United News of Bangladesh

Trading at the country’s two major bourses opened with a sharp rise on Monday, as most company shares posted gains during the first hour. On the Dhaka Stock Exchange(DSE), the benchmark DSEX advanced by 63 points in early trading. The Shariah-based DSES gained 13 points, while the blue-chip DS30 index rose by 21 points. Of the 337 companies that traded during the opening hour, prices increased for the majority — with 337 issues advancing, 30 declining and 22 remaining unchanged. The turnover crossed Tk 300 crore within the first hour. The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also began the day on a positive note, with its all-share price index climbing 69 points. Stocks open lower at DSE, CSE as market extends downtrend Among 121 traded companies, 95 saw price gains, 18 declined and 8 remained unchanged. The turnover at the CSE exceeded Tk 9 crore in the first hour. Both bourses reflected strong investor participation at the start of the week’s second trading day.      

The government has issued the ‘Deposit Protection Ordinance, 2025’ to enhance the protection of depositors and increase public confidence in the country's banking sector. Considering the importance of financial sector stability during the dissolution of parliament, the president promulgated the ordinance using the power vested under Article 93(1) of the constitution. This ordinance repeals the existing ‘Deposit Insurance Act, 2000,’ and introduces a modern framework. The information was revealed through a circular published on Sunday (November 23) by the Deposit Insurance Department of the Bangladesh Bank. The primary objective of the new law is to ensure the protected return of deposits placed with both Bank Companies and Finance Companies. New Department: A separate Deposit Protection Department will be established under the Bangladesh Bank to oversee the protection programme. This department will be responsible for collecting regular premiums, fund management, inspecting member institutions, settling claims, and conducting awareness programs. Fund Structure: The ordinance mandates the formation of two separate Deposit Protection Funds for bank and finance companies. These funds will be managed using premiums collected from member institutions, fines, investment income, and other approved sources. Governing Body: The administration of the funds will be overseen by the Bangladesh Bank's Board of Directors, which will act as the 'Trustee Board'. Membership: Newly licensed bank and finance companies must submit an initial premium at a prescribed rate. All existing bank companies will automatically be considered member institutions under this law, while finance companies will be included from July 1, 2028. The law also includes provisions for the collection of risk-based premiums on a quarterly basis. Coverage and Claim Settlement The ordinance explicitly excludes certain classes of deposits from protection, including those belonging to the government, foreign entities, and international organizations. Conversely, deposits made by general individuals or institutions will be considered 'protectable' and will be secured up to a defined limit. In the event of a bank or finance company's liquidation or resolution, the Deposit Protection Department will directly pay the secured deposits. If necessary, the protection process can also be managed by transferring assets and liabilities to a bridge bank or a third party through the resolution authority. The Bangladesh Bank has also been empowered under this law to sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with domestic and foreign regulators, exchange information, receive technical assistance, and conduct deposit protection activities in line with international standards. Experts believe the implementation of this new law will increase the financial sector's capacity to manage risk and combat crises, providing depositors with greater protection. END/UNB/AI/ssk

Despite opening lower, both Dhaka and Chattogram stock exchanges closed higher on the first trading day of the week. At the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the benchmark DSEX gained 46 points while the Shariah-based DSES rose 9 points and the blue-chip DS30 index added 5 points. Most stocks ended higher, with 250 companies posting gains, 84 declining, and 47 remaining unchanged. In the block market, shares worth Tk 19 crore were traded among 17 companies, with Square Pharmaceuticals PLC leading at Tk 12 crore. The total turnover at DSE stood at BDT 385 crore, down from BDT 445 crore in the previous session. Sun Life Insurance Company Limited topped the gainers with nearly 10% rise, while Energypac Power Generation PLC fell around 8% to the bottom. The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also saw an upward trend, with the CASPI index rising 34 points. Out of the traded companies, 95 saw price increases, 56 declined, and 15 remained unchanged. The turnover doubled to Tk 15 crore from Tk 7 crore in the previous session. Ring Shine Textiles Limited led the gainers with a 10% rise, while Kohinoor Chemical Company (BD) Limited fell about 13% to the lowest.

