Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited has recommended a 525% cash dividend for the financial year ended 31 March 2026, subject to shareholder approval.

The proposed dividend means shareholders will receive Tk52.50 per ordinary share of Tk10.

The recommendation was approved at a meeting of the company's board of directors today (15 June), alongside the audited financial statements for the year.

According to the financial statements, Berger Paints posted a consolidated net profit of Tk372 crore during the financial year. Its consolidated earnings per share (EPS) stood at Tk76.83.

The company has scheduled its Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 24 August to seek shareholder approval for the dividend and the audited financial statements.

The record date has been fixed for 7 July. Shareholders whose names appear in the company's records on that date will be eligible for the dividend and entitled to participate in the AGM.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today (15 June) placed the revised and supplementary budget for fiscal year 2025-26 in parliament, proposing total expenditure of Tk7.88 lakh crore and a budget deficit of Tk2 lakh crore.

The proposed deficit is equivalent to 3.3% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

The finance minister presented the revised and supplementary budget on the seventh day of the second session of the 13th National Parliament.

In his budget speech, he said the government's net expenditure in the original FY26 budget was estimated at Tk7.9 lakh crore.

However, due to slower implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) during the pre-election period, total expenditure has been reduced by Tk2,000 crore in the revised budget.

He said revitalising the economy by overcoming global uncertainties and domestic economic weaknesses remains one of the government's top priorities following its formation.

To that end, the government has taken measures to prevent wasteful spending, reduce expenditure in non-priority sectors and maintain administrative austerity, he added.

The finance minister said subsidies in the power and energy sectors had been adjusted, while social safety net programmes, including the Family Card and Farmer Card schemes, as well as honorariums for imams, priests and muezzins, had been expanded.

He said expenditure and deficit estimates in the supplementary budget had been adjusted to accommodate the costs of these programmes.

Following the budget presentation, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad initiated voting on demands for grants relating to expenditure other than charged expenditure for FY26.

He said that under Article 89 of the Constitution, charged expenditure may be discussed in parliament but is not subject to voting.

The speaker informed the House that the supplementary budget contains 25 demands for grants. Opposition lawmakers submitted 304 cut motions against these demands.

Considering time constraints, cut motions relating to eight ministries and divisions, including the Finance Division, Planning Division, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Science and Technology, Local Government Division, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Food and the Anti-Corruption Commission, will be discussed. The remaining demands will be disposed of through voting.

Restructuring Bangladesh's economy by addressing its structural weaknesses and battling inflationary pressures and global economic instability is one of the top priorities of the current government, said Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
The government is working to reduce waste in government expenditure, reduce non-priority spending and ensure thriftiness in administrative outlay in addition to implementing election promises, he said during a discussion on the supplementary budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year in parliament on Monday, bdnews24.com reports.

"Since the formation of the current government, the restructuring of the country's economy by addressing the weaknesses of its internal structures, and tackling inflationary pressures and global instability has been one of the government's top priorities,” the senior BNP leader added.

He said the government has taken various effective initiatives to improve the living standards of the people and revive the economy.

Also highlighting the issue of subsidies in the power and energy sectors, the finance minister said that they had to be adjusted due to global economic headwinds.

He also spoke of addition, Family Cards, Farmer Cards and the expansion of honorarium-based social security programmes for imams, priests and muezzins.

"For these activities, some adjustment of expenditure and deficit in the supplementary budget had to be made," he said.

Proposal to Reduce Expenditure in the Revised Budget

Discussing the revised budget for the current fiscal year, the finance minister said the government's net spending in the main budget for FY26 was estimated at Tk 7.9 trillion.

However, due to the slow pace of implementation, especially the Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the pre-election period, it has been proposed to reduce the total expenditure by Tk 20 billion to Tk 7.88 trillion in the revised budget.

He said the budget deficit in the revised budget has been estimated at Tk 2 trillion, which is about 3 percent of the GDP.

The finance minister said that the allocations for 27 ministries, departments and other institutions have increased in the revised budget, amounting to Tk 561 billion.

On the other hand, the outlay for 35 ministries and departments has decreased by Tk 593.48 billion.

Thanking the members of parliament who participated in the discussion on the supplementary budget, he urged them to approve the proposed grants.

Bangladesh received US$1.54 billion in remittances during the first 14 days of June 2026, marking a 30.04 percent increase compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, according to the latest data

The country received US$1,541.30 million in remittances between June 1 and June 14 this year, up from US$1,185.29 million received during the same period in June 2025.

On June 14 alone, expatriate Bangladeshis sent home US$179.08 million through official banking channels.

The steady inflow of remittances has also strengthened the country’s external sector performance during the current fiscal year.

According to the data, total remittance inflows stood at US$34.30 billion during the period from July 2025 to June 14, 2026, compared with US$28.69 billion received during the corresponding period of fiscal year 2024-25.

