Sugar prices in Chattogram's wholesale market have risen by as much as Tk200 per maund in two weeks as traders report tighter supplies amid gas and power shortages.

Sugar that sold for Tk3,600 per maund (37.32kg) two weeks ago is now selling for Tk3,800 in Khatunganj.

Traders fear prices could rise further unless the supply situation improves.

Market insiders questioned the domestic price rise, saying international sugar booking rates have not increased significantly. A section of traders alleged that mills were creating an artificial shortage to push up prices through syndicates as in the past.

Md Mohiuddin, general secretary of the Chaktai-Khatunganj Aratdar General Traders' Welfare Association, however, rejected the syndicate allegation.

"Commodity markets are never stable. Sometimes booking prices rise, while at other times supply falls. Whenever the price of a commodity rises, allegations of syndication emerge, but no such questions are raised when prices fall," he told TBS.

He said commodity prices fluctuate based on demand and supply, adding that there was no scope to raise prices through a syndicate.

Production falls, supply tightens

Traders said gas shortages have cut production at several Chattogram factories, with some suspending operations, tightening supply to the wholesale market.

Many factories are now supplying sugar from existing stocks, traders said. But with fresh production falling, those stocks are being depleted quickly, raising fears that supplies could tighten further.

City Group, one of the country's major sugar refiners, was contacted for comment. Its Director Biswajit Saha did not answer calls or respond to a WhatsApp message despite repeated attempts.

S Alam Group once supplied a significant share of sugar to the Chattogram market, according to traders.

Earlier this month, the group said it had temporarily suspended production at 11 factories in Chattogram, citing restrictions on banking facilities and accounts and difficulties in opening letters of credit, which it said had caused raw material shortages.

Traders said the suspension of S Alam's sugar production is also contributing to the supply shortage in Chattogram.

The market is now mainly receiving sugar from Dhaka-based companies. Traders said the additional cost of transporting sugar from Dhaka is also affecting wholesale prices.

Syndicate concerns resurface

A section of traders said mill owners' control over the market weakened for several months after sugar imports were opened during the interim government.

They alleged that mills later sold sugar at lower prices, causing losses to small and medium importers. After many importers left the market, control again shifted to large mill owners, they claimed.

SM Nazer Hossain, central vice-president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said the problems in the sugar market were nothing new.

"Only a handful of industrial groups are involved in sugar refining and marketing in the country. The government could bring the market under control by monitoring these companies, but that is not happening," he told TBS.

He said traders were able to move sugar prices as they wished because of weak administrative oversight, which had made them more reckless.

Market monitoring under scrutiny

Consumers complained that authorities have carried out few drives despite rising sugar prices. They called for authorities to examine the reasons behind the increase and regularly monitor supply and prices from mills to the wholesale market.

Mohammad Faiz Ullah, deputy director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Chattogram, said regular market monitoring is continuing.

"We have not yet received information about the rise in sugar prices. Even if wholesale prices have increased, the impact may be felt at the retail level later," he said.

He added that the authority would look into the matter and take action.

Market participants fear the rise in wholesale sugar prices could eventually affect the retail market. If production does not improve amid gas and power shortages, they fear supplies could tighten further, putting more pressure on consumers.

Investor participation on the country's premier bourse fell to a three-month low today (19 August) as the benchmark index extended its losing streak to six consecutive sessions.

Turnover on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) dropped 27% to Tk732 crore, the lowest since May, as industrial energy shortages and a lack of market-moving catalysts dampened investor appetite.

The benchmark DSEX index slipped 3 points to close at 5,769. While the marginal decline suggests that the pace of the market's fall may be slowing, the index has lost 125 points over the past six sessions.

During the period, the DSE's market capitalisation has declined by approximately Tk7,300 crore.

The blue-chip DS30 index also followed the downward trend, inching down to settle at 2,162. Market breadth remained firmly in favour of the bears, as 198 issues declined compared to 140 that managed to advance, while 61 scrips remained unchanged on the DSE floor.

According to a daily market review by Sheltech Brokerage Limited, the session was characterised by a fierce "tug-of-war" between bargain hunters and profit-takers. The market opened under strong selling pressure, which initially dragged the benchmark index down to an intraday low of 5,737.40 points.

Sentiment was further clouded by a regulatory clarification that denied recent media reports regarding potential widespread action against market manipulation. This clarification, combined with ongoing anxieties over gas supply disruptions affecting listed manufacturing units, initially fueled a sell-off. Although a wave of bargain hunting emerged mid-session, briefly lifting the DSEX to a high of 5,812.15, the recovery lacked sufficient buying conviction to hold. Selling pressure resurfaced in the final hour, erasing most of the intraday gains.

On the sectoral front, the textile sector remained the primary driver of liquidity, accounting for 23.5% of the total turnover, followed by general insurance at 12.8% and the engineering sector at 10.3%.

Sectoral returns were mixed. The ceramic sector led the gainers with a 1.2% rise, followed by miscellaneous and services. On the flip side, the cement sector faced the steepest correction of 1.4%, while mutual funds and textiles also witnessed price dips of 0.8% and 0.6%, respectively.

Individual stock performance featured Regent Textile as the top gainer with a 7.81% price hike, followed by Reliance One Mutual Fund and Runner Automobiles. Conversely, Sharp Industries emerged as the top loser, shedding 8.82% of its value, while GBB Power and Sena Insurance also faced notable corrections.

The bearish sentiment was mirrored at the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), where the broad CASPI index fell by 19 points to finish at 15,494. The Selective Categories' Index (CSCX) also ended 7 points lower at 9,445. Trading activity at the port city bourse saw a catastrophic decline, with turnover plunging by 49% to reach only Tk37 crore.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) has issued a fresh list of 138 marginable securities, providing a clear roadmap for investors and brokerage houses under the newly implemented regulatory framework.

The updated list, which details the companies qualifying for credit facilities, follows the recent gazette notification of the "Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (Margin) Rules, 2025." This overhaul is aimed at boosting market liquidity and restoring investor appetite by providing more flexibility in leverage-based trading. Among the 138 firms, eight are from B category.
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Under the revised rules, shares of listed companies in the 'A' and 'B' categories are now eligible for margin loans if their price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio remains within 40. This is a significant shift from previous restrictions, allowing a broader range of fundamentally sound companies to be traded with borrowed funds.

