The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) extended its upward momentum for a second consecutive session today (24 June), as renewed buying interest in undervalued stocks helped the benchmark index close higher despite early selling pressure.

The DSEX, the prime index of the bourse, gained 11 points to settle at 5,616, while the blue-chip DS30 index edged up to 2,127.

Market breadth remained positive, with 182 issues advancing against 150 decliners, while 65 securities remained unchanged. Turnover also saw a notable increase, rising 14% to Tk940 crore, indicating improved participation from investors.

According to EBL Securities, the market maintained its positive trajectory as investors continued to accumulate fundamentally strong yet undervalued stocks amid expectations of market-friendly developments. Easing concerns over global shipping disruptions, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, also contributed to a more optimistic market sentiment.

However, the session was not without volatility. The market faced selling pressure from the outset, with cautious investors booking profits. Sellers dominated trading until mid-session, but a resurgence of buying interest in the latter half helped the market recover and close in the green, reflecting growing confidence in near-term prospects.

Sector-wise, engineering stocks led turnover, accounting for 14% of total transactions, followed by pharmaceuticals at 13.8% and general insurance at 11.4%.

In terms of performance, financial institutions, IT, and mutual funds posted the highest gains, while miscellaneous, ceramic, and paper sectors faced corrections.

Among individual stocks, Beximco Pharmaceuticals topped the turnover chart, followed by Summit Alliance Port and BRAC Bank.

Nahee Aluminum, Saif Powertec, and Regent Textile emerged as top gainers, while Beximco Limited, International Leasing, and Peoples Leasing led the losers.

Islami Insurance Bangladesh Limited has recommended a 16% cash dividend for shareholders for the financial year ended 31 December 2025, down from a 20% payout the previous year.

The decision was approved at a board meeting held today (24 June), at which the company also endorsed its audited financial statements, according to a price-sensitive disclosure.

The general insurer reported a decline in earnings, with earnings per share (EPS) falling 11% year-on-year to Tk3.04 in 2025. As of end-December, net asset value (NAV) per share stood at Tk23.62, while net operating cash flow per share was Tk0.40.

The company has scheduled its annual general meeting for 27 August, to be held via a digital platform, where shareholders will vote on the dividend and financial statements. The record date has been set for 20 July.

Listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange in 2009, Islami Insurance saw its shares close at Tk59 today (24 June). According to its latest shareholding structure, sponsors and directors hold 45.61%, institutional investors 9.97%, and general investors the remaining 44.42%.

The company has also been under regulatory scrutiny. In November 2025, the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) launched an investigation following allegations by six former sponsor directors against current chairman Mohammad Sayeed Khokon, a former Awami League lawmaker and ex-Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation.

The complainants alleged that since assuming leadership in 2012, Khokon has exercised excessive control over company operations, and that several board members were removed without justification and replaced with family members and affiliated entities.

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved $450 million in financing to help Bangladesh strengthen the foundations of a stronger banking sector, a prerequisite for reviving the country's economic growth and job creation.

The financing, under the Financial Sector Support Project II, aims to strengthen the deposit protection system to safeguard small depositors and build Bangladesh Bank's supervisory capacity and systems, according to a World Bank press release issued today (24 June).

The project will also lay the groundwork for bank resolution and reforms in state-owned banks.

It will support the deposit protection fund by increasing its capital and advancing key reform priorities, including enhancing the deposit protection system, establishing an effective Emergency Liquidity Assistance framework, developing bank restructuring strategies, and supporting reforms in state-owned banks.

Bangladesh's banking sector faces significant challenges caused by weak corporate governance, regulatory capture and related-party lending.

The non-performing loan (NPL) ratio stood at 32.6% as of the end of March 2026, well above the 7.9% average for South Asian banks, while the system-wide capital-to-risk-weighted assets ratio was negative 2.6% as of the end of December 2025.

