To showcase investment potentials, modern infrastructure, and investor-friendly facilities of the Sirajganj Economic Zone (SEZ) to business leaders and investors in the northern region, the "Bogura Investor Roadshow 2026" was successfully organized by Sirajganj Economic Zone Limited.

Around 75 local investors from the Bogura region participated in the roadshow, according to a media release.

Business leaders, industry representatives, local dignitaries, and invited guests were also present at the event. During the session, prospective investors were provided with a detailed overview of industrial setup opportunities, infrastructural advantages, and existing facilities available within the economic zone.

In his welcome address, Dr. Engr. Mohammad Kamruzzaman, Director of Sirajganj Economic Zone Limited, highlighted the significance of such regional investor roadshows in driving national industrialization and expanding investments.

Lieutenant Colonel Md. Shariful Islam (Retd.), Chief Administrative and Human Resources Officer of Sirajganj Economic Zone Limited, delivered the keynote presentation.

He elaborated on the investment prospects, infrastructural strengths, and business-friendly incentives designed for prospective investors at SEZ.

Member of Parliament for Bogura-4, Md. Mosharraf Hossain, addressed the event as a Special Guest, while Member of Parliament for Bogura-6, Rezaul Karim Badsha, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

In addition, A. K. M. Ahsanul Tayeb Zakir, Administrator of the Bogura District Council, and M.S.M. Atiqur Rahman Badal, President of the Bogura Chamber of Commerce and Industry, spoke as distinguished speakers.

The speakers shared their valuable insights on advancing industrialization, boosting investment expansion, and accelerating regional economic activities.

During the ceremony, A. Matin Chowdhury, Chairman of Sirajganj Economic Zone Limited, handed over honorary crests to the esteemed guests.

In his concluding remarks, Chairman A. Matin Chowdhury extended his gratitude to the participating investors, business leaders, guests, and industry representatives.

He noted that such initiatives play a pivotal role in establishing direct communication with prospective investors and attracting new industries to the Sirajganj Economic Zone.

Through the "Bogura Investor Roadshow 2026," Sirajganj Economic Zone Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to building stronger connections with entrepreneurs and investors of the northern region, positioning SEZ as a premier and promising destination for future industries and investments, the release adds.

Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) has taken an initiative to provide a total of Taka 72.45 billion (7,245 crore) in financing to promote renewable energy use and foster new entrepreneurship in the cottage and microenterprise sectors.

Of the total amount, Taka 500 crore will be allocated for expanding rooftop solar power generation, BSS reports citing a press release.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of the PKSF Board of Directors held today (Sunday) at PKSF Bhaban-1 with PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan in the chair.

Managing Director (MD) Md Fazlul Kader and other board members attended the meeting.

The Board approved Taka 5,000 crore in Bangladesh Bank-financed loans to support the creation of new entrepreneurs in the cottage and microenterprise sectors.

The financing will support technology-driven agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, services and various value-chain-based activities at the grassroots level.

The initiative aims to utilise the skills and productive capacity of low-income communities to create new entrepreneurs and expand employment opportunities, according to the PKSF.

Meanwhile, PKSF has launched a specialised financing programme, backed by a Taka 500 crore government allocation, to expand rooftop solar power generation.

Under the programme, the Board approved a specialised lending policy titled 'Shouro Shokti' to provide loans to customers through partner organisations at an interest rate of six percent.

The Board also approved nearly Taka 2,000 crore in loans for PKSF's partner organisations to support cluster-based microenterprises, general services, the ultra-poor, agriculture and other sectors.

The capital market opened the week on a weak note today (27 September), with investors selling shares amid anxiety over upcoming corporate financial results and a lack of fresh positive triggers, sending the benchmark index down for a second consecutive session.

The DSEX, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, fell 45 points, or 0.81%, to settle at 5,532, while the blue-chip DS30 index dropped 12 points to close at 2,099.

Market breadth was overwhelmingly negative, with 277 issues declining against 75 advancing and 36 remaining unchanged. Daily turnover fell 4% to Tk727 crore from the previous session.

Stockbrokers attributed the downturn mainly to anxiety over corporate earnings and continued profit-booking.

In its daily market review, EBL Securities said the benchmark opened in negative territory as cautious investors adopted a wait-and-see approach amid limited conviction about the market's upward trajectory. The absence of immediate bullish catalysts and uncertainty over upcoming earnings announcements from companies with June year-end kept buyers largely on the sidelines.

Sheltech Brokerage Limited similarly said selling pressure dominated the session, dragging the benchmark to an intraday low of 5,532 points, where it eventually closed.

