United News of Bangladesh

Businessmen have raised the price of edible oil in the market without obtaining approval from the Ministry of Commerce, increasing the price of bottled soybean oil by Tk 9 per litre — a move that will face action, Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin said on Wednesday (December 03, 2025). During visits to several markets in the city, five-litre bottles of soybean oil were found selling at Tk 965, up from Tk 922 just days ago. Aseem Halder, a grocer at Uttar Badda Kacha Bazar, said, “Companies have increased soybean oil prices by Tk 9 per litre. What was Tk 189 per litre is now Tk 198. Loose soybean oil has also gone up by Tk 5 per litre.” Read more: Govt to allow onion import to curb price hike: Commerce Adviser  Asked whether the ministry approved the hike, the adviser said traders raised prices without notifying the government. “They did not discuss the matter with the ministry,” he told reporters. “Just a few days ago, through a tender, they offered us soybean oil at Tk 20 less per litre than the existing market rate. We purchased 50 lakh litres of soybean oil. I don’t know on what grounds they have now increased the price,” he said. The adviser said the ministry will sit with traders soon, and if they fail to justify the hike, the new prices will not be approved. Read more: BERC raises LPG price for December When asked how traders raised prices without government clearance, he added, “They tried to increase prices in October as well, but we didn’t approve it — and the market didn’t follow the hike either. We will sit with them again.” Regarding commodity prices ahead of Ramadan, the adviser said the prices will remain stable as necessary measures have already been taken, and mentioned that the prices of chickpeas, sugar and lentils have recently declined. According to the Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners and Vanaspati Manufacturers Association, companies sent a letter to the ministry on November 10 seeking approval to raise soybean oil prices. On November 24, they again recommended a price adjustment, but the ministry did not respond. Read more: Raiding retailers won’t help, real culprits must be caught: Adviser Bashir

Despite a government-mandated price hike, the rawhide market failed to meet expectations during Eid-ul-Azha, frustrating traders who say they were forced to sell below the official rates yet again. The Ministry of Commerce had increased the price of cowhide in Dhaka by Tk 5-10 per square foot, setting the official rate at Tk 60-65. But, ptraders said the market reality fell short. Most cowhides were sold at Tk 55-60 per square foot, with some deals made at even lower rates. “We collected cowhides from sacrificers for Tk 750, but ended up struggling to recover costs,” said Hefaz Ullah, a trader from Uttara.  “The best quality hides in this area fetched only Tk 800-820. We couldn’t sell for more," he said.  Sirza, a trader from Badda, echoed similar frustration. “There was no demand for rawhide. We couldn’t sell at a fair price. After paying for van rental and two workers, we were left with almost nothing. The entire day’s effort felt wasted.” Govt fixes rawhide prices ahead of Eid-ul-Azha In Khilkhet, trader Mizanur said the lack of fair pricing by tannery owners continues to discourage seasonal traders. “Had I known this would happen, I wouldn’t have paid so much initially. Tannery owners always undercut prices.”  

The Ministry of Commerce has approved the import of 4.0 crore more eggs to increase supply and make the market stable. A notification in this regard was issued by the ministry's internal trade-1 wing on Wednesday. Another 2.31 lakh eggs imported from India According to the notification, 12 traders have been allowed to import the eggs and the import permit will remain valid till December 31, 2024. In a bid to address  the volatility in the egg market, the Ministry allowed seven designated firms to import of 4.05 crore eggs on October 8.

