United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is set to receive a record $550 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from Denmark’s global terminal operator APM Terminals, marking the largest European investment in the country’s history, according to the Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA). Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Wednesday afternoon, PPPA Chief Executive Officer Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said APM will build a world-class container terminal in Laldia, Chattogram, with an investment equivalent to Tk 6,700 crore. The company will bear the entire project cost. “This is the biggest-ever single investment from Europe in Bangladesh,” Ashik said, adding that APM will sign the agreement next week. A high-level delegation from APM, along with a Danish minister, is scheduled to visit Dhaka to attend the signing ceremony. SoftBank sells Nvidia stake for $5.8 billion to boost investments in OpenAI Upon signing, APM will pay Bangladesh a Tk 250 crore signing bonus, he added. The Laldia terminal, with the motto ‘Not for Sale – For Success and Growth’, will be capable of handling vessels twice the size of those currently entering Chattogram Port. Its minimum annual capacity will be 800,000 containers. The construction is expected to begin in 2026 and be completed by 2029. APM will operate the terminal for 30 years, sharing profits with Bangladesh on a per-container (TEU) basis. After the concession period, the government will review key performance indicators (KPIs) to decide whether to retain the operator or assign it to another entity. The project is expected to create 500–700 jobs locally, with opportunities for Bangladeshis to work at APM’s other global terminals. “APM is not investing purely for commercial purposes; their interest in Bangladesh also stems from a broader social commitment,” Ashik said. Once gets operational, he said, the Laldia Terminal will boost the country’s cargo handling capacity by 40%. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has already been provided with a roadmap to prepare for the increased trade flow. To manage higher transport demand, the Roads and Highways Department has prepared a master plan to balance container movement — with 70–80% via road and the rest distributed between river and rail routes. The government is also working to fully activate the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal. Ashik said the landmark European investment has been discussed with political parties, all of whom have responded positively. Once launched, the Laldia Container Terminal will operate 24/7, and Bangladesh’s overall port capacity is expected to grow sixfold within a decade, he added.    

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations are meeting in southern Ontario this week as trade and defense tensions escalate between the United States and its traditional allies, including Canada, alongside growing uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan and efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who is hosting the meeting of G7 counterparts from the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, told The Associated Press that maintaining cooperation “across a range of issues” remains essential despite trade pressures. “We’re tackling a range of critical issues with one main focus: putting the safety and security of Americans FIRST,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a social media post ahead of the talks. Anand also invited top diplomats from Australia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Ukraine to join portions of the two-day meeting. Key agenda items include promoting long-term peace and stability in the Middle East and reaffirming commitment to Trump’s proposed Gaza ceasefire plan. On Wednesday morning, the ministers are scheduled to meet with Ukraine’s foreign minister. The U.K. announced ahead of the talks that it would contribute 13 million pounds ($17 million) to help repair Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ahead of winter. The funds will support power, heating and water system repairs, as well as humanitarian assistance. “President Putin is trying to plunge Ukraine into darkness and cold,” U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said, adding that Britain’s aid aims to “keep the lights and heat on.” Canada has made a similar pledge in recent weeks. SoftBank sells Nvidia stake for $5.8 billion to boost investments in OpenAI Canada’s tenure as G7 host this year has been overshadowed by strained relations with Washington, largely due to Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports and renewed friction over defense spending demands. Trump has pressed NATO allies — all G7 members except Japan — to spend 5% of GDP on defense. While some have agreed, others, including Canada and Italy, remain far below that benchmark. Anand said Canada plans to reach the target by 2035. Differences within the G7 also persist over the Israel-Hamas war, with Britain, France and Canada supporting recognition of a Palestinian state, even without a peace deal. Meanwhile, several allies have taken a harder stance on Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine than Trump has. The meeting near the U.S. border follows Trump’s abrupt suspension of trade talks with Canada after Ontario’s provincial government ran an anti-tariff ad campaign in the U.S. Prime Minister Mark Carney has since apologized and expressed readiness to resume negotiations. Anand said she will meet separately with Secretary Rubio to discuss bilateral and global issues, though trade matters fall under a different U.S. official’s purview. “Every complex relationship has numerous touch points,” she said. “There’s continued work to be done — both on trade and beyond — and that’s where Secretary Rubio and I come in.” China’s exports dip 1.1% in October as shipments to US plunge 25% U.S. officials said Rubio will focus on halting the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as maritime security, Haiti, Sudan, and cooperation on critical minerals. Canada’s priorities include Arctic security, the Ukraine war, and Haiti. A working lunch will center on energy and the supply of critical minerals vital to modern technologies and defense industries — a key area of U.S.-Canada cooperation. Source: AP 

Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank said Tuesday it has sold its shares in U.S. chipmaker Nvidia for $5.8 billion, signaling a strategic shift toward investing more heavily in OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT. SoftBank Group Corp., based in Tokyo, said the Nvidia stake was sold in October. The move comes as the company’s net profit nearly tripled in the first half of the current fiscal year compared with the same period a year earlier. Between April and September, SoftBank’s profit surged to about 2.5 trillion yen (approximately $13 billion), while revenue rose 7.7% year-on-year to 3.7 trillion yen ($24 billion). SoftBank’s earnings often fluctuate because of its wide-ranging investments through its Vision Funds, which have recently performed well. In February, SoftBank Chairman Masayoshi Son joined U.S. President Donald Trump, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison to announce plans for a major artificial intelligence initiative called Stargate, which could see investments of up to $500 billion. SoftBank has already poured tens of billions of dollars into OpenAI and is partnering with the U.S.-based firm to expand AI services in Japan. The sale of its Nvidia shares marks Son’s strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence and also generated substantial gains for the company, benefiting from Nvidia’s meteoric rise in market value. Japan and China trade sharp words after PM Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan Nvidia recently became the world’s first $5 trillion company—just three months after hitting the $4 trillion mark—and has pledged to invest $100 billion in OpenAI to build massive new AI data centers with at least 10 gigawatts of computing capacity. While Nvidia and other AI-related firms have fueled this year’s stock market rally, some analysts warn that tech valuations may be overheating, drawing parallels to the early 2000s dot-com bubble. Despite the divestment, SoftBank and Nvidia maintain close ties, as many SoftBank-backed ventures use Nvidia’s technology. SoftBank also holds stakes in chipmakers Arm Holdings and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., both benefiting from the growing global demand for AI technologies. SoftBank shares have nearly doubled in value over the past year, rising another 2% on Tuesday. Nvidia’s stock dipped 1.3% in premarket trading after gaining 5.8% on Monday. Source: AP

Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Tuesday (11th November 2025) said that raids on retail and mid-level outlets have limited impact, as the main perpetrators behind market irregularities often escape accountability.  “Our goal is to protect consumers’ interests, not to restrict trade,” he said on Tuesday while speaking at a views-exchange meeting with edible oil delivery order (DO) traders at the commerce ministry. The adviser emphasised that facilitating both domestic and international trade is the ministry’s core function, and it has been working sincerely to achieve that objective. “As consumers ourselves, it’s only natural that my ministry and I will work in favour of consumer welfare,” he said, urging DO traders to cooperate and provide guidance in stabilising the market. Warning that decisive measures will be taken to protect consumer rights, Bashir Uddin said such steps would be taken regardless of who they affect. Read more: Govt working on Tk 100-crore fund to revive jute bags: Adviser Bashir He said the traditional practice of controlling the edible oil market through raids at retail or mid-level shops has proven largely ineffective. “The entire supply chain—from producers or importers to DO traders, wholesalers, and retailers—must come under regulatory oversight,” he said, adding that mill owners, DO traders, or both might be responsible for market instability. “It’s unrealistic to think a small retailer hiding 500 bottles of oil under his counter is causing market chaos. TV channels may show dramatic footage of oil seizures, the public may applaud, but in reality, such drives achieve nothing. The small grocer is blamed while the real manipulators walk free,” the adviser said. Bashir Uddin said the government will make sure no one can destabilise the edible oil market, and vowed to identify and act against the real offenders. At the meeting, DO traders complained about not receiving products on time from mill owners and urged the ministry to resolve the issue. Read more: Vitamin-fortified safe edible oil essential to protect public health: Speakers

After 10 consecutive sessions of decline, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) finally bounced back on Tuesday, with all major indices closing higher though turnover fell. The DSEX, the benchmark index of the DSE, rose by 12 points, while the Shariah-based DSES and the blue-chip DS30 each gained 6 points. The turnover on the DSE stood at Tk 339 crore, down from Tk 356 crore in the previous session. Out of the traded issues, prices advanced for 183 companies, declined for 144, and remained unchanged for 62. Gains were recorded across all categories—A, B, and Z—with most price increases coming from A-category stocks, which include fundamentally strong companies. In this group, 93 issues advanced while 82 declined. In the block market, shares worth Tk 9 crore of 15 companies were traded, led by City Insurance PLC with Tk 2.9 crore in transactions. Al-Arafah Islami Bank PLC topped the gainers’ chart with a nearly 10% rise, while Familytex (BD) Ltd dropped by the same margin to become the day’s worst performer. Meanwhile, the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) extended its losing streak as the overall index fell by 4 points. At the CSE, prices dropped for 68 issues, gained for 63, and remained unchanged for 13. However, turnover increased to Tk 26 crore from Tk 14 crore in the previous session. Baraka Patenga Power Ltd led the gainers at the port city bourse with a nearly 10% rise, while Bangladesh Welding Electrodes Ltd fell around 10%, ending as the day’s biggest loser.

