validation and the development of a minimum viable product (MVP). In the Smart Policy Reform Lab, they discussed the policy and regulatory environment for young businesses and put forward recommendations on issues that could affect startups and small businesses. StartKoro aims to support young people from the idea stage through validation and development of a first product to establishing a running business capable of creating employment. The fifth season has so far engaged more than 365 entrepreneurs, who have launched more than 60 new businesses, while Preneur Lab estimates that around 200 new jobs have been created. The organisers said entrepreneurship training alone may not be enough if licensing, taxation and access to finance create barriers for young businesses. Across five Smart Policy Reform Labs, participants have submitted more than 260 recommendations, which will be synthesised into policy research focusing on business registration, licence validity and SME finance. In July, the programme launched the StartKoro AI Hub, an AI-powered platform providing guidance on business registration, licences, taxation and business planning in the Bangladeshi context. By September, 100 entrepreneurs had accessed the platform. The organisers plan to expand the incubation programme from five cities to 10 and publish the policy research. The initiative aims to contribute to a startup ecosystem that is less concentrated in Dhaka and encourage young entrepreneurs to view policy engagement as part of running a business.

Digital banking services, including card transactions, ATM withdrawals, POS payments, e-commerce, QR code payments, and National Payment Switch Bangladesh (NPSB) transfers, across 19 banks are facing temporary disruptions due to scheduled system upgrades and maintenance. According to notices issued by the banks, the disruption stems from system migration under the Q-Cash network, which runs from 9:00 PM on October 4 until 12:00 PM on October 10. The affected financial institutions are Bank Asia, Bangladesh Krishi Bank, Janata Bank, Bengal Commercial Bank, Community Bank, Jamuna Bank, Midland Bank, Meghna Bank, Mercantile Bank, Modhumoti Bank, National Bank, NRBC Bank, NCC Bank, Rupali Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank, Shimanto Bank, Social Islami Bank, Trust Bank, and Uttara Bank. While the service outages vary by institution—ranging from a few hours to several days—the simultaneous timing of maintenance across 19 banks has drawn widespread consumer concern, particularly over potential difficulties in obtaining cash during emergencies or completing online and card transactions. Addressing customer concerns, Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and Spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan stated that banks routinely perform technical maintenance and system enhancements after notifying the central bank. "Each bank made its decision independently, but coincidentally, 19 banks fell into the same timeline for system upgrades," Khan said, adding that central bank officials discussed the matter with the institutions to ensure advance notices and SMS alerts were issued to clients. The banks assured customers that all affected services will be restored gradually upon completion of system migration and maintenance tasks, while expressing regret for the temporary inconvenience. Branch-based counter services will remain subject to individual bank guidelines.

Terming trust as the true foundation of capital markets, Tanvir Shahriar Ghani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Investment and Capital Market, on Monday emphasized that consistent implementation of financial standards and uncompromised professional integrity are essential to win investor confidence and attract sustainable global capital. “Financial reporting, accounting, auditing, corporate governance, and risk management may appear technical, but their true foundation is trust,” Ghani said while addressing as the Chief Guest at a high-level national conference in the capital. “Investors rely on the integrity and accuracy of financial information when making decisions. If that trust is broken, investors lose money, and confidence in the entire capital market suffers,” he warned. The conference, titled “Building Investor Confidence: The Role of Professional Bodies in Audit, Reporting, Governance and Risk Management,” was organized jointly by five major accounting and secretarial bodies—ICAB, ICMAB, ICSB, IIAB, and ACCA—at the CA Bhaban in Kawran Bazar to mark the 10th Annual World Investor Week (WIW) 2026, spearheaded globally by IOSCO from October 5 to 11. Ghani noted that while Bangladesh possesses the requisite institutional framework, the main hurdle lies in execution. “The challenge is not merely adopting global standards, but implementing them consistently and effectively. We must ensure comparable companies are assessed under comparable standards and strengthen professional integrity through self-discipline, accountability, and ethical conduct.” Speaking as the Special Guest, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) Chairman Masud Khan underlined the need to establish reasonable audit fees to ensure quality. He announced that once BSEC establishes proper audit fee benchmarks, it will roll out stringent regulations to enforce high-quality audits compliant with the IFAC Code of Ethics. Highlighting the prolonged drought of initial public offerings (IPOs) since March 2024, ICMAB Council Member Arif Khan FCMA presented a keynote paper titled “Rebuilding Corporate Confidence in Getting Listed,” citing low valuations, sluggish approval procedures, and policy uncertainty as major barriers. Drawing lessons from India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, he called for market-driven pricing, predictable regulations, and faster clearance to revitalize IPO activity in Bangladesh. ICAB Vice President Asifur Rahman FCA presented another paper on investor resilience, emphasizing ICAB's Document Verification System (DVS) and strategic ties with the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Bank, and RJSC to eliminate fake financial statements. Chaired and moderated by ICAB President Sabbir Ahmed FCA, the event also featured ICMAB President Kausar Alam FCMA, ACCA Country Manager Prawma Khan FCCA, IIAB President M. Nurul Alam FCS, and ICSB President Mohammad Shahajahan FCS as panelists.