In a bid to address the ongoing volatility in the egg market, the Ministry of Commerce has granted approval for the import of 40.5 million eggs to seven designated firms. The decision, announced by the ministry’s Internal Trade-1 division on Tuesday, aims to stabilise prices and ensure the availability of this essential commodity. The domestic egg market has witnessed a sharp increase in prices over the past few months, driven by a supply-demand imbalance. The cost of eggs has escalated to a record high, making it unaffordable for many consumers. This crisis has prompted the government to intervene by allowing imports to supplement the local supply. According to the ministry’s statement, the import permission was granted following a thorough evaluation of the market situation. "We aim to bring down the inflated prices and ensure that consumers have access to eggs at a reasonable rate," said a senior official from the Ministry of Commerce. Initially, approval has been given to seven institutions to import a maximum of 1 crore pieces each. The seven institutions are: Messrs. Meem Enterprise: 1 crore pieces,Messrs. Tawseen Traders: 1 crore pieces, Messrs. Suman Traders: 20 lakh pieces, Alif Traders: 30 lakh pieces,Himalaya: 1 crore pieces,Messrs. Prime Care Bangladesh: 50 lakh pieces, and Messrs. Zaman Traders: 50 lakh pieces. According to the notification issued in this regard said, as per the Department of Livestock, there is a daily demand for about 5 crore pieces of eggs in the country. Considering the current market situation of eggs and aiming to stabilise market prices, permission has been given for the import of eggs based on the applications from different importers for a limited period. The validity of this import permission will remain until December 31, 2024. Importers must follow the conditions to carry out the necessary import procedures. Rising Prices Currently, the price of a dozen eggs in Dhaka's retail market ranges between Tk 175 and Tk 180, a significant jump from the Tk 100 to Tk 120 price range earlier this year. The rising prices have led to widespread consumer dissatisfaction and criticism of the government’s inability to regulate the market. Market insiders attribute the price hike to multiple factors, including an increase in the cost of poultry feed, disruptions in supply chains, and the impact of recent flooding in some parts of the country that affected egg production. The situation has also led to hoarding and artificial scarcity created by some unscrupulous traders, further exacerbating the crisis. Import Initiative and Market Impact The government’s decision to import 40.5 million eggs is expected to have a cooling effect on the overheated market. The seven companies authorised to import eggs are tasked with ensuring a steady supply to retail markets across the country. However, experts caution that the success of the initiative will depend on efficient distribution and stringent market monitoring.

Two teams of the Ministry of Commerce have fined seven businesses Tk 29,000 while monitoring the market to keep the prices of essential commodities stable.   The monitoring activities were conducted in Dhaka’s New Market kitchen market and Gulshan kitchen market on Sunday afternoon. In New Market, a team led by Senior Assistant Secretary Md. Mehedi Hasan of the Ministry of Commerce inspected the prices of essential items such as rice, lentils, eggs, and chicken. The team reviewed price lists and receipts of transactions.  A poultry seller was fined TK 2,000 for failing to properly display the price list and for improper record-keeping, while other businesses were issued warnings. At the Gulshan kitchen market, six businesses were fined a total of TK 27,000 for various irregularities. The inspection team there was led by Deputy Secretary Mansurin Khan Chowdhury. Officials from various departments under the Ministry of Commerce were present during the inspections. 

Bangladesh's Ministry of Commerce has set an export target of $72 billion with 11.52 percent growth for the fiscal year 2023-24. Export target for goods has been set at $62 billion while for the service sector, the target was set at $10 billion. Export target achieved in FY 2022-23 was $64.55 billion, which saw a growth of 5.88 percent. RMG exports to EU grew 9.93% in FY 2022-23: Export Promotion Bureau Goods worth $55.55 billion and services worth $9 billion were exported in FY 2022-23, and the growth were 6.67 percent and 1.25 percent respectively. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi today (July 12, 2023) made the announcement of the export target and achievements in the previous fiscal in a press conference at the ministry. Prior to the announcement, the minister met with leaders of different business organizations and ministry officials. RMG exports in FY23 almost $47bn, 85% of total exports Business leaders at the meeting urged the government to ensure uninterrupted gas and electricity supply to industries at affordable rates. Otherwise, exports would be negatively impacted, they told the minister. While announcing the new export target, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said the global economic slowdown has been considered when setting the new target. Gas and power crises have also been considered while setting the target, the minister said. Exports raked in $55.56bn in FY23, highest in history While replying to a query, the minister said Bangladesh has some advantages including trained labour force, and affordable cost of products. Besides, global entrepreneurs are relocating industries from China due to geo-political reasons, and Vietnam has a labour crisis, the minister said. If Bangladesh can utilize these opportunities, exports can go beyond the target, the commerce minister said. Dollar exchange rate for repatriated export income increased to Tk107.5