Trading at both the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) opened on a downward trend on Sunday, with most listed companies seeing a decline in share prices during the first hour. On the DSE, the benchmark DSEX index slipped by 7 points, while the Shariah-based DSES shed 3 points. The blue-chip DS30 index also dropped by 8 points. The market breadth also remained negative, as prices fell for the majority of traded issues. Against 116 gainers, 200 issues declined, while 56 remained unchanged. Stock market rebounds as DSEX gains 166 points, rises 1.2% over week The DSE recorded turnover of over Tk 160 crore during the first half of the session. A similar downtrend persisted at the CSE, where the broad index fell by 8 points. Of the traded issues, 35 advanced, 48 declined and 7 remained unchanged. The turnover on the CSE stood at Tk 4.10 crore in the early session.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) on Sunday officially halted all direct customer services, including the sale of savings certificates and prize bonds, exchange of torn or damaged banknotes and automated challan services, following an earlier announcement. The central bank has directed commercial banks to ensure smooth and uninterrupted services in these areas, while intensifying monitoring activities to safeguard the transition. In a notice issued last Thursday, BB highlighted that central banks worldwide do not provide such services directly at their counters. The decision, it said, was also driven by security concerns, which were cited as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI). Originally, the suspension was planned to begin at the Motijheel office from November 30, with other branches following later. BB to halt sale of savings certificates, prize bonds The timeline was, however, advanced, and the central bank decided to stop all direct services at all its offices simultaneously starting today. Until now, BB’s Motijheel office, along with its branches in Sadarghat, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur, Bogura, Rajshahi, and Sylhet, had been providing these customer services.

The G20 summit in South Africa began with an unexpected development on Saturday as world leaders endorsed a joint declaration at the outset of the meeting, even as the United States boycotted the two-day event in protest against the host nation. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, confirmed that all participating members backed the 122-point document when the summit opened in Johannesburg. Typically, G20 declarations are signed at the close of proceedings. The agreement, heavily shaped by South Africa, calls for greater international support for vulnerable nations facing climate-driven disasters and mounting debt—areas the hosts had championed as priorities for the first G20 summit held on African soil. The U.S., absent on the orders of President Donald Trump, had reportedly urged South Africa not to move forward with a leaders’ declaration in its absence. The summit has been clouded by the U.S. boycott, part of a broader diplomatic dispute with Pretoria. As Ramaphosa began what was supposed to be a closed-door session, his remarks about adopting the declaration were inadvertently broadcast, prompting South Africa’s foreign minister to intervene and remind him that cameras were still live. While the South African government insisted the declaration was unanimously approved, Argentina distanced itself from the document. President Javier Milei also skipped the summit in solidarity with Trump, sending his foreign minister as a representative instead. Talks on Ukraine on the sidelines Officials from France, Germany, the U.K., Canada and Japan held discussions on the margins of the summit regarding a U.S.-brokered peace plan for the Russia-Ukraine conflict. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said representatives from several European countries, the EU, the U.S., and Ukraine would meet in Switzerland on Sunday to continue talks. The proposal, shaped by Washington and Moscow, includes concessions that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected, such as ceding territory. Deals and diplomacy mark Trump–Saudi Crown Prince meeting A joint statement from multiple Western nations said the plan required further work and reaffirmed that national borders “must not be changed by force.” South Africa pushes for support for poorer nations Holding the rotating G20 presidency, South Africa used the summit to call for stronger global commitments to help developing countries rebuild after climate-linked disasters, reduce debt burdens, move toward renewable energy, and benefit from their own natural resources. But Washington's absence loomed large. Trump accused South Africa of violently targeting its Afrikaner white minority and has opposed the summit's agenda, particularly its emphasis on climate change and inequality. Despite the tension, several leaders urged cooperation. “I regret it,” French President Emmanuel Macron said of Trump’s boycott, “but it should not stop our work.” The G20—comprising 19 nations, the European Union and the African Union—represents the bulk of the world’s economy and population, yet relies on consensus, which is often difficult to achieve among powers with competing interests. Strains over the declaration and U.S. handover G7 ministers reaffirm support for Ukraine, sidestep trade and military strike debates South Africa said the U.S. had pressured it to water down the summit declaration into a non-binding host’s statement. Ramaphosa responded firmly, saying the country “will not be bullied.” The U.S. is set to assume the G20 presidency after the summit, but only a U.S. embassy official will attend the handover ceremony, which South African officials described as disrespectful and said may not be conducted formally. Source: AP 

