Local steel industry is enduring a turbulent phase, grappling with subdued demand due to sluggish government spending and wavering private sector confidence, driven largely by political uncertainty.

A delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will today start reviewing the progress of reforms tied to two instalments of a $4.7 billion loan programme against the backdrop of the fourth instalment being deferred.

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.

"Bangladesh generates a negligible amount of revenue from taxes levied on goods imported from the United States"

Factories provide essentials at subsidised prices to win worker loyalty and orders. But what does the factory gain?

On April 2, 2025, US President Trump introduced sweeping reciprocal tariffs, effectively reversing nearly all US tariff liberalisation since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Stock investors in Bangladesh are apprehensive about the US hiking import tariffs, a move that could hurt the South Asian nation’s exports and the profitability of export-oriented listed firms.

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.

Business leaders and economists have called upon the government to initiate immediate high-level negotiations with the United States administration following President Donald Trump’s imposition of reciprocal tariffs, warning that failure to secure concessions could erode the nation’s competitive edge in its most lucrative export market.

The interim government aims to balance macroeconomic stability, inflation control, and 6 percent GDP growth in the next fiscal year’s budget, when the 13th parliamentary election is expected.

I, along with some seniors from Standard Chartered Bank, went to meet the-then finance minister SAMS Kibria in late 2000 to share our decision to acquire ANZ Grindlays Bank.

Despite spending Tk 6,500 crore on capital dredging, poor navigability has crippled Payra Port, forcing many importers to offload their cargoes either at sea or at Chittagong Port and then transport it through lighter vessels.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has identified dozens of properties in Dubai owned by Bangladeshis, a senior official familiar with the matter has told The Daily Star.

As Eid shopping gained momentum over the past week in major cities, many shoppers were left scratching their heads over the prices of clothes.

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.

Bangladesh’s reliance on Indian imports has been increasing as local manufacturers and industries are struggling to reduce the time needed to bring in goods from other destinations as they battle to meet shrinking lead times.

As the fasting month of Ramadan draws to a close, the festive spirit is evident not just in growing contributions to charitable causes and a surge in remittances but also the infectious energy among everyday people on the streets.

In the bustling areas of Kamalganj and Srimangal in Moulvibazar, along with Sylhet city, weavers from the Manipuri community are tirelessly preparing for Eid, crafting their renowned traditional saris and other products.

In a small Bangladeshi town, a politician sought advice from his lawyer friend after making a questionable move.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has detected tax anomalies amounting to over Tk 58 crore involving five individuals and their companies, including a former president of the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE).