Bangladesh Bank (BB) has allowed the import of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) under suppliers’ or buyers’ credit, in a move aimed at easing financing pressure on local importers amid a deepening LPG supply crisis.

The BB issued a circular in this regard yesterday, saying LPG imports would be eligible for usance terms of up to 270 days.

The move comes as residents and restaurants are struggling to cook daily meals amid a worsening gas crisis affecting both pipeline supplies and bottled LPG.

LPG prices have gone up by Tk 350 to Tk 900, depending on the cylinder size, amid limited supply. LPG cylinders are being sold at prices higher than the government-fixed rates, affecting both households and businesses.

BB said LPG is imported in bulk and later bottled in cylinders for domestic use, a process that requires additional time for storage, bottling, and other operational activities.

Considering this operational reality, the central bank said LPG should be treated as an industrial raw material for trade credit.

Under existing foreign exchange regulations, imports of industrial raw materials are permissible under suppliers’ or buyers’ credit for a usance period of up to 270 days, or the cash conversion cycle, whichever is earlier.

In addition to suppliers’ credit, BB advised banks to arrange buyers’ credit facilities from overseas banks and financial institutions.

Banks may also facilitate bill discounting through offshore banking units of scheduled banks in Bangladesh, subject to compliance with prevailing foreign exchange regulations and prudential credit norms.

The move is expected to provide greater flexibility to LPG importers, helping them better manage cash flows amid rising import costs and tight liquidity conditions.

The Bangladesh Bank has doubled the licence renewal fee for money changers to Tk10,000 from the existing Tk5,000.

The central bank issued a circular through its Foreign Exchange and Policy Department on Monday (12 January), sending it to all authorised dealers and licensed money changers in the country.

The directive for the revised fee will take effect from 15 January.

A Bangladesh Bank official said the licence renewal fee for money changers had remained unchanged at Tk5,000 since 2002.

In view of rising prices and inflation in the country, the fee has now been increased to ensure consistency.

Money changers are required to renew their licences once a year.

Bangladesh Bank has purchased $700 million from commercial banks through auctions during the first 12 days of January this year, as part of its ongoing intervention in the foreign exchange market.

The central bank's spokesperson and Executive Director Arief Hossain Khan confirmed the development today (12 January).

Bangladesh Bank bought $81 million from 10 commercial banks at an exchange rate of Tk122.30 per dollar today. With this latest purchase, the central bank's total dollar purchases from commercial banks in the current fiscal year have reached $3.83 billion.

As part of its strategy to intervene in the foreign exchange market, Bangladesh Bank began buying dollars through auctions in July last year.

Under the market-based exchange rate system, the central bank's goal is to maintain balance in the foreign exchange market, allowing the dollar price to fall when supply exceeds demand, and permitting prices to rise when demand increases, according to officials.

Bankers said there are several reasons for the recent decline in dollar demand. With the government's large foreign payment obligations falling, demand for foreign currency has decreased. At the same time, sluggish business activity and weaker investment have reduced imports of capital machinery.

Stocks on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) ended marginally higher today, though trading activity weakened as turnover fell sharply, reflecting continued caution among investors amid lingering market uncertainties.

The benchmark DSEX inched up by just 2 points, or 0.04%, to close at 4,942, while the blue-chip DS30 index gained 1.54 points to settle at 1,897.

Despite the slight rise in indices, market breadth remained negative, with 175 issues declining against 140 advancing, while 78 securities closed unchanged.

Total turnover dropped by around 15% from the previous session to Tk352 crore, snapping a six-day streak of trading above the Tk400 crore mark. Market participants said investors largely stayed on the sidelines, opting for selective buying in a few stocks while booking profits in others, resulting in subdued trading momentum.

Trading activity was concentrated in a handful of stocks, with Orion Infusion, City Bank, Dominage Steel, Square Pharmaceuticals and Fine Foods emerging as the top turnover leaders during the session.

Sector-wise performance was mixed, reflecting the lack of clear direction in the market. The pharmaceutical sector led the gainers, rising 0.33%, supported by selective buying in heavyweight stocks.

Banking shares also posted modest gains of 0.29%, while food and allied industries advanced 0.23%. Fuel and power stocks edged up slightly by 0.04%.

On the losing side, non-bank financial institutions continued to face selling pressure, with the sector shedding 0.31%. Telecommunication stocks fell 0.38%, while the engineering sector posted the steepest decline of the day, dropping 0.45%.

Volatility remained pronounced among individual stocks, particularly in the financial sector.

Shares of Peoples Leasing topped the gainers' list, surging more than 10%, followed by Regent Textile, Chartered Life Insurance and Tung Hai Knitting.