After two consecutive weeks of decline, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) showed signs of recovery last week, with the benchmark DSEX index rising 166 points and average daily turnover increasing over 12 percent. Analysis of DSE’s weekly report shows the index started the week at 4,702 points and ended at 4,869 points, marking a 3.54 percent increase over the week. The upward trend was mirrored in both Shariah-based and blue-chip indices. The DSES index rose 41 points, up 4.23 percent, while the DS30 gained 26 points, a 1.43 percent increase. Mid- and small-cap companies also saw significant recovery, with the DSE SME index climbing 95 points, a 13 percent jump. Market turnover increased alongside the indices. Although still below the 4-billion-taka daily average mark, trading rose 12.19 percent from 354 crore taka to 397 crore taka per day. Most companies saw price gains during the week. Out of the listed firms, 347 witnessed price increases, 18 declined, and four remained unchanged. Taufika Foods and Lovello Ice-cream PLC topped the weekly turnover list, with an average daily trading value of 12 crore taka, followed by Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries Limited at 11 crore taka. Anwar Galvanizing Ltd, Summit Alliance Port Limited, and Square Pharmaceuticals PLC recorded average daily turnovers of 10 crore taka each. On the block market, Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag Industries Limited led sales with 21 crore taka, followed by Prime Bank PLC at 20 crore taka. All top-traded stocks at DSE were Z-category companies, known for not distributing dividends. Khulna Printing & Packaging Limited led the list, with its shares rising over 51 percent during the week, from 8.50 taka to 12.90 taka, despite having suspended production and dividend payments since 2020. Among dividend-paying companies, Simtex Industries PLC saw the steepest fall, with its shares dropping 16 percent over the week, from 32.90 taka to 27.50 taka. Sector-wise, 13 out of 21 sectors posted gains while eight saw declines. The ceramic sector recorded the highest increase at 203 percent, whereas corporate bonds fell the most, down 64 percent. Financial sector shares were largely bullish. Non-bank financial institutions rose 47 percent, banks gained 30 percent, general insurance 13 percent, and life insurance 3 percent. Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also mirrored DSE’s recovery, with the CASPI index climbing 241 points.   Weekly turnover stood at 46 crore taka, led by A-category dividend-paying companies with a 73 percent surge. B-category mid-tier firms saw a 16 percent increase, and Z-category non-dividend stocks rose 10 percent. At CSE, 196 companies ended the week with price gains, 68 fell, and 11 remained unchanged. Z-category companies dominated the top positions, with Khulna Printing & Packaging Limited leading, posting a 55 percent weekly gain. Simtex Industries PLC was at the bottom, losing more than 18 percent in a week. Orion Infusion Limited recorded the highest weekly turnover at 14 crore taka.

Bangladesh's garment industry is strategically pivoting towards technical textiles, a high-value sector deemed "essential for the continued success" of the country’s manufacturing future.  This information was revealed in a press conference held at a hotel in Dhaka, on Thursday, ahead of ‘Techtextil and Texprocess’ scheduled to be held in April 2026. Ms Afroza, head of operation, Messe Frankfurt SP Bangladesh highlights the issues in the presentation. This focus was highlighted in a presentation promoting the upcoming Techtextil and Texprocess trade fairs in Frankfurt, Germany. Technical textiles, defined as materials manufactured primarily for their technical performance and functional properties rather than aesthetics, represent a large and growing global sector. Frankfurt Fairs Showcase Entire Textile Chain: The twin trade fairs, Techtextil (the leading trade fair for technical textiles) and Texprocess (the top international trade fair for garment and textile machinery), will be held in parallel from April 21 to 24, 2026, in Frankfurt, Germany. Holding both events together allows visitors to observe the entire value chain, from raw fibers and production to innovative fabrics, their end use, and recycling. The 2024 edition attracted 1,699 exhibitors from over 50 countries and a total of 35,180 trade visitors. Germany, Italy, and China were the top exhibiting nations at Techtextil 2024. Technology Focus:Texprocess highlights new technologies focused on boosting efficiency, optimizing resource use, and includes solutions like robot-assisted sewing units and AI-based real-time quality control. Strategic Importance for Bangladesh: Industry experts view the technical textiles sector as a critical growth area, with increasing demand across diverse fields such as healthcare, automotive, construction, and sports.  Techtextil brings together these various application areas, from car manufacturers to medical engineers. The exhibition itself covers 12 key application areas, including Medtech, Protech, and Sporttech. Bangladesh’s importance as a strategic sourcing destination for technology and material is underscored by its recognition as one of the five most important countries for visitors to Texprocess, alongside Italy, Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia. At the 2024 edition, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) organized a dedicated pavilion. Five Bangladeshi companies participated to showcase their potential in the technical textile segment, including Akij Jute Mills, Team Manufacturing Company, Smee Apparels, M & A Sourcing Bangladesh, and NexGen Apparel. The push into functional textiles marks a major step in the country's efforts to move beyond basic apparel manufacturing toward higher value-added products.

