Summit Group has urged the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation - Petrobangla to reconsider a notice to terminate the country’s third Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (“FSRU”), know as LNG Terminal, project. In a press release, it said the termination was not only invalid but that any delay to the project, for which Summit has already invested approximately USD 20 million on implementation, could result in further energy insecurity in Bangladesh. It mentioned that Summit LNG Terminal II Co. Ltd. (SLNG-II), a Dhaka subsidiary of Singapore-based Summit Power International Limited (SPIL), wrote to Petrobangla to raise its objections to the notice. Petrobangla and the Bangladesh Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources on 14 January 2025 issued a letter notifying that certain conditions under the Terminal Use Agreement (TUA) signed earlier with SLNG-II had purportedly not been fulfilled and as such the TUA is terminated. SLNG-II had signed the TUA and implementation agreement (IA) for the 3rd FSRU on 30 March 2024 with Petrobangla and the Government of Bangladesh respectively. The TUA and IA were legally vetted and approved by the Cabinet Committee on 12 December 2023. The 3rd FSRU, the second such project in Bangladesh undertaken by Summit Group, has a planned regasification capacity of 600 million standard cubic feet per day, which would require investment of about USD 550 million coming in as foreign direct investment (FDI). However, on 7 October 2024, Petrobangla notified that the project in southeast Bangladesh would be terminated. Since then, Summit Group has obtained legal advice from both local and international legal firms which affirmed that such termination is invalid pursuant to the terms of the TUA. Based on such advice, Summit Group engaged with Petrobangla and the Government of Bangladesh to reconsider the decision. Petrobangla’s notice of 14 January 2025 states that the decision to terminate was on the basis that a performance bond (PB) for the project was not submitted by SLNG-II but by its local parent, SCL; that the submission of the PB did not comply with an agreed template; and that the PB was not submitted within a 90-day stipulated deadline. In response, Summit Group said, the SPIL, citing advice from renowned law firms Herbert Smith Freehills of Singapore and Dr Kamal Hossain & Associates, said Petrobangla had earlier acknowledged receipt of the PB submitted in the form of a bank guarantee, which does not provide any less security.  

The three-day 19th Cairo Int’l Leather and Shoes Fair 2025 will begin in Cairo, Egypt on Thursday. The event will take place from January 23-25, 2025 at Cairo International Convention Center, Egypt where Bangladesh will be represented at Pavilion A52, said a press release issued on Wednesday. Leading Bangladeshi leather, footwear and leather goods companies such A.S Leather, Loretta Leather, Al Madina, Gardenia Footwear and Nobabee Footware will be participating in the premier international leather and accessories exhibition.  Dhaka Int’l Trade Fair: Families flock to Purbachal venue despite distance This Meet Bangladesh Sourcing Show (MBS) is introduced by Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) Project under the ministry of commerce to showcase the eminent leather, footwear (leather and non-leather) and leather goods sector of Bangladesh.  The primary objective of the EC4J project is to strengthen export market linkages for potential leather and footwear sectors by showcasing Bangladesh as a credible sourcing destination.  BGMEA chief stresses fair pricing for industry sustainability Bangladesh is a lucrative destination for the global buyer community having competitive workforce boosting exports, having duty-free market access to developed countries, being an established sourcing destination and by having availability of linkage industries.

The government has initiated measures to send 18,000 workers, who were unable to travel to Malaysia within the stipulated time despite holding visas, by March and April, said Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Ruhul Amin on Wednesday. “If the Malaysian government says they will take workers within 15 days, we will also send them within 15 days. Now everything depends on Malaysia,” he said while talking to the reporters at the Secretariat. Asked about the ‘long process’, he said, "We hope that the way the talk is going on, it will not take too long. We hope to be able to fix everything in February. We can start sending workers in March-April.” Demonstration of stranded workers halts traffic for 3 hrs at Karwan Bazar The current government recently formed a committee and two meetings have taken place, yielding some progress, he said. Replying to a question about the method of the process, Ruhul Amin said, “We hope to have another meeting at the end of February. We have been given all the information we need to give. They also shared their information with us. The way they approached us, they accepted a lot of things in principle. But everything is not finalised yet.” Ruhul Amin went on to say, “We have made proposals, which they will approve after a ministry-level discussion. Then, the final process will begin. However, they agreed with us. The process will continue step by step.” Earlier, in the day, vehicular movement at Karwanbazar remained suspended for nearly three hours as a group of stranded migrant workers staged demonstrations demanding government steps to ensure their return to Malaysia. FDI Attraction: MoFA wants missions abroad to work out strategies The workers were supposed to travel to Malaysia through recruiting agencies on May 31, 2024 but due to ticket complications they were unable to travel. On October 5, 2024, Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul said that Malaysia has agreed to receive 18,000 Bangladeshi workers who previously missed the deadline to enter the country.