However, several non-bank financial institutions suffered sharp losses, with Premier Leasing and Prime Finance hitting the floor price limit. International Leasing, Fareast Finance and Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company also closed sharply lower.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange mirrored the cautious tone, ending the session in the red. The CSCX index slipped 10 points to 8,568, while the CASPI dropped 20 points to close at 13,857. Turnover on the port city bourse stood at Tk7.79 crore.

Bangladesh plans to sign a government-to-government (G-to-G) agreement with China to set up a military drone manufacturing facility, enhancing the country's air defence capabilities.

Ahead of the formal signing, the finance ministry on 6 January approved a project proposal – officially titled "Establishment of Manufacturing Plant and Transfer of Technology (ToT) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)".

The Tk608.08 crore project includes Tk570.60 crore for opening letters of credit (LCs) and making payments to import and install the plant and related technology, according to a copy of the proposal seen by The Business Standard.

Of the total amount, Tk570.60 crore will be disbursed over four fiscal years: Tk106 crore in the current year, Tk155 crore each in FY2026-27 and FY2027-28, and approximately Tk154.60 crore in FY2028-29.

The remaining Tk37.47 crore will be paid in local currency to cover LC opening charges, VAT and SWIFT charges.

When asked about it on Saturday, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed told TBS, "I will not comment on the establishment of a drone plant or the import of fighter jets."

When asked about the approval of the proposal to set up a drone plant and the import of ToT, he said, "There are many discussions about which country the fighter jets will be purchased from. Therefore, I will not talk about drones or fighter jets right now. Let everything be finalised first."

Bangladesh Air Force will implement the project with technology supplied by China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) International, a state-owned Chinese defence electronics conglomerate, according to the proposal.

The project is intended to enable the Bangladesh Air Force to manufacture and maintain drones domestically, a move officials say could reduce long-term reliance on imports.

When contacted, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate officials declined to comment on the matter.

Before the finance ministry's approval, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who is also the adviser in charge of the defence ministry, approved the proposal.

Officials said the Bangladesh Air Force will not require any additional budget allocation to import the drone manufacturing plant and the transfer of technology. The expenditure can be covered from the annual allocation under the "other machinery and equipment" head in the Air Force budget.

A joint committee formed by the armed forces had earlier given policy approval – following negotiations – to procure the drone manufacturing plant and ToT, with payments to be made over either the FY25 to FY28 period or the FY26 to FY29 period.

According to the minutes of a coordination meeting held in September 2025, chaired by Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) is partnering with China to establish an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone manufacturing plant in Bangladesh through a technology transfer agreement.

Multiple attempts by TBS to contact Ashik, seeking information on the matter last Wednesday, were unsuccessful as he did not answer. He saw the question sent to him on WhatsApp regarding the issue, but did not respond.

Proposal approved on five conditions

The finance ministry approved the proposal, subject to five conditions. These include meeting the current fiscal year's expenditure from existing allocations, without seeking any additional budget for this procurement, according to the approved proposal.

From the next fiscal year to FY2028-29, the required funds must be managed within the Bangladesh Air Force's approved annual budget ceilings. All payments must comply with prevailing financial rules and be executed through letters of credit (LCs).

The ministry also stipulated that the approved funds cannot be used for any purpose other than the proposed contract.

China's state-owned CETC International initially quoted Tk643.61 crore, including shipping costs. However, after discussions between Bangladesh Air Force officials and representatives of the Chinese company in November, the contract value was renegotiated and reduced by Tk35.53 crore to Tk608.07 crore.

According to CETC International's website, the company is China's only large-scale technology corporation covering all areas of electronic information, including defence electronics, security electronics, and informatisation, with its products reaching more than 110 countries.

In defence electronics, CETC has developed seven main product systems: air base early warning, integrated electronic information systems, radar, communication and navigation, electronic warfare, UAV electronic equipment, and integrated IFF.

Its security and electronic information portfolio includes public security, e-government, intelligent transportation, new energy, components, and other related products and services.

Bearing the brunt of reduced business and mounting losses, Miracle Industries, a listed company in the miscellaneous sector, has failed to make a turnaround in operations and profitability in the first half of the current fiscal year.

The company remained in the red during the July-December period, posting a loss of Tk4.86 crore, according to a disclosure published on the stock exchanges' website yesterday. It said a further fall in selling prices, coupled with higher interest expenses, kept the company in a loss-making position.

According to the revised disclosure, Miracle Industries posted a loss per share of Tk1.38 for the July-December period, widening from Tk0.99 in the same period of the previous fiscal year. Its net operating cash flow per share stood at negative Tk0.13, an improvement from negative Tk1.49 in the July to December period of 2024.

However, in its initially published disclosure, the company reported a loss per share of Tk0.61 for the first half, compared with a loss per share of Tk0.14 in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

In September last year, Miracle Industries secured a business deal with Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), under which the state-run corporation will purchase 50% of its total requirement of woven polypropylene (WPP) and polyethylene (PE) bags from the company.