"Bangladesh's vision of attaining a trillion-dollar economy requires a stable and inclusive financial sector. But the banking sector – which accounts for about 90% of total financial sector assets – faces mounting stress," said Jean Pesme, World Bank Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan.

"This project will help Bangladesh put in place a set of essential tools, systems, and safeguards needed to protect small depositors and support confidence, restore stability in the banking sector, and allow it to support economic growth and job creation," he said.

The project will upgrade and modernise Bangladesh Bank's ICT infrastructure, helping address rising cybersecurity risks and close critical gaps in sector-wide data and analytics.

This will improve the central bank's ability to monitor risks, enhance data-driven and risk-based supervision, and strengthen the resilience of the financial sector.

"The project, which forms part of a coordinated approach by development partners including the IMF and the Asian Development Bank, supports measures to bolster crisis preparedness and build the authorities' capacity to manage banking sector stress," said Toshiaki Ono, World Bank Senior Financial Sector Specialist and Task Team Leader of the project.

Bangladesh and the United Kingdom (UK) have agreed to strengthen awareness and capacity-building efforts to help local exporters make greater use of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), as the country prepares for its graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) status.
The commitment came at a round-table discussion jointly organised by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and the British High Commission in the city on Wednesday, bringing together representatives of leading export associations, chambers and trade bodies.The discussion focused on strategies to enhance the utilisation of DCTS preferences, address market access challenges and prepare Bangladeshi exporters for the changing trade landscape following LDC graduation.The event was inaugurated by EPB Vice Chairman and Chief Executive (Additional Secretary) Mohammad Hasan Arif, while British Deputy High Commissioner James Goldman delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the UK government.

Ellie Parker, regional trade for development adviser for South Asia, Central Asia and the South Caucasus at the British High Commission, presented the key features of the DCTS, highlighting opportunities for Bangladeshi exporters, recent improvements to the scheme and possible areas of cooperation to improve its utilisation.

Participants stressed the importance of ensuring that exporters can fully benefit from the preferential market access offered under the DCTS and discussed ways to overcome existing barriers in the UK market.

The EPB announced that it will publish a comprehensive DCTS booklet containing practical guidance on eligibility requirements, rules of origin, documentation procedures and the effective use of trade preferences.

A series of awareness and sensitisation workshops will also be organised in Dhaka and Chattogram in collaboration with the British High Commission and relevant industry associations to improve exporters’ understanding of the scheme.

The event was attended by representatives of major business organisations, including BGMEA, BKMEA, FBCCI, DCCI, MCCI, BCMEA, BPGMEA, BAPA, BAPI and other sectoral associations.

Participants welcomed the initiative and emphasised continued collaboration among the Bangladesh government, the British High Commission and the private sector to maximise DCTS benefits, diversify exports and enhance Bangladesh’s competitiveness in the UK market after LDC graduation.

Peoples Insurance PLC has approved a 10.5% cash dividend for the year ended 31 December 2025 at its 41st Annual General Meeting (AGM), held virtually today (24 June) in compliance with all regulations of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC).

The meeting was chaired by the company's Chairman Jafar Ahmed Patwary and attended by more than 256 shareholders through a digital platform.

Representatives of the statutory auditor, scrutineer, observers from the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) and BSEC also joined the meeting virtually, according to a press release.

Shareholders approved the audited financial statements for 2025, the directors' report and the proposed 10.5% cash dividend.

They also endorsed decisions relating to the election and appointment of directors, as well as the appointment of statutory and compliance auditors for 2026.

The AGM was conducted by Company Secretary Sheikh Mohammad Sarfaraz Hossain FCS, who introduced the board members and outlined the voting procedures at the beginning of the session.

In his welcome address, Chief Executive Officer SM Azizul Hossain presented an overview of the company's operations and performance.

Addressing shareholders before the approval of the financial statements, Audit Committee Chairperson Rubaiyath Ara FCA said the company's operations had continued consistently since inception and that no extraordinary events had occurred during the reporting year.

She noted that all transactions with related parties were conducted on an arm's-length basis and under the same commercial terms applicable to third parties, in line with Bangladesh Accounting Standard (BAS) 24 on related-party disclosures.

She also said there were no significant deviations between the quarterly and year-end financial results, adding that the financial statements prepared by the management accurately reflected the company's operating performance, cash flows and changes in equity.

Oil prices fell more than 1 percent on Wednesday, extending this week’s losses to hit fresh four-month lows on signs that more oil tankers are set to move out of the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude futures were down $1.37, or 1.8 percent, at $75.71 a barrel by 0805 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate slipped by $1.08, or 1.5 percent, to $72.13.

Brent touched a low of $75.60, its weakest level since February 27, the day before the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran. WTI fell as low as $72.03, the weakest since March 3.

“While there are early encouraging signs of increased tanker activity, the market is pricing in the broader scenario of Iranian oil re-entering the global market and the Strait of Hormuz normalising,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. “If sanctions are eased, Iranian production and exports could ramp up relatively quickly given the substantial amount stored on tankers — we are likely talking weeks rather than months,” Waterer added.

Prices have also come under pressure this week from the 60-day sanctions waiver Washington granted Tehran after initial peace talks, allowing Iran to sell oil, and from an easing of hostilities in Lebanon, with prices approaching pre-war levels. Ship-tracking data showed that three stranded supertankers passed through the strait on Tuesday. The U.N. shipping agency said an evacuation plan is under way to enable hundreds of stranded ships to sail through the strait after the US-Iran ceasefire deal.

On Tuesday, Oman and Iran agreed to press on with discussions about managing navigation in the strait. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that any attempt by Iran to levy transit fees would violate international law. Uncertainty remains over the durability of the accord, however. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into “infinity”, though Tehran said it had made no such concession.

“Markets are currently assigning too much confidence to a favorable outcome without fully discounting the risks associated with unresolved nuclear issues and inspection disputes,” said Mark Malek, CIO at Siebert Financial.

Investors are also watching how quickly Middle Eastern producers can restore exports and whether more ships will enter the region. Meanwhile, US crude stocks fell by 765,000 barrels in the week to June 19, market sources said, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute.

Nine analysts polled by Reuters estimated, on average, that crude inventories fell by about 4.5 million barrels in the past week.

Asian stocks struggled for direction on Wednesday while crude oil prices extended declines to hover near four-month lows, as analysts cautioned about renewed volatility from stretched AI valuations and the prospects for US-Iran peace talks.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was last up 0.4% after swinging between gains and losses. South Korean shares, which plunged 10% on Tuesday in their sharpest one-day drop since March, rallied 3.5%, while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.4% and Taiwan stocks lost 1.9%, Reuters.

"Price action in markets over the last seven trading days has been alarming, not just when it falls, but also when it rises," said Michael McCarthy, market analyst at Moomoo Securities Australia. "When markets move so rapidly, in either direction, it's a sign of instability."

Oil prices fell more than 1% on Wednesday, extending this week's losses and trading near four-month lows, on signs that more oil tankers stranded in the Gulf are set to move out of the Strait of Hormuz.

Still, uncertainty remains over the durability of the accord. The US and Iran have provided conflicting accounts on what the two countries had agreed on as part of their peace deal, including key elements such as nuclear inspections and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

That gap in perceptions between Washington and Tehran "could become a source of concern going forward," Monex Securities' Yoshitaka Araya said.

Taking cues from Asia, European futures were mostly down. The pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures and German DAX futures each fell 0.3%, while FTSE futures lost 0.67%. US futures were largely steady, with S&P 500 E-minis up 0.1%, Nasdaq 100 E-minis 0.2% higher and Dow E-minis flat. The yield on benchmark US 10-year notes fell 0.6 basis points to 4.487%.

Later on Wednesday, memory chipmaker Micron Technology is set to release its earnings, which could offer clues on the outlook for the memory and AI chip sector after a searing rally this year.