Furthermore, the regulator has addressed specific concerns in the insurance sector by raising the maximum allowable price-to-book (P/B) ratio for life insurers to 3, a significant jump from the initially proposed limit of 1. This ratio is calculated by dividing the latest closing price by the audited net asset value per share.

The newly released list is dominated by the market's most robust entities. Telecommunication giants Grameenphone and Robi Axiata, along with blue-chip manufacturing and consumer firms like British American Tobacco, Walton Hi-Tech, and Berger Paints, are prominent features. The pharmaceutical sector also maintains a heavy presence with market leaders such as Square Pharma, Beximco Pharma, Renata, and IBN SINA included in the marginable bracket.

Leading commercial lenders, including BRAC Bank, City Bank, Eastern Bank, Dutch-Bangla Bank, and Pubali Bank, continue to be staples for margin investors, alongside top-tier non-bank financial institutions like IDLC and IPDC Finance.

In the energy segment, investors can avail of loans for state-owned fuel distributors like Padma, Jamuna, and Meghna Petroleum, as well as United Power and MJL Bangladesh. The list further encompasses major players in the steel and cement sectors, such as BSRM Steels and LafargeHolcim, as well as technology firms like ADN Telecom and Genex Infosys.

However, the BSEC has maintained a cautious approach regarding riskier segments of the market. Securities categorised under 'Z' (junk stocks), 'N' (newly listed), and 'G' (greenfield) remain strictly excluded from margin facilities. Additionally, shares traded on the SME board, Alternative Trading Board (ATB), and the Over-the-Counter (OTC) platforms do not qualify for credit due to their relatively higher risk profiles and lower liquidity.

Insurance is unlike any other financial service. Banks safeguard deposits and capital markets facilitate investment, but insurance sells trust. Every insurance contract is built on a promise that when an unforeseen loss occurs, financial protection will be available. When that promise is honoured promptly and fairly, confidence grows. Delays or denials without transparency erode public confidence.

For the Bangladesh insurance industry, restoring that confidence is now the single most important reform challenge. Despite progress in the overall economy, insurance penetration remains among the lowest in Asia. One principal reason is the perception that claims are slow and uncertain. In every mature insurance market, prompt and transparent claims settlement is the industry’s most powerful advertisement. Public trust is earned not through marketing campaigns but by consistently honouring legitimate claims. Industry data indicate that unpaid claims have accumulated to several thousand crore taka across the sector. While claim disputes are inevitable, prolonged delays impose substantial economic costs. Businesses face liquidity constraints, reconstruction is delayed, and households experience financial hardship when insurance is expected to provide relief. These outcomes undermine confidence in the insurance system.

Improving claims performance should therefore become a national reform priority. Digital claim submission, electronic documentation, transparent service standards and publicly disclosed claims-settlement indicators would improve accountability and customer confidence. Several leading markets publish claims performance metrics as measures of governance and service quality. Bangladesh should consider moving in the same direction. A second area requiring policy review is reinsurance. Reinsurance is often described as the “insurance of insurers”. It enables insurers to absorb large losses while maintaining financial stability. As Bangladesh economy expands, with growing investment in infrastructure, energy and manufacturing, access to efficient and globally connected reinsurance markets becomes more important.

The existing reinsurance framework has contributed to domestic market development. However, the insurance industry now operates in an increasingly interconnected global environment characterised by advanced catastrophe modelling and integrated reinsurance capacity. Periodic evaluation is therefore needed to meet changing needs while preserving financial stability. Equally important is the adoption of internationally recognised financial and regulatory standards. The implementation of IFRS 17 and IFRS 9 will improve transparency, comparability and financial reporting across the insurance sector. Consideration of deferred tax implications will further strengthen implementation. Together, these reforms can enhance investor confidence and improve Bangladesh’s integration with international financial markets.
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M Sharifur Rahman Bhuiyan

Regulatory philosophy should evolve alongside these reforms. Across leading insurance jurisdictions, risk-based supervision (RBS) has replaced detailed operational control as the preferred supervisory model. Regulators evaluate solvency, governance, risk management, capital adequacy and consumer protection while allowing insurers flexibility to innovate and compete.

As Bangladesh prepares for post-LDC graduation, insurance reform should be viewed as part of national economic policy. A trusted insurance sector mobilises long-term savings, protects productive investment, supports entrepreneurship and strengthens resilience against economic and climate-related risks. Bangladesh has already demonstrated that ambitious reforms can transform industries and accelerate development. The insurance sector now has an opportunity to undertake a similar journey. By embracing smart regulation, risk-based supervision, claims excellence, modern reinsurance, IFRS 17, IFRS 9 and stronger actuarial capacity, Bangladesh can build an insurance industry that safeguards policyholders, strengthens investor confidence, supports sustainable development and improves global competitiveness.

The Strait of Hormuz will remain shut until the US meets the conditions ​of an interim deal signed with Iran in June, the top ‌Iranian negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said in comments published by state media today (18 August).

These conditions include ​the US lifting its blockade of Iranian ports, lifting ​oil sanctions, releasing Tehran's frozen assets, and ending threats and military ⁠operations on all fronts, Qalibaf told parliament.

The ​memorandum of understanding, clinched on 17 June, quickly ​unravelled over a dispute about control of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which a fifth ​of global oil and liquefied natural gas ​flowed before the war.

US President Donald Trump said the ‌deal ⁠was "over" on 7 July and a week later Iran's foreign ministry declared it "suspended".

Under the MoU, Iran and the US had committed to ​negotiating a final ​deal — ⁠covering broader issues such as the fate of Iran's nuclear programme — in ​a maximum of 60 days, extendable ​by mutual ⁠consent.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that Iran would now shift to a "fully offensive" posture ⁠due ​to the stalled diplomatic ​efforts to secure a permanent end to the conflict.

The US dollar held near multi-month lows against most major currencies on Tuesday as traders walked back expectations of near-term monetary tightening, although the imminent threat of an escalation in the Middle East war left sentiment fragile.