As a result, remittance earnings recorded a robust 19.54 percent growth during the current fiscal year up to June 14, 2026.

The Dhaka bourse is developing software to monitor investors' funds and shareholding positions in real time, in a bid to curb corrupt practices by brokers involving consolidated customer accounts (CCA).

Once the DSE-iMON (Integrated Monitoring Platform) is installed, the bourse will be able to detect any unauthorised movement of funds from the CCA - a bank account maintained by brokers - by cross-matching investors' deposits with shares purchased in their BO accounts.

The premier bourse has designed the features of the software and an internal team is now working to develop it.

"Our board has approved the project at a recent meeting. The software is likely to be installed by December this year," said DSE Managing Director Nuzhat Anwar.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of repeated incidents of misappropriation of investors' funds by brokers. Funds had been siphoned off from CCAs long before the regulatory bodies could learn about the financial frauds.

Thousands of investors are yet to receive their hard-earned money embezzled by five brokerage firms, including Tamha and Mashihor Securities.

DSE-iMON will cross-check data across brokers' back-office systems, banks, the Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd. (CDBL) and the Dhaka bourse. It will automatically send an alert if there are anomalies in the data. On receipt of the alert, the DSE will verify the status of the CCA with the help of the bank with which the account is maintained.Bangladesh market insights

Currently, the DSE is not allowed to check CCAs opened with scheduled banks.

"The DSE will need indemnity from brokers to check the bank accounts," Ms Nuzhat said.

A majority of brokers have agreed to allow the DSE to scrutinise their bank accounts following any abnormal transactions.

Under the existing reporting framework, every TREC (Trading Right Entitlement Certificate) holder is required to submit a report on its CCA status to the DSE on a monthly basis. The reports are unaudited and the DSE has no scope to verify if the reports, prepared on company letterheads, are authentic.

Sources at the DSE said there were times when they found such reports to be inaccurate.

For example, a broker once showed a shortfall of investors' money worth around Tk 70 million in its CCA, but the amount was later found to be more than Tk 200 million in an investigation.

The sources said that initially some brokers opposed the idea of installing DSE-iMON. They were convinced when told that they would no longer have to prepare reports on CCA with the software in place.

The existing regulatory oversight often remains incomplete and any action to protect investors is often delayed. The DSE-iMON system will bring solutions through continuous monitoring of investors' CCA balances and shareholding positions.

The information regarding CCA balances will be cross-checked with the help of banks.

The system is therefore expected to enhance transparency, improve compliance monitoring and enable early detection of irregularities.

DSE-iMON has been conceptualised as the prime bourse sought a technology-driven solution.

The DSE has a mandate to see if TREC holder companies comply with securities laws and regulatory directives, said Ms Nuzhat. DSE-iMON will help ensure continuous monitoring instead of periodic inspections, enabling earlier detection of irregularities and compliance issues.

As encrypted data will be matched automatically, the platform will improve investors' data privacy while minimising human access to sensitive investor information.

The exchange's integrated platform will also reduce dependency on manual inspections, spreadsheets and ad hoc investigations, allowing regulatory staff to focus on high-risk cases.

The prime bourse will grade brokers using the technology based on the extent of their compliance. Brokers obtaining good marks will face less scrutiny while highly non-compliant brokers will come under frequent investigations.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Monday said the government has made adjustments to the expenditure and budget deficit in the supplementary budget to address economic challenges while continuing social safety net programmes.
Moving the Supplementary Budget Bill in Parliament, he said since assuming office, the government has undertaken effective measures to improve people's living standards and revive the economy.

The minister noted that rebuilding the economy remains one of the government's key priorities amid global uncertainties, structural weaknesses within the economy and inflationary pressures."We are trying to reduce wastage in public expenditure, curtail non-priority spending, lower administrative costs and ensure greater efficiency in government spending," he told the House.

At the same time, Khosru said, the government is working to implement commitments made in the BNP election manifesto.

However, due to the global economic situation, he said, adjustments were made to electricity and energy subsidies, while social safety net programmes expanded through initiatives such as Family Card, Farmers' Card and allowances for imams, muezzins and priests.

To accommodate these measures, the government made adjustments to expenditure and the budget deficit in the supplementary budget, the minister added.

Considering the slower pace of government spending, particularly the implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) before the election, the revised budget proposed a reduction of Tk 20 billion, bringing total net expenditure down to Tk 7.88 trillion.

Khosru said the revised budget proposed a deficit of Tk 2.0 trillion, equivalent to 3.3 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to him, allocations for 27 ministries, divisions and other institutions have been increased by Tk 561.1759 billion under the supplementary budget, while allocations for the remaining 35 ministries and divisions have been reduced by Tk 593.4867 billion.