In currency markets, the US dollar extended gains to reach a fresh 13-month high against a basket of major currencies, with the dollar index edging 0.07% higher to 101.46.

The dollar's strength has weighed heavily on the yen, which traded at 161.53, keeping markets on edge over a potential currency intervention to prop up the battered Japanese currency.

A summary of opinions from the Bank of Japan's meeting this month, in which the central bank decided to raise interest rates to a 31-year high of 1.00%, released on Wednesday showed policymakers debated mounting inflation risks, with some calling for faster interest rate increases to raise borrowing costs nearer levels deemed neutral to the economy.

The euro weakened 0.15% at $1.1364 and sterling eased to $1.3192.

Spot gold extended losses, falling 1.1% to $4,064.01 an ounce, touching an almost two-week low as higher rate expectations reduced the appeal of non-yielding assets.

In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin gained 0.2% to $62,499.52. Ether lost 0.2% to $1,658.09.

Iran will significantly increase foreign currency allocations ​from Saturday after improved ‌access to foreign assets and the recent easing of restrictions ​on oil exports, Central ​Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati said ⁠on Wednesday, according to Iran's ​Nournews.

An interim deal signed last ​week between Tehran and Washington mandates the US to issue temporary waivers ​for the export of ​Iranian energy products and to improve ‌Iran's ⁠access to its frozen assets abroad.

Hemmati said the bank would channel part of its ​strengthened ​reserves ⁠into the economy, with an initial $2 billion to ​be made available ​on ⁠Saturday for the industrial sector, and would help control inflation ⁠as ​well as ​the import of essential goods.

Bangladesh’s industrial sector grew by just 2.86 percent in fiscal year 2025-26, marking its slowest expansion in a decade.

The weak performance came despite the economy growing at a faster pace this year. Gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 4.14 percent, up from 3.49 percent in 2024-25, according to provisional data of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
Businesses and economists attributed the industrial slowdown to slowing exports, subdued domestic demand, stubbornly high inflation, energy shortages and financing constraints. Industry accounts for about 37 percent of Bangladesh’s gross domestic product (GDP).“Many factories and production have been suffering from an energy shortage. We are not getting enough gas,” said Mir Nasir Hossain, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).Many industries are operating at only 30-40 percent of capacity, he said, with ceramics and glass manufacturers particularly affected by acute gas shortages. “As interest rates on loans are too high, debt servicing is a major concern for entrepreneurs,” said Hossain, also managing director of The Mir Group Ltd.

Access to finance has become another major challenge as the banking sector continues to struggle with rising non-performing loans (NPLs) and lending irregularities.

“Those businesses that wanted to do business genuinely did not get loans in many instances. The problem began from then,” said Shams Mahmud, managing director of Shasha Denims.

“Business confidence fell to its lowest during the tenure of the interim government. Energy security was not ensured. The financial sector has been under stress, while weak logistics and customs-related complications have persisted. All these factors have hampered industrial production,” he said.The Finance Division, in its Medium-Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement, said industrial activity remained subdued, with several quarters recording growth of less than 1 percent because of energy supply constraints, tight financial conditions and weakness in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector.“In contrast, the services sector has remained comparatively resilient and continues to provide the principal support to aggregate output,” said the Finance Division. Abdur Razzaque, chairman of Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID), said the slowdown reflected weakness in both external and domestic demand.

“Manufacturing is the dominant component of industry, and the export-oriented garment sector alone accounts for roughly one-third of manufacturing production. With garment exports losing momentum, the principal engine of manufacturing growth has become subdued,” he said.

He said inflation, which has remained close to 10 percent for much of the past four years, has eroded purchasing power and weakened demand for locally manufactured products.