The euro eased away from two-month highs of $1.1614 it touched on Monday, last fetching $1.1571.

Sterling was at $1.3534, just shy of the three-month peak it hit in the previous session.

Data in the past few weeks have pointed to a softer US economy, including unexpected job losses last month and mild inflation readings, leading investors to scale back expectations of a rate hike by the US Federal Reserve.

Traders expect a 35 percent chance of a rate increase at the Fed’s September meeting, compared with 52.2 percent a week ago, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

They are also no longer fully pricing in a hike by the end of the year.

Most economists polled by Reuters in the past week expect the Fed to keep its interest rate unchanged next month and through year-end, a view they have held for the past several months.

Analysts though remain cautious about where inflation may head, even as long-dated bond yields scale multi-decade peaks, especially with the critical Strait of Hormuz remaining effectively shut and the US-Iran conflict simmering.

“Inflation has been above target for most of the past five years, and whilst a high 2 percent annual pace may prove acceptable to the Fed, it leaves the inflation process with little to no breathing room in a world of constant supply shocks,” said Nohshad Shah, head of EMEA fixed income sales at Citadel Securities.

Iran said it would shift to a “fully offensive” military posture because efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the war have stalled, a senior Iranian official told Reuters as Washington ruled out extending their June ceasefire agreement.

The more than five-month long conflict has upended the global rates outlook and stoked inflationary concerns through most of the year.

The oil market is increasingly behaving as though disruptions to Middle East energy supplies are not a temporary shock but a new reality.

Nearly six months after war erupted between the US and Iran, hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough have faded.

An interim ceasefire agreed on June 17 has effectively collapsed, the 60-day negotiating period has expired, and neither Washington nor Tehran appears willing to compromise over the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

Instead, both sides are digging in.

Iran warned on Monday it would escalate tensions unless Washington fully implemented the interim peace deal within weeks. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that, if diplomacy failed, Tehran would launch a “timely and precise” attack to break the US naval blockade.

US President Donald Trump said on July 7 that the pact was “over.” He has since insisted Washington was moving closer to defeating Iran.

The stalemate is increasingly forcing traders to contend with restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil chokepoint, that could persist for months.

That shift in expectations helps explain why crude oil prices have stabilized around $90 a barrel. Crude has surrendered some of its panic premium since the early days of the conflict, but remains roughly 50 percent higher than at the start of the year.

The market may no longer fear an immediate collapse in supplies, but neither does it expect a swift return to normal.

MOUNTING PAIN

Behind the political rhetoric, the economic costs are mounting for both sides. Iran is under growing strain from the conflict and US blockade.

Inflation exceeded 80 percent in July from a year earlier, according to an ISNA report, while crude exports have fallen to 294,000 barrels per day (bpd) so far this month from 1.7 million bpd in 2025, according to analytics firm Kpler.

The US is also paying a price.

Trump has warned Americans to prepare for high fuel costs, an uncomfortable admission for a president who campaigned on lowering energy prices and now faces congressional elections in November.

The average price of gasoline stood at $4.06 per gallon on Monday, up 29 percent from a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association.

Yet while diplomats remain deadlocked, the oil market is adapting.

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

The biggest uncertainty is the scale of supply disruptions. Flows of crude and refined products through Hormuz, which averaged about 18 million bpd before the war, fell to 4.8 million bpd in July and have averaged around 2 million bpd so far in August amid Iranian attacks and a US blockade, according to Kpler.

Some of that lost volume has been offset by higher exports from the Fujairah terminal in the United Arab Emirates and from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

Even those alternative routes, however, are under pressure after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis imposed a blockade on Saudi exports through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, at the Red Sea’s southern entrance.

Taken together, Middle East exports averaged 9.5 million bpd this month, less than half the 21 million bpd in 2025, according to Kpler.

But those figures may understate — or overstate — actual exports because more regional oil appears to be moving in the shadows.

Evidence is mounting that Gulf producers are relying more heavily on vessels that disable tracking systems while transiting Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb.

The UAE, in particular, appears to have built a network of “dark tankers” that shuttle crude through Hormuz before transferring cargoes in the Gulf of Oman.

The result is an unusual situation in which traders know supplies have been disrupted but cannot determine by how much.

Indeed, UAE crude exports averaged 3.38 million bpd so far in August, compared with 3.2 million bpd in 2025.

Yet those volumes could come under pressure after Iran reportedly struck several tankers linked to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company during voyages through Hormuz.

How much oil is actually reaching consumers has therefore become one of the market’s biggest unknowns.

As long as the Hormuz impasse remains unresolved, uncertainty will hang over energy markets.

Other indicators suggest elevated oil prices could persist even if crude exports stabilize.

REFINING PRECIPICE

Refined fuel markets have become exceptionally tight.

Global refinery throughput in July was nearly 5 million bpd below year-earlier levels at 81 million bpd, according to the International Energy Agency, reflecting the loss of refining capacity in the Middle East and damage to Russian facilities from Ukrainian drone attacks.

The shortfall has been offset by a surge in US fuel exports, with American refineries running at or near record utilization rates (USOIRU=ECI).

That support may soon fade.

Seasonal maintenance ahead of winter and hurricane season threaten to curb operations along the US Gulf Coast.

Lower refining activity will hamper efforts to rebuild depleted fuel inventories, helping sustain high product prices and refining margins, which have climbed to record levels.

The inventory picture is particularly concerning.

Global observed oil stocks fell by 2.4 million bpd in the second quarter, their largest quarterly draw in at least a decade, according to the IEA.

US diesel inventories are at their lowest for this time of year in three decades, while gasoline stocks are at their weakest seasonal level since 2012.

Freight markets are sending a similar message.

Benchmark rates for very large crude carriers transporting oil from the Middle East to China have surged from around $300,000 per day in early July to $490,000, equivalent to $5 a barrel and nearly 10 times higher than at the start of the year, according to LSEG data.

Those rates reflect shipowners’ reluctance to enter conflict zones and growing demand for tankers to move oil and fuel from more distant suppliers such as the US and Brazil.

The longer the Hormuz impasse drags on, the less this looks like a temporary supply shock and the more it resembles a structural reshaping of global oil trade.

