United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka and Chattogram stock markets opened higher on Tuesday, the third trading day of the week, with most company shares advancing. At the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the benchmark index DSEX gained 16 points. The Shariah-based DSES rose 7 points while the blue-chip index DS30 added 9 points. Of the issues traded, 232 advanced, 78 declined and 65 remained unchanged. Shares and units worth over Tk 170 crore changed hands on the DSE during the early trading session. Turnover at DSE crosses Tk 950cr after 15 days Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also saw an upward trend, with its overall index rising by 32 points. Of the issues traded, 24 advanced, 13 declined and 7 remained unchanged. Shares and units worth Tk 24 lakh were transacted at the CSE in the first 30 minutes of trading.

The name of the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) is being changed to Dhaka Trade Fair (DTF). The word 'International' will be dropped from the name, a decision made during the 148th board meeting of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Monday. The fair has been held since 1995, and is jointly organized by the Ministry of Commerce and the EPB. The change was announced in a press release from the Ministry of Commerce. The ministry stated that the original goal of the DITF was to allow foreign companies to directly showcase quality products and technology and familiarize themselves with the local market. However, many foreign companies have been participating through local agents rather than as part of an embassy or government delegation. This has made it difficult to verify the quality of goods and services, and sometimes substandard or locally-made products are presented under foreign brand names, which deceives buyers and harms the fair's international image. The board meeting, held at the EPB conference room, was chaired by Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin. Other attendees included Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, EPB Vice-Chairman Md. Anwar Hossain, Additional Secretary (Export) Abdur Rahim Khan, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, and Metro Chamber President Kamran Tanvir Rahman. In addition to the name change, the board approved the fair calendar for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and a partial calendar for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Sk. Bashir Uddin emphasized the need for a thorough analysis of all foreign fairs to ensure effective participation that expands the market for Bangladeshi products. The EPB also announced a new initiative to organize a separate "International Sourcing Fair" to expand the global market for export-oriented industries. This new fair, titled "Sourcing Bangladesh 2025," was approved to be held in November. The Commerce Secretary highlighted that organizing a sourcing fair is crucial for increasing the recognition of domestic products in the international arena and developing national capacity. He also stressed the importance of promoting the sourcing fair through Bangladeshi embassies abroad.  

Bangladesh Bank has extended the usance period (deferred payment) of Letter of Credit (LC) for importing industrial raw materials, agricultural implements, and chemical fertilizers to 360 days, up from 180 days.   The extension applies to imports made under suppliers' or buyers' credit and is valid until December 31, 2025.   The new regulation was announced in a foreign exchange circular, issued by the Foreign Exchange Policy Department of Bangladesh Bank on Monday (August 18).   The extension, which had been in effect since January 20, 2025, was set to expire but has now been confirmed to remain valid until the end of the year.   The circular clarifies that the extended usance period does not apply to imports financed by Export Development Fund (EDF) loans.    

The turnover at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) crossed Tk 650 crore in the first three hours of trading on Monday, with key indices moving up as most shares gained. During the first half of the session, the benchmark DSEX index advanced by 30 points, while the Shariah-based DSES gained 12 points and the blue-chip DS-30 index added 9 points. Of the issues traded, 143 advanced, 71 declined and 57 remained unchanged. The DSE saw a turnover of over Tk 650 crore in shares and units during the period. Indices rally at DSE, CSE as turnover, share prices rise Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also witnessed an uptrend, with its overall index gaining 26 points. Among the issues traded on the CSE, 147 gained, 86 declined and 35 remained unchanged. The turnover at the bourse stood at Tk 9 crore in the first three hours.

Another consignment of 202 metric tonnes of onions has arrived in Bangladesh from India through the Bhomra land port in Satkhira. Import of onions from India resumed through the land port after remaining suspended for four months and 20 days. Abu Musa, general secretary of Bhomra C&F Agents Association, said, “202 metric tons of Indian onions arrived in seven trucks through Bhomra port. The consignment was imported by M/s Ayon Traders. Several more trucks carrying onions are waiting at India’s Ghojadanga land port for entry.” 100 metric tonnes of Indian onion arrive at Sonamasjid Land Port Md Shawkat Hossain, assistant commissioner of Bhomra Customs, said last consignment of onions was imported through Bhomra port on March 27 this year. The import follows a directive from Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin, who announced the move  on August 12 in an effort to stabilise onion prices.