At the time, the company expected its revenue to double from these orders and positively impact its net profit. BCIC remains the company's main buyer.

Founded in 1995 as a joint venture between state-owned BCIC and four entrepreneurs, Miracle Industries manufactures bags used for cement, fertiliser, salt, feed, sugar, food grains and chemicals.

The company operates two manufacturing units in Sreepur and Gazipur – one catering to the local market and the other producing for export.

The US banking industry is warning that President Donald Trump’s plans to lower credit card costs would make credit less available and hurt consumers and businesses.

Trump said Friday that effective January 20, the first anniversary of his administration, he was calling for a 10 percent cap on credit card interest rates.

“We will no longer let the American Public be ‘ripped off’ by Credit Card Companies that are charging Interest Rates of 20 to 30 percent,” he said on Truth Social.

Five associations representing US banks responded that they shared the president’s goal of helping Americans access “more affordable credit.”

“At the same time, evidence shows that a 10 percent interest rate cap would reduce credit availability and be devastating for millions of American families and small business owners who rely on and value their credit cards,” the associations said in a joint statement late Friday.

“If enacted, this cap would only drive consumers toward less regulated, more costly alternatives,” it said. The statement was issued by the American Bankers Association, Bank Policy Institute, Consumer Bankers Association, Financial Services Forum and Independent Community Bankers of America.

Credit cards are the primary source of consumer credit in the United States. Costs and outstanding balances have soared in recent years as people increasingly rely on them to maintain spending, even for basic necessities.

According to data from the Federal Reserve, the total outstanding credit card debt exceeded $1.23 trillion at the end of September -- the fourth-largest source of household debt, after mortgages, student loans and auto loans.

Interest rates on credit cards are at least 21 percent and can reach as high as 38 percent for borrowers with a higher risk profile, according to the Fed. This is up from an average of around 12 percent a decade ago.

With midterm elections due in November, Trump is under pressure to reduce the cost of living as promised during his 2024 election campaign amid stubborn inflation and consumers’ complaints that they struggle to make ends meet.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, voiced skepticism that Trump was serious about capping rates, noting that he has sought to shutter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a consumer watchdog.

“Begging credit card companies to play nice is a joke,” Warren said in a statement Friday. “Trump doesn’t care about affordability.

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will soon join a US-led initiative to secure AI and semiconductor supply chains, Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg told Reuters in an interview.

The addition of those two countries is notable given the Middle East’s history of political divisions and reflects a US-led effort to bring Israel and Gulf states into the same technology-focused economic framework.

The programme, dubbed Pax Silica, seeks to safeguard the full technology supply chain, including critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, computing and data infrastructure. It is a key pillar of the Trump administration’s economic statecraft strategy to reduce dependence on rival nations and strengthen cooperation among allied partners.

“The Silicon Declaration isn’t just a diplomatic communiqué,” Helberg said. “It’s meant to be an operational document for a new economic security consensus.”

The group includes Israel, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Britain and Australia. Qatar is expected to sign the Pax Silica declaration on January 12, followed by the UAE on January 15.

Unlike traditional alliances, Helberg said, Pax Silica is a “coalition of capabilities,” with membership driven by the industrial strengths and companies of each country.

Helberg said he hopes the initiative can help accelerate the Middle East’s economic transition away from energy dependence, toward a more diversified, technology-driven economy.

“For the UAE and Qatar, this marks a shift from a hydrocarbon-centric security architecture to one focused on silicon statecraft,” he said,

The moves come against the backdrop of The Future Minerals Forum, a government‑led global minerals and supply chain conference hosted by Saudi Arabia that will bring together senior officials, industry leaders and investors in Riyadh from January 13‑15.

Helberg said the Pax Silica group will focus this year on expanding membership, building strategic projects to secure supply chains and coordinating policies to protect critical infrastructure and technology.

The group met in Washington last month. Helberg said he hopes it will meet a few times this year.

He said discussions are under way on projects that could modernize trade and logistics routes, including the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor, using advanced US technology to boost regional integration and expand America’s economic footprint.

US and Israeli officials plan to launch a Pax Silica-linked Strategic Framework, including the “Fort Foundry One” industrial park in Israel to accelerate projects. AI cooperation will also be discussed, with a memorandum of understanding tentatively planned for January 16.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has rolled out a new large-value transaction facility allowing corporate tax and value-added tax payments through the mobile financial service provider, bKash.

NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan inaugurated the service yesterday at NBR’s headquarters in Dhaka.

Using an online merchant wallet developed by bKash Limited, taxpayers can now pay withholding tax through the NBR’s e-TDS platform, while VAT payments can be made through the Finance Division’s A-Challan system.

NBR Member (VAT Policy) Azizur Rahman said that previously, tax payments through the A-Challan system were limited to Tk 3 lakh. The new facility removes this limit, allowing taxpayers to pay unlimited amounts through bKash.

bKash Finance Controller Muhammad Arifur Rahman said that a tax payment can now be completed in less than two minutes using either a bank account or a mobile wallet.