bKash has won four awards at the “Bangladesh Fintech Award 2025” for its contribution in ensuring digital financial inclusion and secure transactions through providing innovative technologies and solutions. This year, in the 3rd edition of the award, bKash clinched ‘Winner’ position in two categories - ‘Digital Lending’ and ‘MFS/DFS’. Besides, the Mobile Financial Services (MFS) provider has also received ‘Honourable Mention’ in the ‘Payment’ and ‘Financial Inclusion’ categories. Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam (retd), Chief External & Corporate Affairs Officer of bKash received the awards on behalf of the company. Senior officials of bKash were also present at the event. The ceremony, organised by the Bangladesh Fintech Forum, took place at a hotel in the capital, celebrating organisations that exemplify innovation, impact and leadership in the fintech industry. bKash’s initiatives ‘The bKash Impact’ and ‘Pay Later’ won the Fintech Innovation of the Year awards respectively in MFS/DFS and Digital Lending categories. bKash users can win foreign trips, enjoy up to Tk 4,000 offers on travel payments Moreover, the ‘Pay Later’ service in Financial Inclusion category and ‘bKash Merchant App’ in Payment category received Honourable Mentions. This year’s event, supported by Mastercard and Prime Bank, honoured 14 winners and 12 Honourable Mentions across various categories.

Japanese buyers have expressed strong interest in increasing their import of high-value and fashionable apparel from Bangladesh. A visiting delegation from  Japan Textile Importers’ Association (JTIA expressed the interest during a meeting with Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in Dhaka. The JTIA delegation included Toshinao Kawai of MN Inter-Fashion Limited, Issei Nozawa of Kowa Company Limited, Shingo Igami of Toyoshima & Co. Limited, Norihiro Komiya, Managing Director of JTIA, and Minami Kojiro of AIT Corporation. BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan led the discussion joined by Senior Vice President Inamul Haq Khan (Bablu) and other vice presidents and directors. Mahmud Hasan Khan said Bangladesh’s apparel industry is strategically diversifying its markets identifying Japan as a key and promising destination. He noted that the sector is steadily moving up the value chain by transitioning from basic cotton items to high-end synthetic and technical textiles, and urged Japanese buyers to expand their sourcing from Bangladesh. The JTIA delegation praised Bangladesh’s RMG sector for its progress in social and environmental compliance, worker safety, and product quality. They observed that Bangladesh has become a trusted sourcing hub for high-value and fashionable apparel due to its consistent improvements in manufacturing standards. To strengthen trade efficiency, the Japanese representatives stressed the importance of shortening lead times and called for streamlined customs procedures and enhanced operational efficiency at Chattogram Port. BGMEA leaders sought JTIA’s support in simplifying the visa process for Bangladeshi businesspersons visiting Japan. The delegation assured that they would raise the issue with the relevant Japanese authorities. BGMEA also requested data-sharing and collaboration on market research to help identify emerging global trends. The two sides discussed various industry issues including the implications of US tariffs and Bangladesh’s forthcoming graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category. Mahmud Hasan Khan urged Japan, through the JTIA, to continue granting duty-free market access to Bangladeshi apparel even after LDC graduation in 2026. He proposed that this could be achieved through an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) or a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing to maintain close cooperation and work jointly to expand Bangladesh’s apparel exports to Japan.

Policymakers and development specialists on Tuesday urged the adoption of a national framework on green inclusive finance to simultaneously promote financial inclusion and climate resilience among poor and low-income populations in Bangladesh. They made the call at a discussion titled “Green Inclusive Finance: A Framework for Climate Change Response by the Poor and Low-Income Vulnerable Populations in Bangladesh”, jointly organised by the Institute for Inclusive Finance and Development (InM) and the Centre for Inclusive Development Dialogue (CIDD) at the BRAC Centre Inn in the capital. The session was chaired by InM Chairman Dr Q.K. Ahmad. Presenting the keynote paper, InM Executive Director and CIDD Chairman Dr Mustafa K. Mujeri proposed a strategic framework linking poverty reduction, financial inclusion and climate response through three pathways—resilience, adaptation and transition. He noted that addressing climate change and supporting vulnerable communities cannot be treated as separate agendas. A green inclusive financial system would enable low-income households to absorb climate shocks while gradually shifting towards more sustainable and resilient livelihoods, he added. A panel discussion followed, featuring former Director General of the NGO Affairs Bureau Md Rashadul Islam and Research Analyst at Change Initiative Kazi Kareena Arif. They highlighted that disadvantaged communities often remain excluded from conventional climate adaptation policies and financing mechanisms, leaving them disproportionately exposed to environmental risks. The panel underscored the need for tailored financial instruments such as microfinance, microinsurance, flexible savings schemes, emergency credit facilities and well-targeted social safety nets to strengthen resilience among climate-risk-prone populations, particularly in coastal, haor and flood-affected regions. Participants from financial institutions, microfinance organisations, development agencies and policy bodies also shared implementation strategies for advancing green inclusive finance at both institutional and grassroots levels. The meeting concluded with a call for coordinated national planning, increased local participation and focused investments in climate-vulnerable areas to ensure that the transition towards climate resilience is inclusive and leaves no community behind. A vote of thanks was delivered by Arsalan Zaman, Trustee of CIDD.

Trading at the country’s stock exchanges showed a mixed trend in the first hour on Tuesday, with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) indices edging up while those in Chattogram slipped. At the DSE, the key index DSEX gained 12 points, while the Shariah-based DSES and the blue-chip DS30 indices rose by 8 and 7 points respectively. Out of the 213 companies traded during the period, the share prices of 213 advanced, 102 declined and 70 remained unchanged. Mixed trading at Bangladesh stock market amid index fluctuations The turnover at the DSE crossed Tk 120 crore in the first hour. In contrast, the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) saw a decline, with its overall index dropping by 10 points. Among 69 companies traded, the prices of 33 increased, 28 fell, and 8 remained unchanged. The CSE recorded over Tk 8 crore in turnover during the same period.  

China’s annual “Singles’ Day” shopping festival, once known for record-breaking sales, is now reflecting the country’s cautious consumer mood as economic challenges weigh on spending. Alice Zhang, a 29-year-old marketer from Guangzhou, said she spent only about half as much this year as in 2024—roughly 3,000 yuan ($421)—after her salary was cut by more than 20%. “I’ve made a conscious effort to cut back,” she said, noting she opted for cheaper products and skipped buying new shoes altogether. The festival, created by e-commerce giant Alibaba in 2009 as China’s answer to Black Friday, has evolved from a one-day event on Nov 11 into a weeks-long sales period. Analysts say this year’s subdued enthusiasm shows consumers remain wary despite government efforts to boost domestic demand. According to Chinese retail data provider Syntun, combined sales for this year’s Singles’ Day reached over 1 trillion yuan ($140 billion) by Oct 31. Last year, the figure rose 26% year-on-year to 1.44 trillion yuan. Economists say household confidence remains fragile amid slow income growth, a cooling property market, and limited stimulus effects. “Confidence remains quite downbeat among households,” said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at ING Bank. Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group, said early promotions this year reflect the efforts of major platforms like Alibaba and JD.com to “drum up business” amid weak demand. However, many consumers complained that discounts were smaller and less appealing than in previous years, while analysts observed growing “consumer fatigue.” Some shoppers also suspect that online retailers inflate prices before offering “discounts.” Guangzhou-based freelance media worker Sonia Song said she now compares prices more carefully across livestreaming apps and e-commerce sites. “I’ll only buy what’s cheapest or most cost-effective now,” she said. Meanwhile, government rebate programs for trading in old appliances and vehicles have reduced the impact of online discounts, as consumers who already benefited from earlier deals are less likely to spend again. Amid weak domestic demand, Chinese e-commerce giants are expanding abroad. Alibaba’s Taobao platform is running Singles’ Day campaigns in 20 countries, focusing increasingly on Southeast Asian markets like Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines following U.S. restrictions on duty-free small shipments. Despite the slowdown, beauty, health, and wellness products continue to perform well, according to WPIC Marketing + Technologies CEO Jacob Cooke. Still, many Chinese are tightening their belts. Gao Liang, who works at a fitness club in Beijing, said he expects to spend far less this year after a 20% income drop. “Our business hasn’t been doing well because people are cutting spending,” he said. “Given my unstable income, I don’t need to hoard things.”   Source: AP