“These industries expanded strongly over the previous decade, supported by rising incomes and a growing domestic consumer market. Persistent inflation may have disrupted that process.”Financing conditions have further worsened the situation, Razzaque said, noting that heavy government borrowing from banks risks crowding out private-sector credit.“In an environment of high interest rates and large NPLs, financially viable banks may find lending to the government both safer and more attractive than financing private investment. This is particularly damaging for smaller and medium-sized manufacturers that have limited access to alternative sources of finance.”

CAN INDUSTRIAL GROWTH REBOUND TO 7%, AND BEYOND

Despite the slowdown, the government has projected industrial growth of 7 percent in fiscal year 2026-27, rising to 7.5 percent in FY28 and 8 percent in FY29.

The Finance Division expects deregulation, higher private investment, stronger exports, improved energy supplies and public infrastructure spending to drive the recovery.

Economists, however, said the target would be difficult to achieve unless major constraints are addressed.

Razzaque said current conditions make a rapid acceleration in industrial growth unlikely, especially amid uncertainty in the global trading environment.

“Industry is being squeezed from both sides: unreliable energy raises the cost of producing, while expensive and scarce credit limits the ability to invest.”

Against that backdrop, he said, the projected acceleration in industrial growth over the next three fiscal years “appears highly ambitious”.

“Such an acceleration would require a strong recovery in exports, domestic demand, private investment, energy availability and credit growth. At present, these conditions are not firmly in place.”

In the July-May period, the country’s exports fell 2.55 percent to $43.79 billion, due to a decline in garment shipments, according to the Export Promotion Bureau.

Razzaque said the new budget provides some benefits to the private sector, but these measures are unlikely, by themselves, to revive the industrial growth engine.

Shams Mahmud said deregulation is a positive initiative, but investors are unlikely to benefit immediately. “Nothing has happened in the last three months that all our problems have been resolved. Energy security has not been ensured. The revenue system has not been automated.”

Nasir shared a similar view. “If we get adequate gas supply, quality electricity and interest rate falls, then growth will pick up,” he commented.

Ashikur Rahman, principal economist at the Policy Research Institute (PRI) of Bangladesh, said achieving industrial growth of 7-8 percent would require lower inflation, exchange-rate stability, adequate foreign currency for imports, reliable energy supplies, and a significant recovery in private and foreign investment.

“The government must also ensure predictable tax and regulatory policies, improve port and customs efficiency, reform the banking sector, and support export diversification and productivity growth,” said the economist.

Without these improvements and stronger global demand, the projections are more aspirational than achievable, he said.

Selim Raihan, executive director of the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (Sanem), shared a similar assessment.

He said restoring macroeconomic stability, improving access to finance, ensuring uninterrupted energy supplies, attracting more foreign investment and diversifying exports beyond the RMG sector would be critical for sustained industrial expansion.

“Without meaningful progress in these areas, industrial growth is likely to remain below the government’s projected trajectory, making the medium-term targets difficult to achieve,” he added.

Physical crude oil cargoes are selling at discounts across the globe, changing trade flows as markets come under pressure from fast-rising Middle Eastern supply with Iran set to boost sales following a temporary reprieve from US sanctions.

The steep drop in prices follows the 60-day interim deal between the US and Iran to end the war that started on February 28, allowing some shipping to resume in the Strait of Hormuz which used to see a fifth of the global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war.
Tehran is also ramping up oil exports, seeking sales beyond China, after Washington temporarily lifted sanctions as part of the deal. The release of cargoes stranded inside the Gulf and a wave of crude offers from Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, Kuwait Petroleum Corp and Iraq's SOMO have also boosted prompt supply and depressed Middle East benchmarks Dubai, Oman and Murban to discounts. Asian refiners, which typically buy crude two months in advance, have already booked cargoes for delivery up to August.

"Refineries in the East have already been well supplied for the next two months and have no need for the incremental barrels, leading to a very weak market and Dubai spreads in contango," said June Goh, a senior oil market analyst at Sparta Commodities.