The Ministry of Commerce on Sunday (June 25, 2023) fixed the prices of salted cowhides at Tk 50 to Tk 55 per square feet in Dhaka and at Tk 45 to Tk 48 outside Dhaka. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi disclosed this after a meeting with tannery owners, the Tariff Commission, and related stakeholders at the Ministry of Commerce. The minister said that the price of salted cowhide has been increased by Tk 3 in Dhaka and by Tk 5 outside Dhaka compared to last year. And the prices of Khasi (male goat) and goat skin were kept the same as it was in the previous year. Read: Salted rawhides collection starts Thursday Tipu Munshi said the rawhide prices of sacrificial Khasi (male goat) has been fixed at Tk 18 to Tk 20 and goat Tk 12 to Tk 14. Last year, the price of salted cowhide was Tk 47 to Tk 52 per square feet in Dhaka and Tk 40 to Tk 44 outside Dhaka. And the price of salted skin of khasi was Tk 18 to Tk 20 and goat skin was Tk 12 to Tk14. Tanners will get around Tk 259 crore loans from banks to procure and preserve rawhides during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. Read: Steps taken to prevent rawhide smuggling in border areas: Industries Secy According to commerce ministry sources, tannery owners have written to the ministry seeking a Tk 500 crore loan . A total of 12 public and private banks will disburse the loans among applicants with state-owned ones lending the maximum amount. Read more: Govt hikes rawhide prices ahead of Eid

The government today decided to reduce the price of edible oil, considering the price reduction in the international market, Senior Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce, Tapan Kanti Ghosh, said today (June 11, 2023). The price of bottled soybean oil has been reduced by Tk 10 per liter to Tk 189, and loose soybean oil will now cost Tk 167 per litre. Also read: Bottled soybean price hiked by Tk 12 per litre, effective from today Meanwhile, the price of palm oil has been reduced by Tk 2 per litre to Tk 133, the senior secretary said after the 7th meeting of the ‘Task Force on Review of Commodity Prices and Market Situation’ at the conference room of the Ministry of Commerce at the Secretariat. The price reduction will come into effect "within a few days," he said. Also read: 11 proposals including import of soybean oil, sugar get cabinet body’s nod The commerce secretary said: “Many issues were discussed in today's meeting, including the prices of soybean oil, onion, ginger and garlic. We’ve also discussed the current import situation.” “We’ve already reduced the price of onion after the decision to allow imports,” he said. Also read: Govt cuts soybean oil price by Tk 5 per litre, effective from Sunday The commerce secretary also said the price of edible oil may reduce further in the next 15 days, based on the reduction in price in the international market. According to the Ministry of Commerce, there is a demand for 20 lakh tonnes of edible oil annually in the country. Of this, the demand during the holy month of Ramadan is close to 3 lakh tonnes. Around 200,000 tons are produced locally, while the remainder is imported. Also read: TCB to buy 1.60 crore litres of soybean oil for OMS ahead of Ramadan