Expatriates sent US$1.26 billion in remittances to Bangladesh in the first 16 days of August, according to the latest data from Bangladesh Bank. With this, the total remittance inflows in the current fiscal year 2025–26 (from July to August 16) have reached $3.74 billion. The steady inflow of remittances has boosted the country’s gross foreign exchange reserves, which climbed to $30.81 billion on Sunday, up from $25.81 billion, as measured under the IMF’s BPM6 standard. During the same period last year, remittances stood at $1.11 billion, marking a year-on-year rise of $152 million or 13.7 percent growth compared to the first 16 days of FY2024–25. In July alone, the first month of FY2025–26, remittances hit a record $2.48 billion. The central bank report also shows a strong year-on-year growth of 23.7 percent for July to August 16 of FY2025–26, compared to the same period in FY2024–25. The last fiscal year (FY2024–25) witnessed a historic milestone as remittance inflows reached $30.33 billion, a 27 percent jump from the $23.74 billion recorded in FY2023–24. This set a new all-time high amount for a single fiscal year.

Bangladesh Bank has issued a master circular consolidating all existing instructions on import transactions into a single document. The move is expected to make import-related policies clearer and simpler for all parties involved. The master circular, which was issued on Thursday, August 14, will remain in effect for one year. It provides comprehensive guidelines on various aspects of importing, including ‘Letters of Credit (LCs)’, remittances, imports under purchase agreements, supplier and buyer credit, e-delivery of software, domestic LCs in foreign currency, and imports for special economic zones like EPZs, Hi-Tech Parks, as well as for gold, silver, and jewelry. This initiative follows a similar master circular issued by the central bank last month for the export sector. Stakeholders have welcomed the new circular for the import sector, stating that it will make it easier for both importers and banks to understand the policies. They also believe it will enhance the alignment of the country's policies with international trade standards. Business leaders have expressed hope that similar master circulars will be issued in the future for areas like foreign loans, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), overseas investments, and foreign currency accounts. They believe this would further increase the transparency and ease of international transactions.