Thanking lawmakers for what he described as a lively discussion on the supplementary budget, the minister urged Parliament to approve the grants sought for expenditures other than charged expenditures outlined in the supplementary financial statement.

He formally requested all members of parliament to endorse the supplementary budget proposals for the current fiscal year.

Acting managing director of Islami Bank Md Altaf Hossain has said the bank received another Tk2,500 crore in liquidity support from the central bank today (15 June).

"We also received Tk2,500 crore in liquidity support from Bangladesh Bank yesterday. We have not yet had to use the funds received yesterday," he told reporters.

Altaf said he hopes that customers who have withdrawn their deposits will regain confidence in the bank and return.

The acting chief said the bank is already seeing signs of improving customer confidence.

"We have just received information from one of the bank's major branches showing that the number of account closures has fallen by 75% compared to previous levels," he said.

Bangladesh Bank yesterday dissolved the board of Islami Bank Bangladesh, including Chairman Md Khurshid Alam, as the bank grappled with an acute liquidity crisis fuelled by deposit flight and growing uncertainty among customers.

To stabilise the situation, the regulator appointed its executive director, Mohammad Zahir Hussain, as administrator of the country's largest shariah-based bank.

A group of Islami Bank customers today welcomed the decision to dissolve the bank's board of directors, urging the central bank to swiftly appoint a new board comprising competent, credible and politically neutral individuals.

Under the banner of the "Islami Bank Sachetan Grahok Forum," they congratulated Bangladesh Bank on the move and called for the restoration of sound governance at the bank.

They also urged the regulator to reconstitute the board with experienced individuals who were involved in the bank's management before its takeover by the S Alam Group, saying that such a move will help rebuild depositor confidence and strengthen the institution's governance framework.

Newly appointed Islami Bank administrator Zahir said today that efforts are underway to form a "completely neutral" board to strengthen governance and restore depositor confidence.

Speaking after assuming charge, he said his appointment is for a limited period and assured customers that banking operations and transactions will continue uninterrupted, urging them to carry on their banking activities without concern.

The crisis emerged quickly after Bangladesh Bank appointed former deputy governor Khurshid Alam as chairman of Islami Bank on 24 May, just hours after the previous chairman stepped down and immediately before the start of a week-long Eid-ul-Adha holiday.

The move raised swift concerns among stakeholders.

Following the holidays, protests broke out on 1 June outside the bank's Motijheel head office in Dhaka, where demonstrators under the banner of the Islami Bank Sachetan Grahok Forum demanded cancellation of Khurshid's appointment.

The parliament yesterday passed the supplementary expenditure plan of Tk 56,117 crore for fiscal year 2025-26 to meet increased expenditure under different ministries and divisions.

Among the ministries and divisions, the Finance Division received the highest allocation under the supplementary budget – an additional financial plan introduced by a government during a fiscal year to allocate extra funds for unforeseen expenses, cover revenue shortfalls, or adjust spending priorities.

Overall, the parliament approved allocations for 27 ministries and divisions under the supplementary budget, which Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury placed before the House on June 11 along with the national budget.

The allocation for the Finance Division was Tk 28,655 crore, followed by Tk 12,407 crore for the Planning Commission and Tk 4,923 crore for the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The Ministry of Water Resources and the Local Government Division got Tk 2,177.04 crore and Tk 1,809.56 crore in additional allocations, respectively.

As per parliamentary rules, the government has to get approval from lawmakers if it needs to increase budgetary allocations for any ministry or division. The same process is not required for reduced allocations or expenditure.

During the outgoing FY26, the government has cut allocations to 35 ministries and divisions by Tk 59,348 crore. As such, the government’s revised expenditure plan has declined to Tk 788,000 crore for the current year from the initial plan of Tk 790,000 crore.

Addressing the parliament yesterday, Khosru said since assuming power, one of the government’s top priorities has been to restructure the economy by tackling global instability, internal structural weaknesses, and inflationary pressures.

“We are trying to reduce waste in every area of government expenditure, cut spending in non-priority sectors, and ensure frugality in administrative costs. At the same time, we are working to implement the government’s electoral manifesto.”

“However, due to global circumstances, we had to adjust subsidies for electricity and energy,” he added.

Opposition MPs raised concerns over weaknesses in the banking sector, rising default loans, shrinking private-sector credit flow, and the government’s capacity to finance the budget deficit.

They also questioned the government’s plan to borrow large sums from banks despite mounting default loans and liquidity crises, while simultaneously creating rescue funds for troubled banks.

They warned that this could further strain the financial sector.

Khosru, in response, said additional allocations were needed to finance priority programmes, including waiving principal and interest on agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000 and funding two Annual Development Programme (ADP) and four non-ADP projects.

He stressed that the extra funds were not sought for the Finance Division’s own expenses and defended the proposal as justified, rejecting the cut motions.

Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC shares rebounded significantly after Bangladesh Bank’s intervention restored investor confidence, triggering a price surge on the stock market. However, trading halted due to a shortage of sellers afterwards.

Shares of the bank have surged 32 percent over three consecutive trading sessions after Bangladesh Bank pledged full support to the lender and dissolved its entire board of directors, halting a crisis that had wiped nearly a fifth off the stock’s value in two days.

Yesterday, the stock hit the upper circuit limit of 10 percent and trading was halted due to a shortage of sellers following the government’s announcement of support for the bank, according to data from the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE).

The BB governor on June 12 pledged full support to the bank and has already extended Tk 2,500 crore in liquidity support.

Two days later, the central bank dissolved the bank’s entire board of directors, including its chairman, Md Khurshid Alam, whose appointment had triggered depositor protests that accelerated an earlier sell-off.

The rebound follows a steep decline. After the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission removed the floor price on June 8, the stock shed around 19 percent in just two days through June 10, as depositor unrest and political controversy compounded market pressure.

Islami Bank carries the banking sector’s largest non-performing loan burden -- Tk 95,629 crore, equivalent to 50.88 percent of its total outstanding loans.The bank paid a 10 percent cash dividend in 2023 but skipped payouts in the two years since, a lapse that saw its stock downgraded to the Z category.

Parliament today (15 June) passed the supplementary budget of Tk56,117 crore for the fiscal year 2025-26.

Through this, parliament has approved additional expenditure by various ministries and divisions beyond the allocations in the main budget until 30 June.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury placed the Appropriation (Supplementary) Bill 2026 in Parliament, which was subsequently passed by voice vote.

The minister informed parliament that the net government expenditure in the main budget for the current 2025-26 fiscal year was set at Tk7.90 lakh crore.

However, due to a slowdown in government spending, particularly in the implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) during the pre-election period, expenditure in the revised budget has been proposed to be reduced by Tk2,000 crore to Tk7.88 lakh crore.

He further said that the budget deficit in the revised budget has been proposed at Tk2 lakh crore, equivalent to 3.3% of gross domestic product (GDP).

The finance minister stated that allocations for 27 ministries, divisions and other institutions have been increased in the revised budget, amounting to Tk56,117 crore.

In contrast, allocations for 35 ministries and divisions have been reduced by Tk59,348 crore.

Through the speaker, the finance minister called on all members of parliament to approve the grants sought for expenditure other than charged expenditure mentioned in the supplementary financial statement.

He also sought approval for the increased allocation of Tk56,117 crore for the 27 ministries, divisions and other institutions.

In his concluding remarks on the supplementary budget, Khosru said that since assuming office, the government has been consistently taking effective measures aimed at improving people's living standards and revitalising the economy.

He added that amid global instability, internal economic weaknesses and pressure from high inflation, rebuilding the economy remains one of the government's key priorities.

The finance minister said efforts are ongoing to reduce wasteful public expenditure, cut non-priority spending and ensure austerity in administrative costs.

At the same time, the implementation of the government's election manifesto is also being advanced.

He further stated that although subsidies in the power and energy sector have had to be adjusted due to the global situation, the government has expanded social protection programmes.

Initiatives such as family cards, farmer cards and honorarium payments for imams, priests and muezzins have strengthened social safety net programmes, he said, adding that expenditure and deficit adjustments in the supplementary budget have been made to support the implementation of these activities.

Earlier, various ministries, divisions and institutions sought increased allocations under 25 demands for grants.

Among the allocations, the Finance Division received the highest amount at Tk28,655 crore, while the Textiles and Jute Ministry received the lowest at Tk0.45 crore.

Other major allocations included Tk16.59 crore for the Parliament Secretariat, Tk15.67 crore for the Cabinet Division, Tk19.77 crore for the Supreme Court, Tk1,389.65 crore for the Election Commission, Tk30.01 crore for the Public Service Commission,

Tk1,690.81 crore for the Financial Institutions Division, and Tk12,407.83 crore for the Planning Commission.

The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) received Tk21.97 crore, while the Commerce Ministry was allocated Tk301.93 crore. The Foreign Ministry received Tk59.97 crore, Law Ministry Tk84.74 crore, Public Security Division

Tk171.68 crore, and Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division Tk0.87 crore.

Other allocations included Tk4,923.48 crore for the Science and Technology Ministry, Tk722.46 crore for the ICT Division, Tk293.35 crore for the Women and Children Affairs Ministry, Tk112.58 crore for the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Tk220.41 crore for the Religious Affairs Ministry, Tk1,809.56 crore for the Local Government Division, Tk75.61 crore for the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, Tk97.71 crore for the Land Ministry, Tk2,177.04 crore for the Water Resources Ministry, Tk683.91 crore for the Food Ministry, Tk122.19 crore for the Liberation War Affairs Ministry, and Tk11.68 crore for the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Discussions were held on three cut motions relating to key ministries and divisions, including the Finance Division, Planning Division, Commerce Ministry, Science and Technology Ministry, Local Government Division, Water Resources Ministry, Food Ministry and the Anti-Corruption Commission.

A total of 304 cut motions were moved by 11 lawmakers during the session, but all were rejected by voice vote.

The motions were moved by lawmakers from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and independent members, including Shahjahan Chowdhury, Md Mujibur Rahman, GM Nazrul Islam, Md Abdul Gafur, Md Quamrul Hassan, Muhammad Nazibur Rahman, M Abdul Aleem, Al Faruq Abdul Latif, Md Ruhul Amin, Muhammad Ali Asgar, M Amir Hamza, Md Afjal Hossain, M Shafiqul Islam, Shaikh Monzurul Haque (Rahad), Md Masud Parves, Rumeen Farhana and Sk Mozibur Rahman Iqbal.

The US dollar traded around a 10-day low against other major currencies on Monday as a preliminary agreement to end the war between the US and Iran sent oil prices tumbling and boosted demand for riskier assets. US and Iranian officials said on Sunday they had agreed on a framework for a deal to end their war, halt the US blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The memorandum of understanding is scheduled to be officially signed on Friday in Switzerland, but caution still lingered as markets awaited more details and as the fate of Iran’s nuclear program was left for further negotiations.

Oil prices slumped, with Brent crude futures down around 5 percent to $82.9 a barrel. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, was little changed at 99.52, hovering around its lowest since June 5.

Nick Rees, head of macro research at Monex Europe, said that despite the preliminary deal between the US and Iran, markets would likely be cautious about pricing in further optimism.

“There’s plenty of room to be disappointed here,” he said. “Crucially, we haven’t heard anything on the nuclear side. If that comes through over the next few days, then I think we can be a bit more constructive.”

“But without a nuclear agreement, I don’t think we can simply assume that any deal’s going to hold. So we are cautiously optimistic, but that warrants a relatively small FX reaction,” Rees said.

The euro was last 0.32 percent higher at $1.1605, and sterling rose 0.16 percent to $1.3428. Both were near the strongest level since June 5.

The Japanese yen was broadly steady at 160.10 per dollar, continuing to hover around the 160 level widely seen as a line in the sand for potential official intervention.

Bangladeshi exporters will now be able to showcase their products on globally recognised online marketplaces such as Alibaba and Amazon after Bangladesh Bank eased foreign exchange regulations to facilitate business-to-consumer (B2C) exports.

The central bank issued a circular today (15 June) allowing exporters to list and display goods on international e-commerce platforms accessible to foreign buyers, aiming to expand digital export opportunities and simplify cross-border trade.

Under the new guidelines, exporters can use platforms including Alibaba, AliExpress and Amazon to reach global customers, subject to compliance with payment and regulatory requirements.

According to the circular, authorised dealer (AD) banks must verify that exporters have valid merchant or participation agreements with recognised online marketplaces, including arrangements for payment settlement and dispute resolution.

The facility will apply only to small-value exports on Cost and Freight (CFR) terms, with each transaction capped at $5,000 or its equivalent.

For documentation, transport, or shipping papers may be issued in the name of foreign buyers. The EXP form requirement will be waived for shipments up to $1,000 per consignment, provided export proceeds are received in advance through banking channels or legitimate digital payment systems. For all other shipments, existing EXP form procedures will apply.

Bangladesh Bank said export proceeds must be repatriated by online marketplaces, platforms or overseas buyers through formal banking channels or approved digital payment systems within the prescribed timeframe from the date of shipment.

The circular also stated that fees, commissions and other charges payable to online marketplaces must remain within the limits set by the regulations. Officials said the move is intended to support small exporters and integrate Bangladesh more closely into global digital trade networks.

Oil prices slipped to a three-month low on Monday after US President Donald Trump and Iran’s deputy foreign minister said they had reached an initial deal to end the war and to resume traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude futures fell $3.65, or 4.2 percent, to $83.68 a barrel by 0630 GMT and US West Texas Intermediate was at $80.75, down $4.13, or 4.9 percent. Both contracts fell to their lowest levels since March 10 on Monday after tumbling more than 3 percent on Friday.

The US and Iran will sign a memorandum of understanding in Switzerland on Friday, said the prime minister of Pakistan, whose country has served as a mediator.

Trump said on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would be open “toll free” and that a US naval blockade of Iranian ports would also end. Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency said the draft deal called for reopening the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days under Iranian arrangements.

“The geopolitical risk premium that had been built into crude is now being unwound quite aggressively as traders price in the prospect of restored oil flows,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.

The world has lost millions of barrels of oil and gas supply since the war closed the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, for more than three months. Investors are also watching cautiously how quickly Middle Eastern producers can resume oil production and exports following damage from the war and whether more ships will enter the region.

“While these uncertainties suggest upside risks to our forecast for Brent oil futures to reach $80/bbl by the end of the year, it’s worth noting that oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz just needs to reach 60-70 percent of pre-war levels to return oil markets to pre-war oversupply expectations,” Vivek Dhar, a commodities strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said in a note.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said a more expansive agreement would be negotiated during a 60-day ceasefire period.

E4 nations, which include the UK, France, Germany and Italy, said on Sunday the countries were prepared to lift sanctions on Iran in response to steps on its nuclear programme.

“Beyond the immediate price reaction, attention will now shift toward the pace of actual supply normalization and compliance with the agreement,” said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova. “While the conflict may have come to an end and oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz may gradually return to normal, the damage already done cannot be reversed overnight. This includes not only any physical damage to oil infrastructure but also the economic strain endured by oil importing economies that have faced elevated energy costs for months.”

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) today (15 June) suspended trading of shares of Sonargaon Textiles Ltd, a listed textile company, midway through the trading session, citing an unusual surge in both share price and trading volume.

Under listing regulations, the bourse may suspend trading of a security if unusual market activity is detected, particularly when it is believed to be driven by rumours, undisclosed material information, or possible manipulation.

In such cases, the exchange may ask the issuer to take corrective action and halt trading until the issue is resolved.

Sonargaon Textiles is a loss-making company, posting a loss of Tk2.12 crore in FY25.

It also continued to incur losses in the first nine months of FY2025-26.

Despite this, and in the absence of any price-sensitive disclosures, the company's share price has seen a sharp rise in recent sessions, nearly doubling within a month.

Since 10 March, the stock surged 158% to Tk87.50 today, up from Tk33.90, according to DSE data.

In a disclosure published on the exchange website, the DSE said trading was halted for the rest of the day due to an abnormal price hike of 9.92%, coupled with a significant rise in turnover.

Responding to queries from the DSE, the company said it was not aware of any undisclosed price-sensitive information that could explain the recent surge in price and trading volume.

The DSE also halted trading of Shyampur Sugar Mills shares earlier for similar reasons.

Trading resumed a day later on Sunday. Following the resumption, its shares fell around 17% over two trading sessions, closing at Tk202 each the same day.

The United States is set to release $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets before the commencement of negotiations with Tehran, Iran's Mehr news agency reported today (15 June), citing a 14-point memorandum of understanding between the two countries, reports AFP.

According to the document published by Mehr, a total of $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets would be released during a 60-day negotiation period following the conclusion of the memorandum.

The document states that "half of this amount must be made available to Iran before the start of the negotiations."

The memorandum cited by Mehr has not been officially confirmed by either Washington or Tehran.

US and Iranian officials said they had reached an agreement to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a preliminary pact that sent oil prices lower but leaves the future of Tehran's nuclear programme subject to further negotiations.

Although still a framework agreement, the deal marks the most significant breakthrough yet in efforts to resolve a conflict that has killed thousands and disrupted global energy markets since it began with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

"The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete," US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform at around 5:30pm in Washington (2130 GMT) on Sunday.

Trump's announcement came shortly after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has acted as a mediator between the two sides, said a deal had been reached early Monday local time.

The memorandum of understanding underpinning the agreement is scheduled to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has indicated that Iran and Oman may impose "fees" on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, reports Al Jazeera.

"The Strait of Hormuz is very important for us, and we have adopted certain procedures according to international law in order to protect Iran's national security and the Islamic Republic of Iran," Baghaei told a press conference.

"Our goal is to pave the way for a secure passage in this waterway. We need a certain period of time to discuss with the other sides this important matter," he said.

Baghaei said that "fees" would be charged for vessels using the strategic waterway.

"It's full services that will be offered in order to keep and maintain the environment," he said.

"So many other services will be offered by Iran and Oman, and this will cost money. Accordingly, the fees will be there, and this is clear," he added.

The government has formed a high-level committee to simplify and expedite the issuance of licences, permits and other regulatory approvals required to set up new industries and factories, as part of efforts to improve the ease of doing business and attract fresh investment.

The seven-member inter-ministerial committee will recommend measures to streamline approval procedures and remove regulatory bottlenecks that businesses have long identified as barriers to investment, according to a gazette notification issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on June 9.

The committee will be chaired by the minister overseeing the ministries of commerce, industries, and textiles and jute.