Markets are finding it harder to absorb a world of opaque supply flows, shrinking fuel inventories, strained refining capacity and no credible diplomatic path toward restoring trade through the Gulf.

Ultimately, that growing realization, rather than battlefield developments, may keep oil prices elevated well into next year.

US 30-year Treasury yields rose to their highest level since 2007 on Tuesday as stalled talks to end the US-Iran war and worries of an imminent escalation sent oil prices above $90 a barrel, fanning fears of inflation and jolting markets.

Rising concerns over fiscal spending amid increasing debt issuance are also weighing on the bond markets even as investors digest a recent run of soft US economic data that has led to traders scaling back rate hike expectations.
The yield on the benchmark US 10-year Treasury note rose 1.7 basis points to 4.739 percent.

The yield on the 30-year bond rose to 5.327 percent, hitting its highest level in 19 years.

The bond selloff also spread to Japan and Europe with Japan’s benchmark 10-year government bond yield rising to a 30-year peak.

Germany’s bund futures and French OAT futures dipped 0.2 percent.

Germany’s 10-year Bund yield touched its highest level since May 2011 on Monday, while France’s 10-year yields hit a 17-year high.

Vasu Menon, managing director of investment strategy at OCBC, said competition for capital from AI hyperscalers, a rising US budget deficit and Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh’s departure from transparency to an opaque policy stance, were all contributing to higher Treasury yields.

“Rising long US bond yields is a risk that investors must bear in mind going forward... bond investors are best placed to manage this risk by focusing more on shorter duration bonds,” Menon said.

The hyperscalers’ surge in borrowing, at a time when governments are still spending heavily, has been a leading factor pushing up yields, investors said, as buyers demand higher returns to keep purchasing the flood of bonds hitting markets.

CONCERNS ABOUT GROWING US DEBT

Investors are also worried about inflation risks, especially with the critical Strait of Hormuz remaining effectively shut and the talks to end the US-Iran conflict at an impasse.

Iran said it would shift to a “fully offensive” military posture because efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the war have stalled, a senior Iranian official told Reuters as Washington ruled out extending their June ceasefire agreement.

US stocks fell on Monday, with the Dow and S&P 500 each shedding roughly half a percent, and the Nasdaq dropping about a third of a percent.

Thierry Wizman, global FX & rates strategist at Macquarie Group, said the prospect that the two sides’ competing claims over the Strait would continue to prevent crude from flowing remained a best case scenario in the short-and medium term.

“The worst-case scenario is a trigger-happy resumption of kinetic fighting,” he said.

Two recent Treasury auctions also drew attention for their yields as the sale of 10-year notes cleared at a high yield of 4.683 percent, the highest in 19 years, while the 30-year bond auction stopped at 5.216 percent, a 25-year peak.

Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, said for much of the last 15 years, investors operated in a market where stable-to-falling interest rates consistently supported higher stock prices.

“However, last week’s Treasury auctions were a reminder that the landscape is shifting,” he said.

“When it comes to longer-dated Treasury issuance, investors are increasingly focused and concerned about the growing amount of US debt and America’s lack of fiscal discipline.”

HSBC Bangladesh has launched the 10th edition of its Export Excellence Awards, highlighting the need to diversify the country's export basket and scale up businesses in emerging sectors beyond garments and textiles.

Speaking at the launch at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka today (18 August), HSBC Bangladesh CEO Md Mahbub ur Rahman said exports have a "multiplier impact" on the economy by generating employment and foreign exchange while attracting investment.

"Export diversification has been talked about for a long time, and rightfully so," he said, warning that excessive dependence on a single sector makes the economy vulnerable and increases economic volatility.

Mahbub said Bangladesh should build on the competitive advantage developed by the garments and textile industry while identifying other sectors where the country has, or can develop, a competitive edge.

The awards have recognised 40 companies over the past nine years, including 20 from garments and textiles and 20 from other industries. Mahbub said the experience shows export excellence exists beyond RMG, but these businesses need to scale up.

"Other than garments and textile, maybe hardly one or two sectors have reached the billion-dollar mark. And then, it's a huge gap," he said.

Exporters can nominate themselves for the 2026 awards in four categories: RMG companies with annual export revenue of at least $100 million; RMG backward-linkage companies with at least $50 million; non-traditional and emerging manufacturing sectors with at least $10 million; and non-traditional and emerging services sectors with at least $5 million.

The programme is open to all enterprises operating in Bangladesh, regardless of whether they are HSBC customers, and carries no entry fee.

Mahbub said the awards aim to showcase Bangladeshi businesses succeeding in global markets and highlight practices that policymakers can replicate across the economy.

He said export growth can also drive investment, citing the RMG sector, where exports helped spur investment in backward-linkage industries such as fabric and yarn.

Past winners highlighted technology, skilled manpower, branding and market adaptation as key to export growth. PRAN-RFL Group Chairman and CEO Ahsan Khan Chowdhury stressed value addition and global branding, while Urmi Group Director and CEO Asif Ashraf said the company is using AI and robotic process automation to improve efficiency and sustainability.

Ulkasemi CEO Enayetur Rahman highlighted Bangladesh's potential in semiconductor design, citing its skilled workforce, but identified power and internet infrastructure and data security as challenges.

The awards are being organised with support from the Ministry of Commerce and the British High Commission Dhaka, with Ernst & Young as technical partner.

The nomination deadline is 20 September 2026. Nomination forms and further details are available at www.business.hsbc.com.bd/EEA2026

Despite recent government assurances, gas supplies to industrial areas have not improved so far, forcing more than half of the country's textile mills to shut completely, industry insiders said.

Other industries, including ready-made garment, steel, and paper, are also operating far below their capacity as the prolonged gas shortage continues to disrupt production.

On 6 August, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood assured industry stakeholders that the gas supply situation would improve. However, there had been no significant improvement as of yesterday, leaving industrialists frustrated.

Industry owners in Narayanganj, Savar, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Manikganj and other industrial areas said they saw a slight improvement in gas supplies last Friday in some areas. The situation, however, deteriorated afterwards, returning to previous levels or becoming even worse.

Yesterday, a group of weaving workers in Madhabdi, Narsingdi – a major hub of the country's weaving industry – reportedly took to the streets to demand uninterrupted electricity and gas supplies.

However, the officer-in-charge of Madhabdi Police Station denied that any such incident had taken place when speaking to The Business Standard.

Showkat Aziz Russell, president of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), told TBS that more than 900 of the association's over 1,800 member textile mills were currently completely shut because of gas supply disruptions.

"Not only textile mills, but also gas-dependent steel, paper, particle board and ceramic industries are facing severe production disruptions due to the prolonged gas crisis," he added.

Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), told TBS, "We observed a slight improvement in gas supply in the Narayanganj area on Monday. However, the situation further deteriorated today [yesterday]."

A managing director of a leading spinning mill in Araihazar, Narayanganj, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said gas pressure at the factory had fallen to almost zero, far below the government's commitment of 15 psi.

"We are incurring financial losses of Tk2 crore every day," he claimed, adding that, "We may have to sell our property to pay the workers' wages, as we have no other options."

He further said most factory owners could face severe difficulties in paying workers' wages as well as their utility bills for July and August.

Minhaz Hoque, managing director of Fatullah Dying and Calendaring Limited, a leading yarn and fabric dyeing and processing factory in Narayanganj, told TBS, "Previously, the government had provided us with some assurances. However, after missing several deadlines, they are no longer giving us any assurances."

"We are completely unaware of when the situation will improve," he added.

Abdullah Al Mamun, former president of the Narsingdi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, "Some workers at weaving mills in Narsingdi took to the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway today [yesterday], demanding an uninterrupted supply of gas and electricity, as their incomes have been cut off due to factory closures."

"However, they could not stay on the streets for long. They are paid on a production basis, so when production comes to a halt, their incomes also almost completely disappear," he told TBS.

But, Madhabdi Police Station OC Kamal Hossain denied that any such incident had taken place. Several attempts by TBS to reach Shibpur Police Station OC Md Kohinoor Mia were unsuccessful.

Bangladesh has been facing a severe nationwide gas crisis since 21 July, after a fire and technical failure at Excelerate Energy's floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) off Moheshkhali halted operations and sharply reduced daily gas supplies to the national grid.

Bangladesh is moving towards financing its development with its own resources instead of relying on loans, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said.

He made the remarks while inaugurating the Revenue Conference 2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center.

Addressing Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Khosru said bold revenue reforms were being pursued under his leadership, laying the foundation for a modern, cashless and contact-free revenue system.

“Bangladesh will no longer remain a country dependent on loans. God willing, it is now moving towards development through its own financing,” he said.

Khosru said achieving the Tk 6 trillion revenue collection target was the government’s most important task, saying it would help build the prosperous Bangladesh envisioned by the prime minister.

He also expressed confidence that Bangladesh would overcome the challenge of graduating to a middle-income country by 2029 and build a trillion-dollar economy by 2034.

Referring to the restoration of democracy, Khosru said an elected government had been formed after a long struggle and sacrifice, making it their “sacred duty” to fulfil people’s aspirations.

Call to Businesses

Khosru described the business community as the driving force of the economy, saying development was impossible without investment and job creation. He pledged continued government support.

At the same time, he urged businesses to help meet the revenue target by paying taxes and VAT on time.

While acknowledging complaints over administrative complexity and officials’ behaviour, he said measures were being taken to address them. But he called for strict enforcement against persistent tax evaders to protect honest taxpayers and ensure a level playing field.

Khosru also stressed accountability among revenue officials, saying taxpayers must be treated impartially and respectfully.

“Harassing an honest taxpayer and giving undue benefits to a dishonest taxpayer are equally unacceptable,” he said.

The conference was jointly organised by the Finance Ministry’s Internal Resources Division and the National Board of Revenue.

Preparation is afoot to rebase four key macroeconomic indicators for better reflecting changes in the structure of Bangladesh's economy with upgraded quality of official data, officials say.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics or BBS has planned to rebase the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Producer Price Index (PPI), Wage Rate Index (WRI) and Index of Industrial Production (IIP) under its Statistical Capacity Enhancement and Modernisation Project.

People familiar with the matter have said the economy has diversified significantly in recent years, with new products, industries and services making larger contributions to economic activity.

They said that updating the indicators would make them more representative and accurate.

"The government wants to produce quality data and ensure data governance," says a senior official of the BBS's national accounting wing.

CPI, which is used to measure inflation, is the most closely watched of the four because of its implications for households, businesses, monetary policy, and investment decisions.

The agency plans to collect much of the information for the new CPI through computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI). WRI is also expected to use CAPI-based data collection.

It is considering January or later of the current fiscal year as the starting point for the new CPI and WRI series.

And PPI and IIP under the revised methodology could be released from June 2027.

The CPI basket is also likely to undergo significant changes.

The existing basket is based largely on consumption information from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey or HIES.

Some goods and services included in the basket may no longer have sufficiently broad consumption, particularly where their use or consumption is concentrated in specific regions or among limited groups of consumers.

The BBS authorities, therefore, plan to remove less-representative items and introduce products and services that better capture current consumption patterns.

The PPI, which tracks changes in prices received by producers and provides an important measure of upstream inflationary pressure, also needs updating as the production base has expanded and diversified.

Meanwhile, IIP is an important indicator of industrial activity and is used in assessing broader economic performance, including GDP trends.

Updating its composition would help the index better capture changes in industrial production.

The rebasing comes as the BBS separately prepares to revise the country's GDP (gross domestic product) estimates.

The agency has already begun work to rebase GDP from FY2025-26, with several surveys being under way to bring previously under-measured economic activities into the national accounts.

The broader effort reflects BBS's push to modernise statistical production, widen data coverage and make economic indicators more closely aligned with the structure of the country's changing economy.

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has directed all scheduled banks to facilitate the opening of bank accounts for foreign nationals working in Bangladesh under Employment Visa categories, subject to compliance with applicable know-your-customer (KYC) requirements.

The directive was issued in a circular by the Banking Regulation and Policy Department-1 of the central bank today (18 August).

According to the circular, foreign nationals working in Bangladesh under the 'A3' visa category, as well as other Employment Visa categories, can receive their salaries and allowances through bank accounts.