“The move advances the NBR’s digitisation drive,” said NBR Chairman Khan, adding that the authority aims to shift all tax payments to digital channels to ensure faster processing, greater accuracy and transparency, and lower risk.

Allowing large-value payments through digital wallets and merchant accounts would ease compliance for big taxpayers while enhancing revenue oversight, he said.

The platform is open to all licensed mobile financial service providers, including Nagad, Rocket, CellFin, and Upay, and Khan said he expects more operators to actively support such transactions.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has appointed an observer at the Shariah-based Standard Bank to closely monitor its operations amid alleged internal conflicts between board members.

The central bank appointed Md Sharafat Ullah Khan, director of the Payment Systems Department, as an observer last week, according to BB Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan.

“We have taken this move in view of the current situation at the bank,” he said.

From now on, Md Sharafat Ullah Khan will attend board meetings and other vital meetings at Standard Bank as part of the BB's enhanced supervision.

Following the fall of the previous government, the 16-member board of the private bank has reportedly split into two camps over various issues. One faction is led by the Chairman, Mohammed Abdul Aziz, while the other is steered by his son and vice-chairman, AKM Abdul Alim.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, bank officials said the feud has paralysed decision-making, with board meetings often ending in arguments over staffing and management matters.

Standard Bank began operations on 3 June 1999. In January 2021, it became a full-fledged Shariah-based Islamic bank after receiving approval from Bangladesh Bank.

Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, a businessperson and relative of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, served as the chairman of the bank for years. However, following the political shift, Mohammed Abdul Aziz assumed the role.

An earlier BB inspection found various irregularities involving the bank's former chairman, Kazi Akram, and his son, former director Kazi Khurrum Ahmed. These issues contributed to the bank's financial decline, according to the central bank report.

At the end of September last year, the bank's defaulted loans stood at Tk 5,884 crore, accounting for 29.14 per cent of its total disbursed loans. During the same period in 2024, its classified loans amounted to Tk 1,679 crore, or 8.62 per cent of total disbursed loans.

The dollar gained on Friday after data showed slower than expected US jobs growth, suggesting the Federal Reserve could leave interest rates unchanged later this month.

The unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent last month from a revised 4.5 percent in November, the US Labor Department reported on Friday, even as employers added 50,000 jobs in the month. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a gain of 60,000.

The latest job market data appears to give the central bank a bit of breathing room to leave short-term borrowing costs where they are, as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell last month signaled policymakers are inclined to do at least in the near term.

Financial markets had been bracing for a possible Supreme Court decision that could strike down President Donald Trump’ssweeping tariffs.

But the court will now not issue that ruling on Friday, though a decision could still come next week.

The US economy added 50,000 jobs in December, according to Labor Department data released on Friday. That was lower than an estimated increase of 60,000 jobs forecast by economists in a Reuters poll.

The dollar was up 0.2 percent to 0.801 against the Swiss franc , headed for the second straight week of gains.

The dollar index rose 0.25 percent to 99.13 and was set for the second consecutive week of gains.

“In real life, the standard error margin for non-farm payrolls is 20,000 and so I don’t think the market is going to pay much attention to this,” said Steve Englander, head of global G10 FX Research at Standard Chartered.

Fed funds futures are pricing an implied probability of 95 percent that the central bank holds interest rates at its next two-day meet on January 27 and 28, up from 68 percent a month ago, the CME Group’s FedWatch tool shows.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has introduced an online, real-time system to verify exporters' use of duty-free imported raw materials, effectively ending the long-standing manual verification process.

Under the new system, the NBR's ASYCUDA World software will be digitally connected with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association's (BGMEA) online Utility Declaration (e-UD) platform.

Through this integration, customs authorities will be able to verify exporters' raw material usage online, significantly reducing opportunities for fraud, NBR officials said.

The connectivity between ASYCUDA World and the BGMEA e-UD platform was established today (11 January), according to an NBR press release. As a result, the Utility Declaration verification process will now be fully online and conducted on a real-time basis.

The NBR said the initiative would substantially reduce risks to revenue protection, improve customs bond management, and make import-export clearance procedures faster and more efficient.

A senior NBR official, speaking to The Business Standard on condition of anonymity, said irregularities often occurred in the issuance of e-UD certificates by associations, particularly regarding the declared use of imported raw materials.

"Such irregularities were difficult to detect under the manual system," the official said.

"With the new system, export data and information on raw material usage will be easily accessible even after 10 years," the official added.

"If an exporter shows fake exports or diverts duty-free raw materials to the local market through any means, it will be detected easily. As a result, they will not be able to continue importing raw materials under duty-free facilities at will."