The members of the committee include the adviser to the ministries of finance and planning, the executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), the cabinet secretary, the principal secretary to the prime minister, the finance secretary, and the secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

According to the notification, the committee will suggest ways to facilitate the issuance of licences, permits, no-objection certificates and other clearances required for establishing industrial units.

It will also propose a framework for granting provisional approvals at the initial stage of investment projects, allowing entrepreneurs to begin certain activities before obtaining all final clearances.

In addition, the committee has been tasked with reviewing existing approval requirements and recommending a classification system based on their significance, with a view to eliminating less critical permits and reducing compliance burdens.

The government may co-opt additional members, if necessary, while the Ministry of Textiles and Jute will provide secretarial support to the committee.

The order took immediate effect.

The government has also formed another high-level committee to facilitate bank financing for industries operating on state-owned mills, factories and government land, addressing a longstanding challenge faced by investors seeking credit.

The committee, constituted through a separate gazette notification issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on June 9, will recommend measures to help businesses secure loans against leasehold interests and other rights linked to government-owned properties.

Chaired by the minister overseeing the ministries of commerce, industries, and textiles and jute, the committee includes representatives from the Finance and Planning Ministry, Bangladesh Bank, the Finance Division and the Public-Private Partnership Authority.

It will also advise state-owned financial institutions, including Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) and Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited (BIFFL), on financing projects established on government land.

The moves come amid growing calls from businesses to reduce procedural delays, improve regulatory efficiency and ease access to financing.

Entrepreneurs have long complained that obtaining approvals from multiple agencies increases both the time and cost of setting up businesses, while firms operating on government land often struggle to secure bank financing despite holding long-term leases.

The latest budget includes measures to improve the investment climate, including issuing business licences through a digital single-window platform within seven days, expanding digital tax and VAT services, and offering incentives for technology and environmentally friendly industries.

Business leaders welcomed the formation of the committees, saying faster approvals and improved access to financing could help strengthen the country’s competitiveness as an investment destination.

Taskeen Ahmed, president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the initiative reflects the government’s stated commitment to promoting a private sector-led economy.

“The proposal to issue licences and clearances within seven days could significantly improve the ease of doing business,” he said.

Ahmed said the government appeared to recognise the importance of investment promotion in accelerating economic growth. However, he noted that the success of the initiative would depend on effective implementation.

“It is now a matter of seeing how successfully these measures are carried out,” he said.

Kamran T Rahman, president of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also welcomed the move.

“We view such initiatives positively,” he said. “The government has announced a number of promising measures. If these are implemented effectively, they will certainly benefit businesses.”

Rahman said businesses have long faced a high cost of doing business, partly because securing permits and approvals often takes considerable time.

“If these processes are digitalised, approvals can be obtained much faster and businesses will begin to see the benefits sooner,” he said.

He added that online services would reduce the need for entrepreneurs to visit government offices repeatedly, saving both time and money.

Mohammed Amirul Haque, president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said both initiatives are encouraging for investment promotion.

“This type of cooperative mindset towards investors will have a positive impact on the economy,” he said.

However, he added that initiatives alone are not enough and that implementation will be the key factor in translating the government’s plans into reality.

The country's premier stock exchange extended its upward momentum for a third consecutive session yesterday, with the benchmark index climbing to a nine-and-a-half-month high, driven by strong buying in blue-chip stocks and a sharp rally in Islami Bank.

Despite late-session profit-taking pressure that saw more than half of traded issues decline, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) managed to stay resilient above the 5,600-point mark, supported by selective accumulation in large-cap shares.

The DSEX rose 15 points, or 0.27%, to settle at 5,640, its highest level since late last year. The DS30 index also edged up by 8 points to close at 2,128, reflecting broadly positive sentiment among blue-chip counters.

However, market breadth remained negative, underscoring cautious trading activity, as 184 issues declined against 145 advances, while 66 remained unchanged.

Total turnover increased by 7% to Tk1,456 crore, indicating improved liquidity flow and sustained investor participation.

According to EBL Securities, the market showed notable resilience as investors continued accumulating attractively valued blue-chip stocks. A key driver of the session was sustained buying pressure in Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC, which surged 10% to hit the upper circuit breaker.

Market insiders attributed the rally to expectations of government-backed regulatory support aimed at easing the bank's liquidity stress, which helped restore investor confidence in the stock.

Despite strong momentum during mid-session trading, many investors opted to book profits after the index reached a multi-month peak, leading to mixed sentiment toward the close.

Sheltech Brokerage Limited noted that the day's movement was shaped by a combination of selective accumulation and profit-taking pressure. Although the session opened with broad-based buying interest, selling pressure intensified from mid-session onward. However, support from the banking and large-cap pharmaceutical sectors helped absorb losses and ensured a positive finish for the key indices.

On the sectoral front, general insurance dominated turnover, accounting for 15.9% of total trade, followed by the banking sector with 13.3% and textiles with 10.1%.