The central bank said the Ministry of Home Affairs, in a circular issued on 19 April 2026, clarified that foreign nationals entering Bangladesh under the A3 visa category must obtain a work permit from the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) and renew the permit within its validity period.

The terms and conditions of the work permit require employers to pay the salaries and allowances of foreign workers through banks, the circular said.

Against this backdrop, the central bank instructed banks to take necessary steps to open bank accounts for foreign nationals holding valid work permits under the A3 or other Employment Visa categories, subject to fulfilment of applicable KYC requirements.

The directive was issued under the authority vested in Bangladesh Bank under Section 45 of the Bank Company Act, 1991.

The circular was issued to the managing directors and chief executive officers of all scheduled banks.

Remittance inflow to Bangladesh rose 21.6% year-on-year to $4.74 billion in the first 48 days of the current fiscal year, while the country's gross foreign exchange reserves stood at $37.24 billion today (18 August).

The central bank data were shared by Mohammad Ibrahim Munsi, joint director of the Accounts & Budgeting Department (A&BD-2) of Bangladesh Bank.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, the country received $4.74 billion in remittances between 1 July and 17 August, 2026, compared with $3.90 billion during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

Reserves stood at $32.43 billion under the International Monetary Fund's Balance of Payments Manual (BPM6) methodology.

In August alone, remittance inflow reached $1.88 billion during the first 17 days, up 32.6% from $1.42 billion received during the same period in August 2025.

On 17 August, Bangladesh received $98 million in remittances in a single day.

The strong inflow of remittances has contributed to the country's foreign exchange position, with gross reserves standing at $37.24 billion as of 18 August, according to Bangladesh Bank.

Cease repeatedly increasing the tax burden on existing taxpayers but, instead, identify eligible taxpayers who remain outside the tax net, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman Tuesday asked the revenue board while delivering numerous directions.

Addressing the 'Revenue Conference 2026', organised by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka, he said there was no alternative to building a digital, modern and data-driven tax administration to expand the tax net.

He also stressed simplifying tax administration and collection processes to encourage voluntary tax compliance.

On VAT collection, the prime minister instructed the NBR not to create obstacles for businesses and trade in realising the value-added tax.

"People expect a corruption-free and hassle-free NBR," he told the meet.

He noted that a modern tax administration should not only focus on collecting higher amounts of tax but also encourage people to pay taxes voluntarily.

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told the revenue conference that the government has decided to separate the NBR into two divisions for better management of revenue mobilisation.

He sought cooperation from NBR officials to help the government overcome the country's debt burden through higher revenue mobilisation.

"The NBR's activities had been misused by the previous political government for its own purposes," he said.

Acting NBR Chairman Ahsan Habib said the target of Tk 6.04 trillion in tax revenue for the current fiscal year is achievable through intensified efforts.

He said the NBR collected higher revenue in the last quarter of FY26 and mobilised 12-percent more revenue than in the previous fiscal year.

Adviser to the prime minister on the Ministry of Finance and Planning Dr Rashed Al Titumir said the NBR started working with a new spirit under the leadership of the current government.

"It has already shown success by collecting higher revenue than in the previous fiscal year," he added.

In opinion-exchange session, Customs Commissioner Dr Nahida Faridy urged the prime minister to consider reinstating officials who faced suspension and disciplinary action following protests over the NBR-separation issue.

She said despite assurances from NBR high-ups that no such action would be taken and that the officials would be forgiven following mediation by business leaders, some officials had subsequently faced punishment.

Responding to the request, Tarique Rahman said he would look into the issue, but noted that strikes or work stoppages in an institution as important as the NBR are a matter of deep concern.

Shakila Farzana, additional commissioner for customs and VAT, proposed increasing budgetary allocations for the NBR to expedite its activities and mobilise higher revenues.

Income Tax First Secretary Jafor Imam said financial-transaction methods have changed significantly in the digital era, requiring tax officials to receive training in advanced technologies to trace money flows.

At the close of the conference, the prime minister visited different stalls showcasing service-delivery processes in income tax, customs and VAT.

The visiting Indian business delegation has expressed interest in investing in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, proposing the establishment of a state-of-the-art integrated manufacturing plant near Dhaka to produce items such as soaps, home care insecticides, and fragrances.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) during a meeting with Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir at the Secretariat in Dhaka yesterday (18 August) called for harmonising tariff structures for energy-efficient technologies in industries.

The CII representatives stated that adopting their steam-related technologies could save 10% to 35% of gas in the textile, readymade garment, and food processing industries – though tariff disparities currently hinder their adoption, said a press release.

During the meeting, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir emphasised transforming geographical proximity into economic advantages to enhance trade, investment, and industrial cooperation between Bangladesh and India.

The CII also highlighted the need for an effective regulatory framework to control the quality of unregistered products.

Furthermore, it proposed facilitating internship opportunities for Bangladeshi youth in Indian institutions and assisting in resolving visa complexities for Bangladeshi engineers to work in third countries.

Both sides emphasised leveraging formal discussions, business-level engagement, and institutional frameworks to make the Bangladesh-India economic relationship more effective and fruitful, read the release.

The meeting focused on bilateral trade and investment relations, existing challenges, and future avenues of cooperation. The CII delegation was led by its Director General Chandrajit Banerjee.

The delegation included leaders of India's leading business body and representatives of several prominent companies, some of which already have investments in Bangladesh.

Pointing out that intra-regional trade remains relatively low despite South Asia's large collective economy, Muktadir said that strengthening economic connectivity will create new opportunities for industrialisation, investment, and employment.

Addressing recent trade restrictions between the two nations, the minister stated that discussions are necessary to restore normal trading conditions. He expressed optimism that positive progress will be achieved in this regard within the next few months.

The meeting also addressed visa complexities faced by business professionals and citizens. Muktadir remarked that requiring regular visa applications every few months for frequent travellers for medical, business, and other essential purposes is impractical, and called for bilateral cooperation to establish a long-term visa system.

Task forces to boost trade, investment

Business leaders from Bangladesh and India have agreed to form business-to-business (B2B) task forces to address trade and investment barriers and strengthen bilateral commercial cooperation.