Bangladesh received US$ 1.14 billion in remittances in the first 13 days of August of the fiscal year 2025-26. According to the latest data from the Bangladesh Bank, the amount was $889 million during the same period of the previous fiscal year. The central bank's report, released Thursday (Aug 14), shows a significant year-on-year increase of $255 million or 28.6 percent monthly growth compared to August 1-13 days of FY2024-25. The expatriates sent a record US$2.48 billion remittance in the first month of the fiscal year 2025-26. The central bank's report showed a significant year-on-year increase of 29. percent in FY2025-26 compared to July to August (13 days) of the previous FY2024-25, when remittances totalled $ 3.62 billion. In the FY2024-25 fiscal year also saw a record-breaking remittance inflow, with a total of $30.33 billion. This represents a 27 percent increase from the $23.74 billion received in the FY2023-24, setting a new all-time high for a single fiscal year, he pointed out. The continuous rise in remittance inflow is bringing stability to the economy and providing much-needed relief to the country's dollar supply, said Arif Hosain, spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has sought bank account details of three former governors and six former deputy governors of the Bangladesh Bank. The move comes following a request from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) as part of an investigation into allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the banking sector. The three former governors are Dr Atiur Rahman, Fazle Kabir and Abdur Rouf Talukder, all of whom served during the 15-and-a-half-year rule of the Awami League government. The allegations suggest that the country’s banking sector was systematically weakened during their tenure. The six deputy governors whose bank accounts have been subpoenaed are Sitangshu Kumar Sur Chowdhury (SK Sur), Masud Biswas, SM Moniruzzaman, Abu Hena Mohammad Razee Hasan, Kazi Saidur Rahman and Abu Farah Mohammad Naser. Allegations Against Former Governors Dr Atiur Rahman’s tenure was allegedly marked by a weak regulatory oversight, which is said to have enabled financial scandals such as the Hall-Mark and Basic Bank loan scams. He is also accused of being a ‘mastermind’ behind the cover-up of the 2016 Bangladesh Bank reserve heist, an event that ultimately led to his resignation. BFIU seeks account details of Islami Bank chairman, family During his time as governor, Fazle Kabir allegedly approved the controversial takeover of Islami Bank Bangladesh and Social Islami Bank by the S Alam Group. According to the information, he allegedly approved these takeovers in the dead of night, paving the way for large-scale looting at the banks. He is also accused of relaxing loan policies to conceal default loans, keeping interest rates artificially low at 9 percent and introducing methods for loan defaulters to get off with minimal payments. Serving as governor for two years, Abdur Rouf Talukder is said to have made numerous controversial decisions. He resigned from a secret location after the fall of the Awami League government. The report claims that his tenure saw the continuation of fraudulent loan distribution and that he failed to address irregularities, with allegations that he became an accomplice to the businesspeople involved. He reportedly issued a new policy offering significant concessions to loan defaulters and allegedly had new money printed to provide funds to S Alam Group banks. According to sources, the three former governors have largely remained out of the public eye since the change in government. BFIU prepares to recover Tk 15,000 crore from seized accounts Dr Atiur is believed to have left the country following the fall of the Hasina government, although his passport has been ‘blocked’ over his alleged link to the reserve heist. Fazle Kabir is believed to still be in Bangladesh but has not appeared in public, while Abdur Rouf Talukder reportedly went into hiding after August 5, though he is also thought to remain in the country. Deputy Governors Also Under Scrutiny Among the former deputy governors, SK Sur Chowdhury and Masud Biswas, the latter a former chief of the BFIU, are now behind bars on charges of amassing wealth beyond their known sources of income. The report also makes serious allegations against the others, accusing SM Moniruzzaman of halting bank inspections during his tenure; former BFIU chief Razee Hasan of failing to act against money laundering under his watch; Kazi Saidur Rahman of triggering turmoil in the foreign currency market; and Abu Farah Mohammad Naser of crippling the banking sector by excessively relaxing loan policies.    

Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, member of the BNP Standing Committee, said that news of an upcoming election has restored confidence among investors, dispelling uncertainty and prompting many to prepare for new investments. He made these remarks during a session titled "Bangladesh's Economic Context: Growth and Potential" at the 'Foreign Investors Summit 2025' held Wednesday at a hotel in Dhaka. The summit was organised by BRAC EPL Stock Brokerage Limited. Khosru noted that the news of an election has reached both domestic and international entrepreneurs, leading to renewed interest. He cited the presence of a large Japanese delegation at the summit as evidence of this growing interest. He emphasised that to achieve a sustainable and high-level economy, increasing investment is the only viable solution. Khosru stressed that a strong capital market is essential for long-term financing, as relying on loans or printing money is not a sustainable way to run an economy. Bangladesh’s capital market offers limitless growth opportunities: Dr Anisuzzaman He also highlighted the importance of branding products, providing technical and economic support, and ensuring direct access to the global market for investors. During the opening session, Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, special assistant to the Chief Adviser for Finance, said that while many countries face economic crises after government changes, Bangladesh is a notable exception. He pointed out that despite the recent mass uprising and government change, there has been no significant impact on the country's GDP, and inflation has actually decreased. He called this a "miraculous achievement." Anisuzzaman also highlighted the recent success of Bangladesh's capital market, which he said reflects the country's stable economy. Last month, Bangladesh was ranked third among Asian countries for its stock market's performance, a remarkable recovery for a market that was once known for being plagued by malpractices. He added that the interim government is actively working to build a strong and well-governed capital market. He also addressed the attendees, encouraging both foreign and domestic investors, stating that it is a great time to invest in Bangladesh and that the capital market is ready for long-term investment. The panel discussion also featured speeches from M Masrur Reaz, chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh; Md. Saifuddin, CFA, Commissioner of BSEC; Takao Hirose, managing director of Contextual Investment LLC; and Ruchir Desai, CFA, Fund Manager at Asia Frontier Investment Limited. Bangladesh economy shows modest recovery amid persistent challenges: MCCI The meeting was attended by investors, business representatives, capital market experts, and policymakers from various countries.