The government allows exporters to import raw materials duty-free on the condition that they are used entirely for export-oriented production.

However, there have long been allegations that some exporters violate these conditions by selling such raw materials in the domestic market.

These practices not only cause significant revenue losses for the government but also create unfair competition for local producers and traders who import similar products after paying applicable duties.

Local textile mills have been among the worst affected. Mill owners claim that duty-free raw materials sold in the open market and goods entering the country through smuggling result in the influx of yarn, fabric and other apparel products worth nearly $5 billion annually, undermining the domestic textile industry.

All-electric vehicles accounted for nearly one quarter of new cars sold in the UK last year, a record high, industry data showed Tuesday (6 January), as Britain phases out combustion engines.

The all-time annual high for EVs helped boost total car sales back above two million for the first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said in a statement.

The SMMT called the two-million mark "a reasonably solid result amid tough economic and geopolitical headwinds."

With a record 473,348 all-electric vehicles registered in 2025, the SMMT said the UK ranked as Europe's second-largest EV market by volume.

Separate figures Tuesday showed a sharp rise in EV sales in Germany, where registrations surged 43.2% last year to a total of 545,142 vehicles.

Although Norway registered far fewer vehicles last year, at almost 180,000, almost 100% were electric.

The UK is meanwhile sticking with a target to ban the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles as early as 2030, and hybrids in 2035.

That makes Britain one of the most ambitious countries in the transition to electric vehicles, particularly after the European Union decided in December to roll back its proposed 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars.

"Divergence between the UK and the much larger market on its own doorstep is broadening," the SMMT noted Tuesday.

It warned, however, that too few EV models are eligible for government purchase grants and criticised the introduction of a tax on electric vehicles in Labour's recent budget.

"Rising EV uptake is an undoubted positive, but the pace is still too slow and the cost to industry too high," the SMMT said.

Last year also saw disruption at Jaguar Land Rover's UK plants, which halted production for a month following a cyberattack on the British automaker in September.

JLR sales fell in its third quarter, with wholesale volumes down 43.3% and retail sales down 25.1% year on year, it disclosed Monday.

The company attributed the decline to "the time required to distribute vehicles globally" after the shutdown, as well as "incremental US tariffs impacting JLR's US exports."

Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) has announced a major upgrade to its internet services, increasing speeds by up to five times across its existing packages while keeping monthly prices unchanged.

The move aims to improve digital services by allowing users to enjoy significantly faster connectivity at the same cost, the state-owned telecom operator said in a press release today.
Under the new offer, BTCL has rebranded its “Sulav” series as the “Sashroyi” series to reflect the enhanced value of the packages.
The increased bandwidth will support a wide range of digital activities, including online education, remote work, high-definition video streaming and gaming, the company said.

As part of the revision, the Tk 399 “Sulav-5” package, which previously offered 5 Mbps, has been upgraded to 20 Mbps and renamed “Sashroyi-20”.

The Tk 500 “Sulav-12” package has been increased to 25 Mbps, while the Tk 500 “Campus-15” package now offers 50 Mbps under the name “Campus-50”.

Mid-tier packages have received even sharper upgrades. The Tk 800 “Sulav-15” package now provides 50 Mbps, the Tk 1,050 “Sulav-20” package has increased fivefold to 100 Mbps, and the Tk 1,150 package now delivers 120 Mbps.

Higher-tier users will also benefit from the changes. The Tk 1,300 package now offers 130 Mbps, the Tk 1,500 package provides 150 Mbps, and the Tk 1,700 “Sulav-50” package has been boosted to 170 Mbps and rebranded as “Sashroyi-170”.
BTCL said the initiative would ensure more reliable and high-quality internet services for consumers and contribute to the country’s ongoing digital transformation.

Customer satisfaction and service quality remain the company’s top priorities, the statement added, noting that BTCL remains committed to introducing further customer-friendly initiatives in the future.

The Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) has announced a reduction in registration and renewal fees for two categories of .bd domain names to encourage local use.

According to a statement issued yesterday, the price cut applies to .bd third-level domains and .bd second-level domains, both with names longer than two characters. The company said fees for these categories have been reduced by 36 percent.

For a .bd Third-Level Domain, such as abc.com.bd, the registration fee has been reduced from Tk 1,100 to Tk 700, while the renewal fee has fallen from Tk 1,600 to Tk 1,020.

For a .bd Second-Level Domain, such as abc.bd, the registration fee has been reduced from Tk 2,000 to Tk 1,280, and the renewal fee from Tk 2,500 to Tk 1,600.

Compared with .com domains, .bd domains are generally easier to obtain and more readily available. They also offer greater credibility for Bangladesh-based individuals and organisations, making them particularly suitable for government bodies and established institutions.

A .bd domain helps build a professional and trustworthy image in the local market and enhances acceptance among domestic users. It can improve rankings in Bangladesh-focused search results, and due to local registration policies, .bd domains are considered comparatively more secure.