The decision was taken at a meeting between the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the FBCCI office in Motijheel yesterday.

The proposed task forces will focus on infrastructure investment and emerging technologies, while the two sides also plan to maintain regular business engagements and organise sector-specific delegations.

Bangladeshi exporters currently face several non-tariff barriers in the Indian market, including testing and certification requirements, customs procedures, port restrictions, licensing rules and high logistics costs.

India also imposed restrictions in 2025 on the entry of ready-made garments, processed food, plastics, furniture and other Bangladeshi products through designated land ports.

FBCCI Administrator Fazlul Hoque said Bangladesh could draw lessons from India's experience in attracting private and foreign investment in infrastructure.

He also stressed the need to attract investment beyond the energy sector amid challenges related to gas and electricity supplies.

CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said Indian companies are interested in expanding their investments in Bangladesh, particularly in infrastructure, healthcare and emerging sectors.

The proposed technology task force may explore cooperation in areas including semiconductors, hydrogen, green energy, battery storage, high-speed rail, data centres, artificial intelligence and solar manufacturing.

The business leaders expressed hope that stronger commercial ties between the two countries would help create a more positive environment for broader Bangladesh-India relations.

Real-estate activities in Bangladesh have expanded steadily according to official statistics, though industry insiders say the sector is struggling with high taxes, regulatory restrictions, and weak investment conditions.

The official nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data indicate real-estate output reached Tk 4.77 trillion in FY26, recording 52.5-percent growth from Tk 3.13 trillion in FY21.

The sector recorded year-on-year growth throughout the period, although the pace of expansion varied.

From Tk 3.13 trillion in FY21, the value of real estate activities rose to Tk 3.40 trillion in FY22, Tk 3.73 trillion in FY23, Tk 4.09 trillion in FY24, and Tk 4.45 trillion in FY25.

In FY26, the year-on-year growth was 7.19 per cent.

The continued expansion highlights the growing importance of real estate-related activities in the broader services economy.

The sector supports a wide range of economic activities, including housing development, property transactions, rentals, and other services linked to land and buildings.

However, insiders have a different assessment of the current state of the market.

Liakat Ali Bhuiyan, former senior vice-president of the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB), says the sector is not doing well right now and is facing significant expansion challenges.

He also questions the growth data, asking how the figures are prepared and whether they accurately reflect the current situation.

Bhuiyan mentions the 15 per cent income tax burden as one of the biggest hurdles facing the sector, saying this is discouraging investment and making it difficult for realtors to expand their businesses.

He also points to the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) as another major constraint, saying restrictions under it are preventing developers from increasing the height of buildings in many areas.

"This is affecting the viability of projects and hampering the overall growth of the sector," he adds.

According to him, the government needs to address the tax burden and review DAP-related restrictions to help revive investment and support sustainable growth.

The data shows the sector maintained a consistent upward trajectory despite economic pressures during the five-year period.

The expansion comes at a time when the economy is becoming increasingly dependent on services as a source of growth and employment.

The rising value of real estate activities therefore indicates not only increased property-related economic activities but also the broader transformation of the economy, with services playing an increasingly significant role alongside manufacturing and agriculture.

Dr Masrur Reaz, chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh (PEB), says the real estate sector is an important part of the services economy, but its growth depends heavily on investment, financing conditions, and business confidence.

He says rising urbanisation and population growth are creating structural demand for housing, but high financing costs, regulatory barriers, and weak purchasing power could constrain the sector's expansion.

"Real estate growth cannot be viewed in isolation. The sector needs affordable financing, a better investment climate, and regulatory reforms to sustain growth," he says.

He also stresses the need to improve land administration, reduce transaction costs, and ensure greater transparency to make the sector more efficient and support long-term investment.

There is a fundamental collision between the economy on paper and the economy at the grocery store. When the government announced on August 11 that inflation had eased to 8.32 percent -- its lowest point in eight months -- the number was not greeted with relief, but with immediate suspicion. Sceptics cried data manipulation, while the finance minister rushed to defend the math. Yet, lost in this crossfire is the actual anatomy of the number itself, which explains why a supposedly positive economic update can feel so entirely disconnected from reality.

Unlike Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth or trade deficits, inflation is an intimate statistic. It dictates survival. It is felt every time a family buys rice, pays for cooking oil, or boards a bus. This burden falls overwhelmingly on lower-income households, who spend the vast majority of their earnings on unavoidable necessities and have no luxury expenses to cut when times get tough. Because every citizen can instantly audit the government’s claims against their own daily survival, inflation figures are politically combustible everywhere in the world.

The fiercest outrage over this month's data stems from a basic misunderstanding of what a slowing inflation rate actually means. A drop from 9.16 percent in June to 8.32 percent in July does not mean the cost of living went down. It simply means prices are getting more expensive at a slightly slower pace.

The state-owned electricity distributor Dhaka Electricity Supply Company (Desco) is seeking Bangladesh Bank's intervention to recover around Tk250 crore of its revenue and employees' provident and gratuity funds trapped in six financially distressed banks.

In a letter sent to Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostaqur Rahman on 11 August, Desco Managing Director Brigadier General Shamim Ahmed urged the central bank to take measures to facilitate the return of the funds.

Desco said the deposits needed to be encashed urgently to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply, safeguard government revenue, and meet its financial obligations on time.

Desco has Tk47.94 crore deposited with Global Islami Bank, Tk55.27 crore with Union Bank, Tk59.96 crore with Social Islami Bank, and Tk46.27 crore with First Security Islami Bank.

Its deposits in these four banks total Tk209.44 crore. The four lenders, along with Exim Bank, were merged last year to form the state-owned Sammilito Islami Bank.

Desco also has Tk22.53 crore with Padma Bank and Tk17.36 crore with Commerce Bank.

Apart from Padma Bank, the other five banks were previously controlled by controversial businessman Saiful Alam, commonly known as S Alam.

Desco said the banks had failed to return its deposits even after they matured. The utility made repeated requests, both in writing and verbally, but received no positive response.

A senior Bangladesh Bank official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said funds stuck in the five merged banks would be repaid to customers in line with the applicable rules.

