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
Motorcycle sales hit six-year low
Interestingly, the premium motorcycle segment bucked the trend, showing significant growth in 2024.
18 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Polythene ban: A litmus test for will and eco-innovation
Although Bangladesh became the first country in the world to announce a complete ban on the use of polythene bags in 2002, strict enforcement of the much-lauded initiative has only started taking shape recently.
17 January 2025, 18:00 PM
Inflation, political uncertainty eat through furniture recovery
After two years of sluggish business, local furniture makers saw a slight improvement in sales in June, only to meet with nationwide student protests culminating in a fierce anti-government campaign that ultimately ousted the Awami League regime in early August.
28 December 2024, 18:00 PM
REHAB fair gives realtors a reality check
Real estate developers in Bangladesh participating in REHAB Fair-2024 were unsure of the event’s potential outcome until yesterday, when the sparse presence of visitors, let alone potential buyers, gave a reality check of the persistent economic challenges.
26 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Geyser sales pick up as winter bites
Like last year, there is a good demand for electricity-run residential water heaters, locally known as geysers, since the coming of winter this year thanks to changing lifestyles in semi-urban and urban areas and affordable prices, according to industry insiders.
25 December 2024, 18:00 PM
As dollar jumps, old inflation battle to get tougher in new year
After a four-month lull, US dollar prices made an abrupt jump in December, making imports more expensive and pushing up business costs.
24 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Non-leather footwear on course to half-billion export club
Bangladesh’s synthetic and athletic footwear exports have been growing rapidly, emerging as a bright spot in the country’s export basket, which is heavily dominated by readymade garments.
16 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Investment abroad hits $2b in 6 years
Bangladesh has long been hungry for foreign direct investments (FDI) but that has also been coupled with the outflow of funds through local companies seeking to generate business abroad.
7 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Businesses call to curb red tape, corruption to spur investment
Investment barriers at the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms (RJSC) must be addressed immediately to bolster investor confidence and increase investment growth, according to experts and top business leaders.
7 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Businesses should be allowed to operate in peace
The business community had to toe the government line during the Awami League rule of the past 15 years, Mohammed Amirul Haque, managing director of Premier Cement Mills, told The Daily Star in an interview recently.
15 November 2024, 18:02 PM
Graft was biggest hurdle in drawing FDI over last 15yrs
Says Ashik Chowdhury, head of government’s key investment promotion agencies BIDA, BEZA
3 November 2024, 18:00 PM
Map out economic priorities
The head of DCCI has urged the government to map out its economic priorities once the committee to prepare a white paper on the economy, and other task forces on various reform agendas finish their jobs.
30 October 2024, 18:00 PM
I have learnt to respect workers: Kihak Sung
Kihak Sung, chairman of Youngone Corporation and a pioneer in Bangladesh’s readymade garments (RMG) and textile sectors, has been instrumental in the country’s rise as a major global exporter.
26 October 2024, 18:00 PM
Bida’s one-stop service plagued by non-stop negligence
Services rendered by government agencies through a single-window platform to facilitate business remain marred by unscrupulous activities, despite expectations of improvement among entrepreneurs under the interim government.
26 October 2024, 18:00 PM
Rate hike further dampens investment mood
In an effort to curb stubbornly high inflation, the central bank’s latest interest rate hike has sparked concerns among the business community as they argue that the increased cost of borrowing will strain their existing ventures and dampen future expansion plans.
22 October 2024, 18:00 PM
Wheels of change: Bangladesh’s journey to self-sufficiency in motorcycle manufacture
It was once beyond anyone’s wildest imagination that Bangladesh would become a motorcycle manufacturing hub. Only seven years ago, the country relied on imports to meet 95 percent of its demand for motorbikes.
18 October 2024, 18:00 PM
Demand for luxury apartments near nil
Luxury apartment sales have dwindled to almost nil ever since the recent political changeover as people have become cautious about spending amid the ensuing economic uncertainty, according to industry insiders.
13 October 2024, 18:00 PM
Holidaymakers throng beach towns amid Durga Puja festival
The recent rise in travellers comes as a relief for the tourism industry in Cox's Bazar, Kuakata and Sylhet as these regions were suffering from low turnout in July, August and September this year.
10 October 2024, 15:56 PM
Tension in the hills hits tourism
Empty hotels, unsold fruits at roadside vendors and idle jeeps at stands -- these are the adverse sights in the south-eastern hill districts of Khagrachhari and Rangamati, two popular tourist destinations in Bangladesh, following the recent deadly violence.
3 October 2024, 18:00 PM
Steel sales slump by about 50% as govt projects come to a halt
The demand for steel in Bangladesh has almost halved over the past two months as most construction works have been halted following the recent political changeover, according to industry people.
1 October 2024, 18:00 PM