One more death was reported from dengue in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to nine this year. During the period, 32 more patients were hospitalised with viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of them, one dengue patient was admitted in hospital under Dhaka North City Corporation while nine were hospitalized in Dhaka South City Corporation.  Read: 24 dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs Some 196 patients are receiving treatment in different hospitals across the country. Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people. In 2023, 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record. The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries in the same year.

Vehicular movement at Karwan Bazar remained suspended for nearly three hours as a group of stranded migrant workers staged demonstration demanding government steps to ensure their return to Malaysia. Witnesses said the workers took to the street around 9 am, halting vehicular movement. The workers were supposed to travel to Malaysia through recruiting agencies on May 31, 2024 but due to ticket complications they were unable to travel. CNG drivers’ protests cause severe traffic jam at Mohakhali The demonstration created huge traffic gridlock at Farmgate, Bangla Motor, Panthapath and adjacent areas, causing suffering to commuters. Traffic Inspector Anwar Kabir  said the traffic movement returned to normal around 12 pm after they left the roads. The protesters later marched towards the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment to press home their demand. Bhorer Kagoj shuts down operations; workers stage protests They were staging demonstrations in front of the ministry till the filling of this report around 3 pm. On October 5, 2024, Dr. Asif Nazrul, Adviser to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment said that Malaysia has agreed to receive 18,000 Bangladeshi workers who previously missed the deadline to enter the country.

Traders of Bangladesh and Pakistan have called for the removal of customs and non-customs barriers between the two countries to enhance trade between the two countries. They made the call at a meeting held between the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and a business delegation from Pakistan in Gulshan on Wednesday. Bangladeshi traders said they see great potential in importing dates, oranges and other fruits and agricultural products from Pakistan to meet the demand throughout the year including during holy Ramadan. They also think that there is a potential for exporting various Bangladeshi products to Pakistan. Bangladesh to import 100,000mt of rice from India and Pakistan The meeting was presided over by FBCCI Administrator Md. Hafizur Rahman. In his welcome address, he said that there is a huge demand for dates in Bangladesh during the month of Ramadan. The demand for other fruits also increases during this time and there is huge demand for fruits in the local market throughout the year, he said. “Pakistan can be an affordable and easily available source of fruits and agricultural products for Bangladesh,” said the FBCCI Administrator.” Stressing on the growth of bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Pakistan, Md. Hafizur Rahman said there is an opportunity to expand trade between the two countries through joint initiatives and mutual cooperation in the private sector. Bangladesh to import Atap rice from Pakistan, MoU signed He also emphasised the importance of signing a Bangladesh-Pakistan trade agreement. Businessmen from both countries emphasised the development of logistics, supply chain, cold storage, packaging and goods transportation systems to facilitate and expand trade between Bangladesh and Pakistan.  

