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
Automobile sales drop amid economic downturn, political jitters
Automobile sales have dropped substantially since July this year amidst the economic downturn and political turmoil, denting any hopes of recovering from last year’s slump, according to market insiders.
26 September 2024, 18:00 PM
No progress in upgrading six closed sugar mills as prices soar
The fate of six state-owned sugar mills remains uncertain as there has been no upgrading progress since those were closed three and a half years ago, contributing to soaring prices of the sweetener in the local market.
25 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Assembled by Meghna, three brand new KIA SUVs hit the road
Meghna Automobiles, the automotive arm of Meghna Group, began selling three locally assembled sport utility vehicles (SUVs) of South Korean automobile manufacturer KIA recently.
22 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Cement demand plummets as public projects lie dormant
Sales of cement nearly halved in the last couple of months as real estate developers shelved construction plans while public projects came screeching to a halt in the face of nationwide unrest and the sudden political changeover.
21 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Tyre makers gear up to fill void left by Gazi
Tyre makers in Bangladesh are ramping up production in a bid to expand their market share by catering to a potential supply shortage that may arise from the recent destruction of the Gazi Tyres factory in Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj.
19 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Tyre prices soar on rising costs for raw materials
Global hikes in tyre and tube-making raw materials rates and a factory rampage at local key manufacturer Gazi Tyres have caused a shortage and price hikes for the auto item used in lightweight two- and three-wheelers like motorbikes and auto-rickshaws.
18 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Gazi Tyres workers face the fallout of mindless destruction
Standing outside the charred ruins of the Gazi Tyres factory in Rupsi, Rupganj on September 9, Billal Hossain was staring at a bleak future.
17 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Beza to seek govt suggestion on fate of two Indian economic zones
The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) is likely to seek suggestions from top government officials over deciding the fate of two Indian special economic zones (SEZs), which have not seen any visible development over the past two years or so.
12 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Luxury hotels fall silent as business travellers fade away
Luxury hotels in Dhaka are yet to resume normal business activities as foreign and local clients do not feel confident in travelling to the country given that the overall situation is still unstable.
12 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Unrest hits industries
Workers from different sectors continued their demonstrations in Ashulia, Savar, Dhamrai, and Gazipur yesterday demanding equal rights in jobs, increase in salaries, and regularisation of contractual workers.
2 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Workers unrest: Production shuts at 10 RMG, 20 pharma units
Amid workers’ demonstrations for better pay, regularisation, and two-day weekend, production at some 10 garment and 20 pharmaceutical factories stopped on the outskirts of the capital on Saturday and yesterday.
1 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Beza looks to cancel SBG Economic Zone contract
The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) has sought approval from the interim government to terminate an agreement for establishing SBG Economic Zone Ltd inside the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) in Mirsarai of Chattogram.
1 September 2024, 18:00 PM
Workers’ protests: Many pharmas forced to halt production
Workers in as many as 20 pharmaceutical factories have been protesting for nine days to press home their 21-point demand, in a development that has compelled many factories to halt production.
31 August 2024, 18:00 PM
Business activities yet to come back on track
Flash floods across parts of the country, the lingering effects of recent nationwide political upheaval, and persistent inflationary pressure have prevented business activities from getting back on track, according to businesspeople.
29 August 2024, 18:00 PM
Key imports fall, painting bleak outlook for investment, jobs
Bangladesh’s imports of capital machinery, industrial raw materials, and intermediate goods fell for a second consecutive fiscal year, reflecting the depressed state of private investment and bleak prospects for new jobs.
25 August 2024, 18:00 PM
Govt cancels MoU with S Alam for modernising state sugar mills
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) and S Alam & Co, aimed at modernising ailing state-run sugar mills, has been cancelled by the government.
24 August 2024, 18:00 PM
Floods cripple key transport highway for third day
Transport activities, including movement of imported goods and those meant for exports, have been halted since Thursday as the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, the lifeline of the country’s economy, has been submerged by flash floods brought on by heavy rainfall and the rush of water from upstream.
24 August 2024, 18:00 PM
‘End facility bias favouring RMG’
The interim government’s first task should be to address the disparity in government facilities between readymade garment (RMG) and non-RMG sectors to facilitate export diversification, according to one of the leading exporters of leather shoes.
23 August 2024, 18:00 PM
Export diversification still a far cry
Although the need to diversify Bangladesh’s export basket has been a subject of great discussion for more than two decades, there has been little progress in this regard.
23 August 2024, 18:00 PM
3 factories in Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar start exports
Three firms in the Bepza economic zone inside Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar in Chattogram have started operations and exports, according to sources at Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza).
18 August 2024, 18:00 PM