MIDDLE EASTERN BENCHMARKS IN DISCOUNTS

Cash Dubai slipped to a discount of 27 cents a barrel on Tuesday, after peaking at more than $60 in March, while discounts for Oman and Murban widened to 96 cents and 67 cents, respectively, Reuters data showed.Prompt cargoes trade at a discount to later-dated ones in a contango market, indicating ample supplies. ADNOC sold at least 48 million barrels of spot crude so far this month for June-August loading, boosting regional supply. The collapse in Middle Eastern crude prices has made Gulf oil cheaper against Brent, enabling energy majors Exxon Mobil, Eni and TotalEnergies to send supertankers of crude such as Abu Dhabi's Murban and Upper Zakum to Europe, traders said.On the other hand, weak Middle East prices have shut the arbitrage window for Atlantic Basin crude to Asia, traders said. Spot differential for US West Texas Intermediate Midland crude has flipped from a premium a week ago to a discount of about 45 cents."We're expecting US crude export premiums to Asia to erode and AB (Atlantic Basin) differentials to soften as the weeks progress," Rystad analyst Janiv Shah said.US crude exports to Asia are set to ease in the third quarter after hitting a record high of 2.634 million barrels per day in May, ship tracking data from Kpler showed.

EUROPE, WEST AFRICA DISCOUNTS WIDEN

Discounts for European and West African grades have also widened this week with the increase in Middle East supply. North Sea Forties crude, one of the six grades that can set the value of the dated Brent benchmark, traded on Monday at a discount of $1 a barrel to dated Brent, the lowest since November and sharply down from a record premium of $21.50 a barrel in April, according to LSEG data.

"Europe is becoming the clearing point for crude that either lost its eastern outlet or now screens cheap enough to travel west," analysts at Kpler said in a note.

For West African grades, Eni has sold Angolan Nemba crude for August loading to Glencore at $7.95 a barrel below dated Brent while ExxonMobil offered a cargo of Angolan Hungo for loading on August 6-7 at a discount of $4.05 per barrel to dated Brent, traders said.

Pricing agency S&P Global Energy Platts assessed on Tuesday that Congolese crude Djeno was at a discount of $10.80 per barrel to dated Brent, the lowest in a record dating back to 2013. Angola's Nemba was priced at a six-year low discount of $8 per barrel, it added.

The government on Tuesday launched the Online Pension Tracking and Management System, initially piloting it at the Ministry of Public Administration before a planned rollout across all ministries, attached departments and field offices.

The system allows government employees to submit pension applications online, track files in real time and complete pre-pension processes without repeated office visits, according to a press statement.

It draws service records and financial data from iBAS++, reducing manual entry and processing errors, and sends SMS notifications to employees around 11 months before post-retirement leave begins, added the statement.

Md Abdul Bari, state minister for public administration and food, who inaugurated a workshop on the system at the Secretariat, said it would remove long-standing difficulties faced by pensioners and strengthen transparency in public service delivery.

“If service seekers can receive services online without physically visiting government offices, it becomes a strong tool for reducing corruption,” he said.

Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder, secretary at the Finance Division, said the system would boost pensioners’ confidence through hassle-free service delivery.

He also called for a “One Rank One Pension” policy to reduce financial disparities among retirees.

The SME Foundation has called for a unified tax regime for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), saying that several government policies providing tax exemptions and incentives for the sector are not being adequately implemented.

This call came at a discussion on proposed budgetary measures for FY27 organised by the SME Foundation with the support of the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) in Dhaka.

Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, minister for commerce, industries, textiles and jute, said that the government is prioritising the revitalisation of the SME sector to boost employment and accelerate economic growth.

To achieve this, the government aims to reduce the time required for business processes -- from starting a business to importing or exporting products -- from 355 days to just 14 days, while ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to business establishments, he said.

In a presentation, Mohammad Jahangir Hossain, general manager of SME Foundation, said various government policies such as the National Industrial Policy 2022, National SME Policy 2026 (draft), National Tariff Policy 2023, and Export Policy 2024–2027 mention tax incentives to promote SMEs sector.