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has issued several notifications by re-fixing the rates of VAT, Supplementary Duty and Excise Duty on some goods and services, which were increased on January 9, aiming to strengthen the country's economic base. The government had issued the "Value Added Tax and Supplementary Duty (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025" and "The Excises and Salt Act (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025" on January 9, 2025. Later, considering the requests of various professional organizations, civil society and stakeholders, in the larger public interest, the National Board of Revenue has issued 4 new notifications on Wednesday reducing the existing VAT rate, VAT deduction rate at source and Supplementary Duty rate on some goods and services. Medicines: In order to make medical services more accessible to all sections of the population, the increased VAT rate on the pharmaceutical industry at the business level has been completely withdrawn and the previous rate of 2.4% has been maintained. Read more: VAT on hotels, restaurants to be revised to previous level: NBR With the withdrawal of the additional VAT imposed on medicines, the continuous development of the pharmaceutical industry will continue and the price of medicines will not increase at the general consumer level. Mobile Phone and ISP Services: In order to continue the ongoing digitization activities of the country and to create a modern IT-savvy young generation and increase online-based activities, the increased supplementary duty on services provided through the use of mobile phone SIM/RIM cards and the newly imposed supplementary duty on ISP services have been completely withdrawn. With the complete withdrawal of the increased/newly imposed supplementary duty on mobile phone and ISP services, the cost of consumers in these two sectors will not increase. Restaurants: In order to facilitate the large population of the country to consume food in restaurants at affordable prices, the additional VAT imposed on all restaurants except three-star, four-star and five-star hotels has been completely withdrawn. Read more: VAT reduction on medicines recommended: Health Adviser As a result of the complete withdrawal of the additional VAT, the general public will be able to consume food in these restaurants at the previous price. Motor vehicle garages and workshops: In the public interest, the increased VAT rate has been completely withdrawn in the case of motor vehicle garage and workshop services. As a result of the complete withdrawal of the additional VAT, the price of the related service will not increase. Others: In the same consideration, the additional VAT imposed on the marketing of other clothes except for own-brand ready-made clothes has been completely withdrawn. In addition, the VAT rate on services has been reduced from 15 percent to 10 percent in the case of non-AC hotels, dessert shops, and marketing of own-brand ready-made clothes. Read more: Commerce Adviser defends govt’s move to increase VAT A press release from NBR said that that in the larger interest of the people of the country, in the last few months, the National Board of Revenue has provided massive tax exemptions on import duty, regulatory duty, VAT, advance income tax and advance tax on edible oil, sugar, potatoes, eggs, onions, rice, dates and pesticides. In order to ensure easy availability of books for students at all levels of Bangladesh, to establish a modern and information technology-based education system and to improve the quality of the education system, VAT exemption has been provided for e-book services at the local supply and import level. VAT exemption has been provided on the fast, safe and environment-friendly metro rail service for its important role in reducing traffic congestion. In addition, the National Board of Revenue has completely withdrawn the excise duty on Hajj tickets in order to reduce the expenses of Hajj passengers.

The body of an unidentified man, believed to be in his mid-40s, was found hanging from a tree opposite to Dhaka University’s Mathematics Building, near the Central Shaheed Minar, early Tuesday. Officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station Khalid Mansur said that the body was retrieved with assistance from the fire service and sent to Dhaka Medical College morgue for an autopsy. He clarified that the deceased was not affiliated with the university and appeared to be an outsider. Sub-inspector Sheikh Hadiuzzaman said they were informed about the incident at 8:45 am. "We rushed to the scene and brought the body down from a mahogany tree on the sidewalk opposite to the Mathematics Department," he said. Read: Youth stabbed dead by ‘mugger’ in Dhaka According to locals, the man had been living on the footpath in the area and reportedly suffered from a mental health disorder. “Preliminary investigation suggests that he climbed the tree and took his own life some time Tuesday night. The investigation is ongoing,” the sub-inspector said. Further details will emerge following the autopsy report and ongoing inquiries, he added.

The northern district of Kurigram has been experiencing severe cold amid dense fog, disrupting daily life, said locals on Wednesday. The fog has been spawning drizzle since early morning, causing suffering of low-income people, day-labourers, children and senior citizens. People aren’t coming out of homes unless emergency. Vehicles are operating with headlights on to prevent any unwanted incident. The district recorded a temperature of 12.3 degree Celsius at 9am. Though the temperature increased slightly on Wednesday compared to Tuesday, the density of the fog aggravated. Rahim Uddin, a farmer from Jatrapur union of Kurigram Sadar upazila, said the Magh month sees severe cold and disrupts their daily work. Read: Severe cold grips Kurigram, low-income residents hit hard The suffering of the poor will mount if such fog continues, he said, adding that the sunlight wasn’t seen till 11am. The district headquarters’ bus driver Makbul Hossain said they have to operate vehicles keeping the headlights to avoid accidents. Subal Chandra Sarker, an official at Rajarhat Weather Office in Kurigram, forecast that the temperature might drop on Thursday in the district.

A search is underway on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Rome to Dhaka following a bomb threat. The passengers have been kept in the terminal building and no one has been allowed to go through immigration until the aircraft is declared completely safe. According to airport sources, the Bomb Disposal Unit is conducting searches inside the plane, including the seats, corridors, toilets and café. Read more: Biman's capability in ground handling at ‘Third Terminal’ under scrutiny Although passengers were urgently disembarked, their hand luggage remains on the plane and will be searched one by one. Group Captain Kamrul Islam, executive director of Shahjalal Airport, informed the media in a message, “A bomb threat was received at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport from an unknown number. Following the threat, Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-356 made an emergency landing at Hazrat Shahjalal Airport at 9:20 am on Wednesday (January 22).” The flight had departed from Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Rome at 8:00 pm local time on Tuesday (January 21).