In terms of performance, the ceramic sector led the gainers with a 1.9% rise, followed by banking at 1.2% and cement at 0.9%.

On the losing side, the miscellaneous sector declined 3.9%, while life insurance and general insurance dropped 3.1% and 1.1%, respectively.

Islami Bank topped the gainers' list, followed by Sonargaon Textile, Emerald Oil, and Meghna Condensed Milk.

On turnover, IPDC Finance was the most traded stock with Tk81 crore, followed by NCC Bank and Beximco Pharmaceuticals.

Beximco Limited emerged as the top loser, falling 9.95%, followed by ICB Employees Provident Mutual Fund and Shyampur Sugar.

The positive momentum was also reflected on the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), where the CSCX index rose 12 points to 9,423, while the CASPI gained 52 points to reach 15,395. Turnover at the port city bourse surged 75% to Tk42.46 crore.

Gold rose more than 2% on Monday after US and Iran officials said they had reached an initial agreement to end their war, pushing oil prices lower and easing concerns about inflation and higher interest rates.

Spot gold climbed 2.3% to $4,316.03 per ounce by 0730 GMT, hitting its highest level since 9 June and extending gains for a third straight session. US gold futures for August delivery rose 2.3% to $4,337.20.

US and Iranian officials said on Sunday they had agreed on a framework to end their war, halt the US blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The pact will be officially signed on Friday in Switzerland, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a post on X.

The US dollar fell to a 10-day low, making greenback-priced bullion cheaper for other currency holders, while oil prices slipped more than 4%.

"Lower oil prices and a softer dollar, stemming from reduced geopolitical risk and the anticipated reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, are helping to calm inflation expectations," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.

"This combination is providing the precious metal with its best tailwind in recent weeks, though sustainability will depend on how durable the peace agreement proves to be."

Gold prices have fallen about 20% since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran in late February. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a sharp increase in global oil prices, stoking inflation concerns and raising expectations of interest rates staying higher for longer.

Bullion loses appeal in a high-interest-rate environment as it is a non-yielding asset.

Markets have scaled back expectations for a US rate hike in December to 51% after the peace deal, down from 69% last week, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

Investors now await the Federal Reserve policy decision and remarks, the first under Chair Kevin Warsh, on Wednesday, with rates widely expected to remain unchanged.

"Currency debasement concerns, fiscal risks and ongoing geopolitical fragmentation continue to underpin long-term demand (for gold). A moderation in energy-led inflation could help these themes regain traction," OCBC said in a note.

Spot silver rose 3.3% to $70.22 per ounce, platinum gained 2.7% to $1,763.38 and palladium climbed 2.7% to $1,317.22.

Despite pledging to strengthen the bond market and expand alternative sources of financing beyond the banking sector, the BNP government has proposed imposing tax on income earned from zero-coupon bonds in the budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year.Market trend analysis

Since taking charge of the finance and planning ministries for the first time under the BNP government, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has repeatedly stressed the need to revitalise the capital market and deepen the bond market.

In his budget speech on Thursday, he also announced plans to introduce new bond instruments.

However, the Finance Bill for the next fiscal year proposes withdrawing a tax exemption that individual taxpayers have enjoyed on income from zero-coupon bonds for nearly two decades.

To facilitate the change, the government has proposed amending the 6th Schedule of the Income Tax Act 2023.

Investors do not pay any tax on income generated from zero-coupon bonds at the moment.

According to the schedule, any income earned from zero-coupon bonds by individuals—excluding banks, insurers and other financial institutions—is deducted from total taxable income and therefore remains tax-free.

The exemption applies to bonds issued through a bank, insurance company or financial institution with prior approval from Bangladesh Bank or the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC).Personal finance e-book

Individual taxpayers also receive the same benefit when such bonds are issued by non-financial institutions, provided they have obtained prior approval from Bangladesh Bank or the BSEC.

The Finance Bill 2026 proposes abolishing this provision.

A zero-coupon bond is a debt instrument that does not pay periodic interest.

Instead, it is sold at a discount to its face value and redeemed at full value upon maturity.

The difference between the purchase price and the redemption value constitutes the investor’s profit.

The tax exemption was introduced in the Finance Act for FY2007-08 and took effect on Jul 1, 2007.

According to BSEC’s annual report, 11 companies raised Tk 66.75 billion through zero-coupon bond issuances in FY2023-24. In FY2024-25, one company raised Tk 1.71 billion through such bonds.

In March, City Sugar Industries, part of leading conglomerate City Group, received approval to raise Tk 13 billion through a bond issue to repay liabilities and invest in the sugar sector.

Akij Food and Beverage was also cleared to raise Tk 5 billion through zero-coupon bonds.