However, in practice, these policy benefits are not being properly implemented by the National Board of Revenue (NBR). Therefore, it is essential to ensure the effective provision of tax and duty benefits in line with these policies, he said.

He urged the NBR to consolidate tax incentives for SMEs mentioned in the policies along with the existing benefits under an integrated framework titled ‘Preferential Tax Regime for MSMEs’ under a rule.

“This would enable genuine small entrepreneurs to operate under a transparent, simple and long-term tax regime,” he said.

To support the development of the MSME sector, the foundation proposed increasing the Tk 2,000 crore allocation earmarked for fiscal year 2026-27 under a refinance scheme through which concessional loans are disbursed by three government agencies, including the SME Foundation.

As part of the government’s “One Village, One Product” initiative, an initial allocation of Tk 300 crore has been proposed for the development of the creative economy sector in fiscal year 2026-27.

The SME Foundation recommended that at least Tk 100 crore from this allocation be earmarked for the foundation.

It also suggested allocating at least Tk 5,000 crore specifically for the foundation.

The Bangladesh Bank has instructed all scheduled banks to maintain uninterrupted savings certificate services following complaints from customers about difficulties in purchasing the instruments through banks.

In a circular issued yesterday, the central bank reminded banks of their responsibilities as authorised issuing offices under the Savings Certificate Rules, 1977, saying some branches were not providing adequate support to investors.

The directive follows concerns that some branches were not providing the required level of support to investors seeking to buy savings certificates.

Banks have been asked to strengthen customer service, ensure eligible investors can access the instruments without unnecessary obstacles, and regularly monitor their savings certificate operations to resolve complaints promptly.

The central bank also directed branches to display complaint submission procedures prominently so customers can easily seek assistance.

Savings certificates are among the most widely used savings instruments in Bangladesh.

The move is expected to improve customer access to savings certificates and reinforce confidence in the savings instruments.

The Bangladesh Bank today (24 June) issued a strict directive to all scheduled commercial banks, warning them to immediately cease discouraging customers from investing in national savings certificates (Sanchayapatra).

The central bank instructed all banks to continue the sale of savings certificates seamlessly and ensure fully hassle-free services for retail investors.

The Debt Management Department (DMD) of the central bank issued a circular in this regard, dispatching it to the managing directors and chief executive officers of all scheduled banks across the country.

According to the circular, the central bank has recently received numerous complaints from public investors alleging that several banks, despite being authorised agents, are employing various tactics to discourage customers from purchasing national savings instruments.

According to the circular, the central bank has recently received numerous complaints from public investors alleging that despite being authorised agents, several banks are employing various tactics to discourage customers from buying national savings instruments.

Taking the matter seriously, the central bank ordered all commercial banks to strictly perform their designated roles as authorized "issuing offices" under Section 3 of the Savings Certificates Rules, 1977. It ordered banks to extend full cooperation to investors and upgrade their overall standard of service.

Furthermore, the central bank mandated that commercial bank headquarters must regularly monitor savings certificate operations at the branch level.

Banks have also been directed to distinctively set up complaint boxes or notice boards in visible areas across all branches, so customers can easily report issues. Branches must take swift corrective measures upon receiving any grievances.

The directive, signed by BB's DMD Director Istekmal Hossain, emphasised that all scheduled banks must take immediate, necessary measures to guarantee that the sale of savings certificates and related customer support runs smoothly without interruption.

Beximco Pharmaceuticals, one of the country's leading drug makers, reported a robust net profit of Tk704 crore for the first nine months of fiscal 2025-2026, representing a 34% year-on-year surge driven by robust revenue growth, lower financing costs, and higher interest income.

According to the latest financial statements released today (24 June) with special approval from the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, revenue for the July-March period increased by 13% to Tk4,142 crore. This nine-month profit figure has already exceeded the company's total earnings for the entire previous fiscal year.