Bangladesh could soon start trading with India using rupee instead of US dollar, trial for which has been done by Bangladesh Bank recently.The ministry of commerce has placed a written recommendation at the last cabinet meeting regarding the possibility and opportunity of using rupee instead of dollar. Currently Bangladesh exports goods to India worth around USD 2 billion. “The use of rupee will start with Bangladesh's $2 billion trade with India. Bangladesh Bank has almost finished all kinds of trials in this regard. Trading in rupee will be introduced in both countries only after bilateral decision on some issues,” an executive director of Bangladesh Bank told UNB. Read More: Bangladesh Bank yet to allow Indian rupee in foreign trade Wishing anonymity, he said that banking systems in India and Bangladesh have to sign separate agreements on using rupee. Meanwhile India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) has submitted the total trade account to the central bank in the form of a proposal. This initiative is being taken to overcome the existing dollar crisis, sources said. Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Md Mezbaul Haque said that India-Bangladesh trade, using rupee instead of US dollar, is still in the experimental stage. Some issues still need to be settled. “There are some bilateral issues that need to be resolved. Then the banks have to prepare. But there will be a positive decision in this regard,” he added. Read More: Indian businesses eager to invest in various sectors In response to a question whether there will be a fixed annual dollar quota for opening LCs, he said, LCs will be opened according to the needs of businessmen. But the only source of rupees is from the export earnings of Bangladeshi goods in India. “We are importing more from India than we export. This is why there is a trade deficit. As a result, the amount of rupee is also being considered,” Mezbaul said. Currently India is trading in rupees with Russia, Mauritius, Iran and Sri Lanka. At the Bangladesh-India ministerial meeting on trade, held in the Indian capital New Delhi on December 22-23 last year, India proposed to introduce the rupee as a medium of trade for both countries. Read More: Bangladesh maintains close ties with all – China, US and India: PM tells CNN Then, on the sidelines of the meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors held in Bengaluru, India on February 24-25, there was a discussion between the two countries about moving the dollar as an exchange currency. There, Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rauf Talukder and Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das discussed the possibility of such a system using rupee instead of US dollar.

Makawadee Sumitmor, Ambassador of Thailand to Bangladesh, has handed over "Thai SELECT" certificate to Shamima Rahman, Managing Partner of Thai Emerald. Thai SELECT is a mark of certification awarded by the Ministry of Commerce, the Royal Thai Government to guarantee the authentic Thai taste of Thai food products and Thai restaurants in Thailand and overseas. The office of Commercial Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy and Thai Emerald jointly organized the Thai SELECT certificate giving ceremony at Thai Emerald in the city on Thursday afternoon. Khemathat Archawathamrong, Director of Thai Trade center Dhaka, Vachirachai Sirisampan, Director and Vaishali Sharma, Marketing Officer of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, New Delhi Office also attended the event among others. Also read: Thailand eyes FTA; shipping routes with Bangladesh This initiative helps people discover Thailand’s traditional flavours and encourages chefs and restaurants to strive for the highest quality in food, ingredients, and service. Awarded restaurants focus on upholding traditional Thai methods of cooking and aim to include authentic Thai ingredients throughout their menus. Where ingredients from Thailand cannot be sourced, Thai SELECT restaurants substitute with local options that allow the flavours of Thailand to be honoured. The award is divided in two categories; Thai ready-to-eat/ready-to-cook products and Thai restaurants. The symbol is given to restaurants in three categories, assessed by type of restaurant, decoration, and level of food and service excellence. The categories are Thai SELECT Signature, Thai SELECT Classic and Thai SELECT Casual. Thai SELECT Signature is the highest level of accreditation, given to restaurants that exceed all of the criteria. Restaurants awarded this certification personify authentic Thai characteristics, serve Thai food made with quality ingredients, offer an elevated setting, and provide outstanding service. At present Thai Emerald, Gulshan has achieved this level in Bangladesh. Currently, 1,354 Thai SELECT certified restaurants are available across the world. Also read: Bangladesh, Thailand make good progress towards FTA: Thai envoy Among them, there are 456 in USA, 297 in Europe, 357 in Asia, 88 in ASEAN, 106 in Australia, 24 in Africa and 26 restaurants in the Middle East. There were 3 Thai SELECT certified restaurants in Bangladesh. But at present, only Thai Emerald, Gulshan is continuing the business.