Value-added tax (VAT) will apply at the prescribed rate. All registrations and usage must comply with guidelines issued by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), as well as tariff-related decisions approved by BTCL authorities.

The offer will remain valid for a limited period.

BTCL expects the price incentive to encourage wider adoption of .bd domains among individuals and organisations, contributing to the strengthening of the country’s domestic digital ecosystem.

The government is set to slash allocations for development spending by 12.5 percent in the current fiscal year 2025-26 (FY26), as the originally allocated fund remains largely unspent in the first five months.

Ministries and divisions spent only 11.75 percent of the total Tk 2,38,695 crore allocated under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the July–November period, the lowest since FY11.

According to a draft of the revised ADP, prepared by the Planning Commission, allocations are set to drop to Tk 2,08,935 crore, down Tk 30,000 crore from the original plan.

The draft, seen by The Daily Star, is scheduled to be presented at today’s meeting of the National Economic Council, chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, and will take effect from 1 February once approved.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a planning ministry official said the draft was finalised considering implementation capacity.

Last fiscal year, ADP spending was low due to political and administrative disruptions following the student uprising. This year, despite relative stability, implementation has not improved.

“The slowdown in public investment, while private investment remains muted, is a concern for growth,” the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said in its independent FY26 economic review released on 10 January.

Under the proposed plan, the health sector is going to face a significant cut in allocation because of its poor performance in terms of implementation. Similarly, allocations in the agriculture, education, and power sectors may also decrease.

According to the draft, among the five sectors receiving the highest allocations, transport and communication will receive Tk 38,509 crore or 19.25 percent of total revised ADP and power and energy Tk 26,186 crore or 13.09 percent.

Housing and community facilities will receive Tk 22,729 crore, education Tk 18,549 crore, and local government and rural development Tk 15,142 crore.

These five sectors account for 60 percent of the total revised allocation for FY26.

The draft also proposes raising the total number of projects for the fiscal year to 1,330 from 1,173 in the original ADP, with 138 newly approved initiatives.

Although allocations for many projects are being reduced, some may see increases.

The Dhaka–Ashulia Elevated Expressway, funded by Chinese loans, may see an increase in funds from the original Tk 3,341 crore, while allocations for Japan-funded projects such as the Metro Rail and Matarbari Deep Sea Port may be trimmed.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant construction allocation will remain unchanged.

Prices of mild steel (MS) bars in Bangladesh have begun to rise as a rebound in global ferrous scrap prices pushes up replacement costs for local re-rolling mills, raising concerns over construction expenses for homebuilders and contractors.

Industry insiders said imported scrap prices have increased by around $25-30 per tonne over the past week, reversing a prolonged downward trend seen over the last year.

The higher replacement cost is now feeding into the domestic market, with several small and mid-sized mills already raising rod prices by up to Tk1,000 per tonne in different regions.

Large producers are also expected to adjust prices soon, according to Bangladesh Steel Manufacturers Association (BSMA) President and GPH Ispat Chairman Jahangir Alam.

"Due to weak demand, steel prices have been declining in Bangladesh for nearly a year. At present, MS rods are selling at the lowest levels in the last five years," Jahangir told The Business Standard. "With the onset of winter, global scrap prices have risen sharply, leaving local manufacturers with no option but to adjust prices."

He further noted that rod prices in the Dhaka market rose by Tk1,000-1,500 per tonne on Thursday alone, adding that companies may eventually need to raise prices by Tk3,000-4,000 per tonne to remain aligned with international costs.

Data from international price reporting agency Argus show Turkey's deep-sea heavy melting steel (HMS) 1/2 (80:20) scrap benchmark falling to around $336 per tonne during the summer downturn before rebounding to the $360-370 range in early December.

Turkey, the world's largest seaborne scrap importer, often sets the direction of global prices. Market participants said renewed Turkish buying, combined with winter-related supply disruptions in Europe and North America, has tightened availability and pushed prices higher.

Moreover, during winter, scrap collection, transportation and port operations slow significantly in Western markets, reducing spot supply.

In parallel, India's increased presence in the import market has intensified competition for scrap cargoes, making it harder for Bangladeshi mills to secure material on favourable terms.

However, despite some wholesale price increases by producers, retail prices in Dhaka and Chattogram remained largely unchanged until Thursday, market checks found.

Chattogram-based trader Asaduzzaman, proprietor of Zaman Enterprise, said premium-grade BCSR rebar was selling at Tk80,000 per tonne, AKS and KSRM at Tk78,000, and GPH Ispat at Tk76,000.

"No company has officially announced a price hike yet, but we have been informally informed that prices will be raised within this week," he said.

While a few mills have already increased wholesale prices, major producers such as BSRM and AKS have so far refrained from immediate adjustments. Company officials said demand remains relatively weak compared to previous winter seasons, forcing cautious pricing decisions.