Bangladesh has posted a strong rebound in the US apparel market, recording a sharp 19.82 percent rise in export value during January–August 2025, according to newly released US trade data. However, exports from Bangladesh showed a decline, with July figures at $729.81 million dropping to $660.79 million in August, indicating a downward trend. The latest reciprocal tariff effects are not yet visible in the Otexa data, as Otexa is still reporting August figures, and the tariff was only implemented on 7 August 2025, former Director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Mohiuddin Rubel told UNB on Thursday.  The jump pushed Bangladesh’s exports to the US to US$5.64 billion, far ahead of the modest 3.32 percent overall increase in America’s global apparel imports over the same period (January-August). Industry analysts say the surge was powered primarily by volume growth, supported by stable unit prices.The unit price per piece from Bangladesh saw a slight increase of 1.08 percent, indicating that the growth was largely volume-driven, with suppliers maintaining stable pricing amidst global competition. Globally, the US imported $53.01 billion in apparel, registering a 3.32 percent rise in value, a 1.41 percent growth in units (SME), and a 1.88 percent increase in unit price. The impressive gains by Bangladesh and other nations come at a time when the world’s largest apparel exporter, China, is experiencing a dramatic decline. China’s exports to the US saw a significant negative growth of -25.45 percent in value and a large -18.90 percent drop in pieces shipped. This retreat from the dominant supplier is creating opportunities that are being seized by manufacturers across South and Southeast Asia. Although Bangladesh and China represented the extremes, other Asian manufacturing hubs showed strong, though varying results. Cambodia showed the highest overall growth, with its export value soaring by 28.62 percent and pieces shipped seeing a "huge increase" of 37.87 percent. However, this volume push came at a cost, as its unit price fell by -6.71 percent. India and Indonesia both recorded robust value growth, rising by 16.09%** and 15.96 percent respectively, reflecting their growing competitiveness. Vietnam, another major player, registered a solid 15.69 percent increase in value, while maintaining its unit price with a small 0.64 percent rise—a performance similar to Bangladesh's. Pakistan saw a 13.40 percent rise in value, supported by a 20.25% surge in volume, but like Cambodia, it experienced a -5.70% decline in its unit price. The data, shared by Mohiuddin Rubel, Managing Director of the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, indicates a strategic consolidation of Bangladesh’s position in its largest export market — despite marginal contractions in overall US import demand.

The U.S. trade deficit dropped nearly 24% in August as President Donald Trump’s broad tariffs on global imports drove down purchases from other countries. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that the gap between U.S. imports and exports fell to $59.6 billion in August from $78.2 billion in July. The report, delayed more than seven weeks due to a federal government shutdown, showed imports of goods and services declined 5% to $340.4 billion, following a July surge when companies stocked up ahead of Trump’s tariffs, which took effect on Aug. 7. Exports edged up 0.1% to $280.8 billion. Trump has long argued that persistent trade deficits reflect foreign countries taking advantage of the U.S., prompting him to abandon decades of free-trade policy and impose double-digit tariffs on most imports. Specific goods, including steel, copper, and automobiles, have faced separate levies. Despite the August drop, the U.S. trade deficit for 2025 remains higher than last year, totaling $713.6 billion through August — a 25% increase from $571.1 billion in the same period of 2024. Economists note that lower imports can boost economic growth since foreign goods are subtracted from gross domestic product (GDP). “August’s smaller trade deficit will support third-quarter real GDP because more U.S. spending went toward domestic goods and services rather than foreign ones,” said Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank. He added that while the report is somewhat dated due to the shutdown, it reinforces evidence of robust third-quarter growth. Trump has defended the tariffs as a way to protect U.S. industries and encourage domestic manufacturing. Importers typically pass the added costs to consumers, which economists say has contributed to inflation remaining above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Asian shares mostly slip after Wall Street’s weak finish Following voter concerns about high living costs, the president recently removed tariffs on products including beef, coffee, tea, fruit juice, cocoa, spices, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, and some fertilizers. Meanwhile, the legality of Trump’s tariffs faces a Supreme Court challenge, with justices questioning whether the president can impose unlimited import taxes by declaring a national emergency. Source: AP