According to the financial statements, while Beximco Pharma, a concern of Beximco Group, maintained strong cash flow, Beximco Ltd, another group concern, has been grappling with a cash flow crisis that has halted its operations and impaired its ability to service debt.

As a result, the company is on the verge of defaulting on its outstanding Sukuk obligations and bank loans.

Regarding its business growth, Beximco Pharma, in its financial report, said the increase in net revenue compared with the corresponding prior period, together with improved gross margin, contributed positively to overall performance.

It said, "Finance costs declined due to stronger cash inflows, while other income increased, primarily due to interest income generated from the short-term investment of surplus cash. As a result, earnings per share (EPS) recorded a notable improvement during the reporting period.

"Additionally, reduced cash outflows associated with working capital supported an improvement in net operating cash flows per share."

Beximco Pharma's special approval from the BSEC helped it avert potential delisting from the London Stock Exchange.

In addition to its current fiscal year's financial statements, the company also published its annual financial statements for FY25 and the third-quarter financials for that year.

In a board of directors meeting held on Tuesday, Beximco Pharma published its last five quarters or 15-month overdue financials.

The regulator has permitted the Beximco Group to hold the meeting, mitigating the looming risk of a delisting from the London Stock Exchange.

Following the ousting of the Awami League-led government in August 2024, Salman F Rahman, the vice chairman of Beximco Pharmaceuticals, was arrested in connection with several cases.

Later, amidst leadership changes at the regulatory body during the interim government, the BSEC appointed nine independent directors to the board of Beximco Pharma, as well as to two other listed group entities- Beximco Ltd and Shinepukur Ceramics.

Beximco Pharma legally challenged the regulator's decision by filing a writ petition, which remains pending in court.

Citing the matter as sub-judice, the company has not allowed the BSEC-appointed independent directors to take their seats on the board.

Beximco Pharma recommended a 47.5% cash dividend to its shareholders for FY25.

During the fiscal year, its consolidated net profit stood at Tk699.88 crore, which was Tk586.67 crore a year ago.

To approve the audited financial statement and the dividend, the company will set the annual general meeting time and venue following the High Court order. It also set the record date for 2 August.

The Bangladesh Bank has provided more than Tk75,903 crore in emergency liquidity support to banks facing cash shortages to help ensure depositors can withdraw their funds, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament today (24 June).

The minister disclosed the information in response to a written question from reserved-seat lawmaker Mosammat Sharmin Akter during the question-and-answer session in parliament.

In her question, the lawmaker asked whether the government had taken any measures to ensure depositors could recover their savings from banks and financial institutions struggling to repay customers due to liquidity shortages.

In his written reply, the finance minister said Bangladesh Bank had extended emergency liquidity assistance to banks facing difficulties in meeting customer withdrawal demands.

As of 15 June 2026, the total amount of such support stood at Tk75,903.11 crore, he said.

However, the minister noted that no liquidity assistance had been provided to non-bank financial institutions experiencing financial distress.

Amir Khasru also informed parliament that the government has enacted the Bank Resolution Act, 2026 to determine appropriate measures for dealing with banks and financial institutions facing severe liquidity and solvency challenges.

Under the law, authorities can undertake restructuring, mergers and other resolution measures to address problems in troubled institutions, he said.

Over the past year and a half, several Shariah-based and private commercial banks have experienced acute liquidity shortages. Among the banks that came under pressure were Islami Bank Bangladesh, First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Union Bank and Social Islami Bank.

Many customers complained of being unable to withdraw large sums at once and facing lengthy delays in accessing their deposits.

Economists have attributed the crisis to a combination of banking-sector irregularities, weak regulatory oversight, rising non-performing loans and controversial lending practices.

Following the political transition and the formation of the interim government, efforts to reform the banking sector, restructure weak banks and restore depositor confidence were intensified.

As part of those efforts, Bangladesh Bank has continued to support troubled banks through emergency liquidity facilities, interbank funding arrangements and regulatory policy support to ensure uninterrupted access to depositors' funds.