BSMA Secretary General and Rani Re-Rolling Mills Chairman Sumon Chowdhury said seasonal price increases during December to February are common due to higher international scrap demand.

"Bangladesh has no coordinated pricing mechanism. Mills are forced to react individually to global price movements," he said.

Anwar Group Chairman Manwar Hossain said the steel sector has faced prolonged financial stress since the pandemic.

"Negative returns over an extended period caused severe capital erosion, eventually forcing many factories to shut down," he said. "With scrap prices rising globally, local manufacturers now have no alternative but to raise prices."

During the Covid-era global scrap shortage, premium-grade rebar prices in Bangladesh surged to as high as Tk110,000 per tonne. A global slowdown and weak domestic demand later pushed prices down to Tk70,000-80,000 per tonne last year, the lowest level in five years.

Bangladesh's annual steel demand is estimated at 8-9 million tonnes, driven mainly by housing, infrastructure and industrial construction. The country's installed steelmaking capacity exceeds 11 million tonnes, indicating significant overcapacity amid slowing demand.

The sector has seen investments worth tens of thousands of crores of taka over the past decade, including major expansions by BSRM, GPH Ispat, AKS and KSRM. Despite this, capacity utilisation has remained under pressure due to subdued construction activity and volatility in raw material prices.

Bangladesh produces around 7 million tonnes of steel products annually and imports more than 4.2 million tonnes of scrap and billet to support production, industry data show.

Traders said sustained firmness in global scrap prices could keep local rebar prices under upward pressure in the coming weeks, even if domestic demand remains modest.

Bangladesh's four local airlines are preparing for an aggressive push into international markets in 2026 despite a global shortage of aircraft and tight leasing conditions slowing their plans to take on foreign rivals that dominate the country's skies.

The carriers are targeting South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe, where demand from migrant workers and leisure travellers remains strong.

International passenger numbers are rising. Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport handled about 12.5 million international passengers in 2024, nearly 7% more than a year earlier. Yet, airlines say the post-pandemic recovery, coupled with manufacturing bottlenecks and delivery delays, has made it difficult to secure aircraft for new routes.

More than 70% of Bangladesh's international air travel market is currently controlled by 37 foreign airlines.

Industry insiders said the three private carriers, US-Bangla, NovoAir and Air Astra, together plan to open at least 15 new international routes. State-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines also aims to add more destinations beyond its Dhaka to Karachi relaunch on 29 January, subject to aircraft availability.

At present, only US-Bangla and Biman operate international flights, while NovoAir and Air Astra remain focused on domestic services.

Between 2021 and 2025, about 50 lakh Bangladeshis migrated overseas for work, according to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training. Although domestic air travel has softened on some routes due to improved road and rail links, overall passenger traffic continues to grow, driven mainly by outbound labour and regional travel.

US-Bangla targets Europe and the Middle East

US-Bangla has spent several years preparing to enter the European market.

"We have been working extensively to start operations on the London and Rome routes," Kamrul Islam said. "It is not just about submitting applications. Airlines must meet strict international standards. Our target is to launch European flights within this year."

The airline also plans to begin flights to Madinah this year and needs at least three to four additional aircraft to support its expansion.

Capacity constraints, however, limit how quickly it can respond to changes in demand. "If India suddenly relaxes its visa regime, we will not be able to scale up flights immediately on high-demand routes like Chennai or Kolkata," Kamrul Islam said. "Earlier we operated daily flights to Chennai, which have now fallen to three a week. Kolkata has dropped from 14 flights a week to just three or four."

NovoAir eyes six new international routes

After three years of attempts to secure aircraft, NovoAir is hoping 2026 will mark its entry into international markets.

The airline has been trying to lease planes since 2023 but has struggled due to the global shortage of lease-ready aircraft. Its original plan was to acquire Airbus A321s, later revised to include A320s, but it has yet to secure any jets. Efforts to lease aircraft under the ACMI model, which includes crew, maintenance and insurance, have also been constrained by limited availability.

Managing Director Mofizur Rahman said a delegation would travel to Dublin later this month to hold talks with leasing firms. "If we can secure aircraft there, we hope to launch our international network by mid-year," he said.

NovoAir's initial targets are Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in Southeast Asia, and Dubai, Sharjah and Muscat in the Middle East.

Air Astra targets South and Southeast Asia

Air Astra also plans to enter international markets once it expands its fleet.

"We expect to receive new aircraft through leasing by the first half of 2026," said Sakib Hasan Shuvo, the airline's deputy manager of public relations. "After that, we plan to launch international routes, with Nepal, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore as our primary targets."

He said the airline has already received frequency allocations for 12 international routes from aviation authorities.