"Padma Bank and Bangladesh Commerce Bank, however, lack the capacity to repay large sums quickly," the official said. "Desco will therefore have to wait to recover its funds."

Banks remain financially fragile

The government merged First Security Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Union Bank, and Exim Bank last year to form Sammilito Islami Bank. The five banks had combined deposits of Tk1,36,546 crore.

Following the merger, the government adopted a repayment policy under which small depositors would be prioritised. The BB has also provided funds from the Deposit Protection Fund to help address the banks' massive non-performing loans and liquidity shortages.

Meanwhile, Padma Bank remains in severe financial distress, according to officials of Bangladesh Bank's Off-site Supervision Department, which monitors banks' financial health.

The bank is grappling with high non-performing loans and a capital shortfall, with nearly 90% of its loans classified as non-performing, they said.

Bangladesh Commerce Bank is also facing a range of financial difficulties. According to BB data, the bank's 66% of its total loans were classified as non-performing as of 31 March.

The bank also had a substantial provision shortfall. Against a required provision of Tk1,004 crore, it had set aside only Tk375 crore as of the end of March.

Deposit repayment framework

The BB has a framework for returning deposits to customers of the five merged banks.

Under the Deposit Protection Act 2026, the maximum protected deposit is at Tk2 lakh, while depositors' claims have been preserved in the new bank under the resolution framework.

In July, the finance minister said depositors of troubled banks would eventually receive their principal and interest, although full repayment could take time because of the banks' losses.

In January, Bangladesh Bank initially allowed customers of the five banks to withdraw up to Tk2 lakh. In July, the limit was raised to Tk10 lakh for urgent needs, including medical treatment for depositors and their immediate family members.

However, the guidelines did not clearly specify arrangements for returning deposits held by institutions such as Desco.

Artificial intelligence is moving deeper into the day-to-day management of Bangladesh’s telecom infrastructure, helping operators and tower companies cut energy use and operating costs.

The technology is being used to switch network equipment on and off according to traffic, monitor batteries and generators, predict equipment failures and automate network operations. It is also reducing the need for field visits.
The potential savings are significant because of the sheer scale of the infrastructure. Bangladesh had 46,504 telecom towers in June 2026, according to BTRC data. Of these, 11,788 were associated with Grameenphone, 3,910 with Banglalink, 3,469 with Teletalk and 2,189 with Robi.

Tower-sharing companies also operate thousands of sites, including 16,979 operated by edotco and 5,539 by Summit Communications.

SAVING ENERGY, MONEY

One of the most direct ways AI is cutting costs is by reducing the electricity needed to operate mobile networks and towers.

Telecom equipment traditionally remained powered continuously to ensure capacity was available whenever customers needed it. AI allows networks to analyse traffic patterns and adjust resources according to demand.

At Grameenphone, AI-based autonomous network management has generated 7-8 percent energy savings.

“In the autonomous network, we are actively working with energy efficiency. Our target was 7 percent, and we have achieved 7 percent to 8 percent savings so far,” said Syed Shakil Ahmed, head of AI Strategy and Development.

The system analyses traffic patterns at the cell level and identifies periods when demand falls. Network resources can then be reduced in real time, lowering power consumption without affecting the customer experience.

“AI helps identify the sweet spot to reduce power and to what level,” Shakil said.

Tower companies are applying similar technology to the power infrastructure supporting mobile networks. AI-assisted systems analyse electricity consumption, battery performance, generator use, fuel consumption and grid availability.

Summit Communications Managing Director Arif Al Islam said preliminary operational estimates at selected tower sites and applicable operational areas indicate 5 percent to 8 percent lower energy consumption through AI-assisted remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, automated monitoring, optimised work scheduling and fewer unnecessary site visits.

At edotco Bangladesh, AI is being used to forecast requirements for batteries, power systems, solar solutions and backup energy resources based on network traffic, power availability and site-specific conditions.

“By using AI-driven analytics, we can make faster and more accurate planning decisions, optimise resource allocation, reduce unnecessary capital expenditure and improve energy efficiency across our tower portfolio,” said Al Batuni Mohammad Sayed Ahmed, country managing director of edotco Bangladesh.

AI is also being used to optimise generator runtime and encourage greater use of renewable energy.

CUTTING COSTS ELSEWHERE

The financial gains from AI extend beyond energy. Companies are using it to automate repetitive tasks, reduce emergency maintenance and limit physical intervention.

Summit Communications estimates that selected operations have achieved 8-10 percent lower operating expenditure through AI-assisted remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, automated monitoring, optimised work scheduling and fewer unnecessary site visits.

Arif Al Islam also said automated DDoS attack detection and mitigation -- tasks that previously required an engineer to manually analyse traffic and implement fixes and could take several hours -- can now detect, decide and mitigate an attack in under one minute.
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According to Summit, the system has reduced the associated manual engineering effort by approximately 90 percent, while the protected services have maintained around 99.95 percent uptime.

Summit stressed that the resulting 100 percent saving applies only to that particular cost category and should not be interpreted as a 100 percent reduction in overall operating expenditure.

AI is also changing how tower maintenance is planned. Instead of relying mainly on periodic inspections, engineers can use real-time information and historical patterns to identify equipment likely to fail.

This allows maintenance teams to intervene before a fault becomes an emergency, reducing repair costs and unnecessary field visits.

At edotco, AI-enabled monitoring is being used for predictive fault detection, automated event analysis, root-cause identification and intelligent ticket management, Sayed Ahmed said. Banglalink is also using AI to reduce energy and maintenance costs. Its systems predict site, power and transmission failures, allowing the operator to deploy additional batteries or take other protective measures before an outage occurs.

AI-powered alarm correlation and root-cause analysis are being used to reduce mean time to repair, while predictive maintenance helps forecast equipment failures and reduce emergency maintenance. The operator is also using AI to optimise radio and transmission equipment according to the time of day.

“We optimise equipment which helps us to reduce fuel, battery, and grid power usage to lower energy costs,” said Taimur Rahman, chief corporate and regulatory affairs officer.

“We see AI not as a headline but as an enabler of smarter infrastructure management, higher service reliability, and better decisions,” said Summit’s Arif.