ILO ratification demands labour reforms in Bangladesh
The rights groups welcome the move as a long-overdue response to workers’ demands
23 October 2025, 12:59 PM
BBS still relies on paper for 60% of data
Economists advocate for autonomy, resources and expertise
19 October 2025, 18:51 PM
Business Plus / Between dreams and debt
Excessive recruitment fees, low salaries, and permit costs trap Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia
10 October 2025, 18:00 PM
It will take political govt at least 3 years to stabilise economy
Says DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed
4 October 2025, 20:10 PM
Business person of the year / From family business to global player
Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, chairman and CEO of Pran-RFL Group, has been named the recipient of this year’s Business Person of the Year, one of the most prestigious accolades presented at the Bangladesh Business Awards.
1 October 2025, 18:00 PM
Lifetime achievement award / ‘Business people shouldn’t get into politics’
In an era when the lines between business and politics often blur, M Anis Ud Dowla, one of the most respected names in Bangladesh’s corporate history, offers a sharp counterpoint. The chairman of Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Ltd believes the two should remain firmly apart, and his own career stands as an argument for why.
1 October 2025, 18:00 PM
Opinion / Don't let Khagrachhari unrest pass silently
The crisis in Khagrachhari is rooted in deeper fractures.
30 September 2025, 04:00 AM
Tariff hurdles stall Bangladesh’s export growth in Malaysia
Despite strong diplomatic and economic ties, Bangladeshi exporters continue to face steep tariff and non-tariff barriers in the Malaysian market, constraining trade growth and widening the bilateral imbalance.
20 September 2025, 18:42 PM
After Australia food success, Bangladeshi expat eyes investment back home
Eighteen years ago, a young man from Narayanganj landed in Melbourne with a suitcase full of ambition and just a few hundred dollars to his name. Today, that man – Md Shamim – owns 108 Subway outlets across Australia, ranking him among the franchise's largest global operators.
8 April 2025, 18:01 PM
Rubber producers hit by price slump, security strains
Bangladesh’s natural rubber industry, once a bright spot in the economy, is losing its lustre as slumping demand and volatile law and order in the greater Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) send prices tumbling.
6 April 2025, 18:00 PM
Rising costs erode business competitiveness
Bangladesh, long regarded as a cost-competitive destination and once hailed as the next Asian tiger, is now grappling with mounting pressure as the cost of doing business is rising sharply across key sectors.
5 April 2025, 18:00 PM
Footwear exporters see opportunity in US tariffs
As the United States moves to impose reciprocal tariffs, concerns are mounting among Bangladeshi exporters, particularly in the footwear and pharmaceutical sectors, over potential implications for the country’s trade prospects.
3 April 2025, 19:03 PM
Yunus-Modi meet: Restoring mutual trust key objective
Restoring confidence in Dhaka-Delhi ties will be the key objective of the meeting between Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok today, diplomatic sources said.
3 April 2025, 18:03 PM
Rural demand fuels Eid electronics sales
Rural people have emerged as key consumers of home appliances ahead of this year’s Eid festival, as surging remittance inflows and good prices for agricultural produce, particularly rice, have boosted their purchasing power, according to electronics manufacturers and sellers.
29 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Half of Japanese firms optimistic about profit growth in 2025: survey
After a challenging year, Japanese companies in Bangladesh are eyeing 2025 with cautious optimism, as 50 percent anticipate a rise in operating profits despite persistent hurdles.
22 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Consumer uncertainty weighs on electronics sales
The electronics and home appliance sector in Bangladesh is facing one of its most challenging periods in recent years due to inflation, currency devaluation and declining consumer spending on non-essential items.
15 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Economic slowdown lowers container handling at Mongla port
Mongla port, the second largest seaport in Bangladesh, witnessed a sharp decline in container handling throughout the first seven months of the current fiscal year (FY), with growing economic constraints eroding business activities in the country.
15 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Falling SME sales shake economic backbone
If the macroeconomic stress does not ease soon, these small ventures, which contribute 32 percent of the country's GDP and employ 85 percent of the industrial workforce, face closure.
15 March 2025, 18:00 PM
A business titan with unshakable ethical values
The business world often thrives on boldness, but in Syed Manzur Elahi, Bangladesh found something more: a quiet fortitude, a moral compass, and an entrepreneurial mind that always seeks to build.
12 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Syed Manzur Elahi: a visionary entrepreneur and nation-builder
Syed Manzur Elahi was one of Bangladesh’s most distinguished industrialists and entrepreneurs.
12 March 2025, 04:52 AM
Bangladesh needs one lakh flats annually
Bangladesh requires around 100,000 new apartments every year. Despite having the capacity to meet this demand, realtors can only supply 8 percent of the required units, leaving a substantial gap.
8 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Corruption still unbridled for businesses
Although the interim government is focusing on reforms and new measures, corruption remains a major concern for businesses. Instead of waning, demands for undue payments by public officials have increased in some cases, said a top industrialist.
1 March 2025, 18:00 PM
Declining investments dampen growth outlook
Bangladesh’s investment-to-GDP ratio declined by 0.25 percentage points to 30.70 percent in the fiscal year (FY) 2023-24, according to official data, signalling a potential slowdown in future economic growth.
13 February 2025, 18:00 PM
Local AC industry seeks ‘fair’ govt procurement policy
Local air conditioner (AC) manufacturers in Bangladesh are pushing for “fair” government procurement policies, arguing that existing rules favour foreign brands despite local companies meeting global standards.
8 February 2025, 18:00 PM
In fragile trust, economy falters
Over the last several years, Ahsan, a rickshaw puller in his 50s, has been eagerly waiting for relief from the high prices of food and other essentials. Days and months have passed, but his pursuit of a better living by escaping the curse of elevated inflation has remained a distant dream.
8 February 2025, 18:00 PM
Waning foreign investment a wake-up call for policymakers
The inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Bangladesh is facing critical challenges as a plethora of factors have caused it to stagnate to a mere 0.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in recent years.
25 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Bangladesh must switch to hollow blocks to reduce pollution
Clay bricks cost Tk 12 per piece. A hollow block, which is four times larger than a clay brick, is priced at Tk 50.
22 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Chinese firms bullish on manmade fibre exports to Bangladesh
Non-cotton garments are particularly lucrative, fetching higher prices than traditional cottonwear for having better flexibility, durability
18 January 2025, 18:00 PM