Biman's plans hinge on aircraft

Biman Bangladesh Airlines currently operates 22 international routes and plans to expand into East Asia, Europe and the United States. But aircraft availability remains the key constraint.

"Our expansion depends entirely on acquiring new aircraft through leasing," said Biman spokesperson Boshra Islam.

Although Biman's board has approved the purchase of 14 Boeing aircraft, officials said it would take at least four to five years before the first deliveries. In the meantime, the airline is negotiating with lessors to bridge the gap.

Earlier this year, Biman Managing Director Md Shafiqur Rahman said the airline was directly engaging leasing companies to overcome the shortage, which has so far prevented the launch of new routes.

Aircraft shortage slows expansion

Local airlines began planning route expansions to Southeast Asia and the Middle East in mid-2023, but global supply disruptions have delayed execution, sector insiders said.

The Russia-Ukraine war disrupted supply chains, while production halts and delivery delays, particularly involving Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, have created a worldwide shortage of narrow-body jets. As a result, airlines have struggled to secure planes through leasing.

"We have been consistently adding aircraft, and with recent additions our fleet now stands at 25, mostly leased," said Kamrul Islam, spokesperson for US-Bangla Airlines. "But a post-Covid surge in demand has created a global aircraft shortage. Manufacturers and lessors have not been able to keep up, especially for Boeing aircraft."

He said the company expects conditions to ease gradually as production normalises.

Kay & Que (Bangladesh) Limited has signed an Application-to-Person (A2P) aggregator agreement with Grameenphone, in a move that strengthens the company's push into digital services and deepens its role in the country's telecom value chain.

Under the agreement, signed within the licensing framework of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), Kay & Que will act as an aggregator for the country's largest mobile operator, enabling enterprises and service providers to send bulk and transactional SMS to Grameenphone subscribers through its platform.

The company disclosed the price-sensitive information on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) website today (11 January), saying the deal is expected to contribute positively to its business operations and revenue.

Despite the announcement, Kay & Que's share price fell 1.35% to close at Tk387.10 on the day, reflecting cautious investor sentiment amid broader market volatility.

The deal with Grameenphone is the latest in a series of similar agreements the company has signed with mobile operators in recent weeks. On 28 December, Kay & Que entered into an A2P aggregator agreement with Robi Axiata. Before that, it signed separate agreements with Teletalk Bangladesh on 11 December and Banglalink on 8 December.

These partnerships follow the company's receipt of the A2P SMS Aggregator Enlistment Certificate from the BTRC on 29 September, which cleared the way for its formal entry into the regulated A2P messaging business.

Alongside its digital expansion, Kay & Que is also diversifying its traditional operations. The company recently informed the market that retail sales of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at its Dakshinpara Dhamrail unit began on 2 September 2025, a move expected to add a new stream of revenue.

Kay & Que, long known for its CNG refuelling stations and stone trading business, has gone through a major transformation since its merger with IT firm MultiSourcing Limited in July 2023.

The merger followed years of struggle in legacy businesses such as carbon rods, coal tar and pesticides, which were eventually shut down due to supply constraints, weak demand and persistent losses.

Recognising the need for a strategic shift, the company decided in February 2022 to refocus on its core CNG operations while building a technology-driven business model through the IT merger.

The shift has begun to show in its financial results. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of Tk2.73 for the July-September 2025 quarter, up from Tk1.15 in the same period a year earlier.

For the full year ended 30 June 2025, Kay & Que posted EPS of Tk9.49, a sharp rise from Tk0.67 the year before, driven by higher turnover and improved profitability.

Bangladesh saw a robust rise in net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during the third quarter of 2025, reflecting growing investor confidence despite global economic uncertainties.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, net FDI inflow for July–September reached $315.09 million, marking a 202% year-on-year increase from $104.33 million in the same period of 2024.

Cumulative net FDI for January–September 2025 stood at $1.41 billion, up 80% from $780 million during the corresponding period of the previous year.

All major components of FDI showed significant improvement in Q3.

Equity investment rose to $101.12 million from $76.79 million a year earlier, while reinvested earnings jumped nearly threefold to $211.47 million from $72.90 million. Intra-company loans also reversed course, moving from a negative $45.36 million to a positive $2.49 million.

The strong Q3 performance built on a solid H1 showing, when net FDI in April–June reached $303.27 million, up 11.4% from $272.22 million in the same quarter of 2024.

Overall, net FDI in the first half of 2025 rose more than 61% compared to H1 2024.

Ashik Chowdhury, executive chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), said, "Bida's core focus is improving the business climate and building a credible investment pipeline. It is encouraging to see these pipelines convert into actual inflows.

"While Q4 may see some moderation ahead of elections, we expect a rebound afterward, supported by a strong investment pipeline."

He added that Bida's dedicated investment pipeline for 2025 has already exceeded $1.5 billion, in addition to traditional registered proposals, signaling continued optimism among investors.