Large-cap and blue-chip stocks bore the brunt of the selling, with LafargeHolcim Bangladesh, Pubali Bank, Islami Bank Bangladesh, United Commercial Bank and Beximco Pharmaceuticals emerging as the major drags on the index.

Textiles generated the highest turnover, accounting for 19.2% of total transactions, followed by general insurance at 17.1% and pharmaceuticals at 14.7%.

Declines were widespread across major sectors. Cement suffered the steepest fall, dropping 3.3%, while life insurance declined 2.2% and information technology fell 1.9%.

Jute and mutual funds bucked the broader market trend, each gaining 2.8%, while general insurance rose 0.6%.

Among individual stocks, Prime Bank 1st ICB AMCL Mutual Fund topped the gainers with a 9.85% rise, followed by CAPM IBBL Mutual Fund, up 9.65%, ICB AMCL First Agrani Bank Mutual Fund, up 7.22%, Samorita Hospital, up 7.01%, and Khulna Printing, up 6.71%.

Meghna Condensed Milk led the losers, falling 6.09%, followed by CNA Textile, down 6.06%, Sharp Industries, down 5.75%, Premier Cement, down 5.64%, and BIFC, down 5.55%.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) mirrored the decline in Dhaka.

Its selective CSCX index fell 90 points to settle at 9,057, while the all-share price index, CASPI, dropped 128 points to close at 14,783.

However, turnover at the CSE moved against the broader trend, surging 136% to Tk39.52 crore.

The Bangladesh Association of Publicly Listed Companies (BAPLC) has proposed a clear and measurable Capital Market Development Roadmap for 2026-30, with specific priorities, targets and timelines to ensure policy stability and regulatory predictability.

The proposal was made at a meeting between BAPLC and the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) at the commission's Agargaon office on 24 September.

BAPLC President Riad Mahmud led the association's delegation, while BSEC Chairman Masud Khan and Commissioners Tanwir Habib Rahman, Md Nafeez Al Tarik and Hossain Sadat attended the meeting.

The association said the roadmap should be developed through consultations with all relevant stakeholders and provide a long-term framework for coordination among the regulator, stock exchanges, listed companies, institutional investors and other market participants.

It proposed focusing on improving IPO quality, increasing institutional investment, developing corporate bonds and other investment products, and improving market liquidity.

More flexibility in IPO proceeds

BAPLC proposed raising the existing 30% limit on the use of IPO proceeds for loan repayment under the Public Offer of Equity Securities Rules 2025.

It said many potential issuers have financed business expansion through long-term industrial loans and should therefore be allowed greater flexibility to use IPO proceeds to repay loans, including classified or rescheduled loans, subject to proper disclosure, regulatory oversight and investor protection.

Same-group executives

The association also sought an exception to the Corporate Governance Code provision that bars key executives of a listed company from simultaneously holding executive positions in another company.

BAPLC proposed allowing such arrangements within the same corporate group, citing the prevalence of group and family-owned businesses in Bangladesh.

It suggested safeguards including board approval, prior BSEC approval, proper disclosure and compliance with conflict-of-interest and related-party transaction rules.

Action against 'AGM parties'

BAPLC urged BSEC to take action against what it described as "AGM parties" who allegedly buy nominal shares before record dates and later demand money or other benefits from companies ahead of annual general meetings.

The association said such groups may create disorder or disrupt AGMs if their demands are not met, affecting genuine shareholders and corporate governance.

It called for preventive measures and regulatory action against the practice.

Surveillance, buybacks and board diversity

BAPLC also called for stronger surveillance and enforcement against market manipulation, insider trading and other irregularities.

It proposed regulatory frameworks for employee stock option plans and share buybacks, saying these could provide additional options for listed companies and investors.

On female independent directors, the association recommended shifting from profession-based eligibility to a competency-based approach. It suggested considering expertise in technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering, manufacturing, ESG, climate risk and digital transformation.

It also proposed a National Independent Directors Talent Registry and a Board Skills Matrix to better match directors' expertise with companies' needs.

Other proposals included reviewing CIB reporting requirements for independent directors, clarifying the definition of beneficiaries under the Workers' Profit Participation Fund, and allowing companies to allocate 1% of expenditure to CSR activities.

The BAPLC document presented the proposals for discussion with BSEC. It did not indicate that the commission had formally accepted the proposed roadmap or set a timeline for its implementation.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sought international partners support to transform Bangladesh into a global manufacturing hub, calling for adequate financing, greater market access, technology transfer and capacity-building assistance to ensure a smooth and sustainable graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category.

Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday evening local time, the prime minister said Bangladesh was implementing a broad range of programmes to turn its working-age population into a skilled workforce and create more employment opportunities.

“Bangladesh seeks the support of its development partners in this endeavour,” he said.

On Bangladesh’s graduation from the LDC category, Mr Rahman stressed the need for continued international assistance to make the transition sustainable.

“Continued support in areas such as adequate financing, enhanced market access, technology transfer and capacity-building is essential to ensure a sustainable graduation for Bangladesh and other countries,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of regional economic integration, he said countries could contribute to one another’s prosperity through trade facilitation, improved connectivity and meaningful cooperation, particularly at the regional level.

He said the government had allocated $50 million in the current fiscal year to support start-ups led by young entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators.

The prime minister also called for greater access to advanced technologies, knowledge and research opportunities, saying Bangladesh’s large young population and expanding digital capabilities offered significant opportunities.

“We do not want today’s digital divide to become tomorrow’s artificial intelligence divide,” he said.

He stressed the need to ensure that developing countries were not left behind in the rapid advancement of science and technology.

“No country should be left behind in this journey of scientific progress,” he said.Follow Federal Policy

Mr Rahman also called on the United Nations to develop effective policy frameworks to ensure that the benefits of artificial intelligence and social media could be harnessed positively.

On the Rohingya crisis, the prime minister said Bangladesh had been hosting more than 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar for over nine years, putting immense pressure on the country’s resources, environment, security and host communities.

He said the crisis originated in Myanmar and its solution lay there.

“The only solution to this problem is the safe return of the displaced Rohingya population to their homeland in Myanmar,” he said.

He called for firm and effective support from the United Nations and the international community to resolve the crisis, while urging continued life-saving humanitarian assistance until repatriation became possible.

The prime minister also called for stronger global cooperation to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration, stressing the need to protect the rights, dignity and welfare of migrant workers.

Turning to climate change, he said Bangladesh contributed little to global carbon emissions but continued to bear the brunt of its adverse impacts.

He called for stronger global action on climate justice, climate finance and adaptation support ahead of the COP31 climate conference.

Mr Rahman also highlighted the government’s plans to plant 250 million trees over the next five years, excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals and implement the Teesta Master Plan and the Padma Barrage project.

Outlining the government’s development strategy, he said it had adopted a three-R approach centred on recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction to rebuild the economy and society.Try CAD Software

He said Bangladesh was entering a period of significant opportunities and was working to turn its demographic dividend into a skilled workforce.

“No state can become strong by keeping its people disempowered,” he said.

The prime minister expressed his vision of building a prosperous, self-reliant, welfare-oriented democratic Bangladesh where all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, religion or ethnicity, could live with equal rights, dignity and security.

He said the government wanted to build a country where young people could pursue their dreams without fear or barriers, women could live with confidence and every child could realise their full potential.

“Bangladesh First: Bangladesh for All,” he said.

Foreign investors are showing renewed interest in Bangladesh's stock market in September, with their purchases exceeding sales and signalling a tentative shift in sentiment after years of sustained withdrawals from the country's capital market.

Foreign investors bought shares worth around Tk250 crore and sold about Tk180 crore between 1 and 24 September, leaving a net investment of roughly Tk70 crore, according to Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) data.

The latest figures come after a prolonged period of weak foreign participation, which market insiders attributed to regulatory intervention, political uncertainty, geopolitical instability, currency depreciation and difficulties in repatriating funds.

A managing director of a brokerage firm said the Dhaka bourse was finally seeing an increase in foreign investment in September after a long period of selling pressure.

"Following the national election and the formation of the new government, regulatory easing and commitments from government authorities have helped attract foreign investors back to the capital market," he said.

The buying trend has been visible on most trading days this month. Foreign investors bought more shares than they sold on 13 trading days between 1 and 24 September, while selling exceeded buying on only two days, according to DSE data.

Market participants said the removal of the floor price, along with a series of regulatory reforms, has helped improve the investment environment.

A senior DSE official said the new securities regulator under the BNP-led government had removed the floor price and introduced several measures aimed at making the market more flexible.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has also revised initial public offering rules and drafted direct listing rules for fundamentally sound companies and foreign companies seeking to list on the local exchange. The regulator has revised margin rules, signalling a move towards easing regulatory hurdles.

"The BSEC has also assured market participants that it will not interfere in the market unnecessarily," the DSE official said, describing the changes as a positive development for the capital market.

Another factor supporting foreign investor sentiment is the planned return of Bangladesh to the regular review process of global index provider MSCI.

MSCI said in its August Equity Index Review that it would resume the implementation of index review changes and corporate events for the MSCI Bangladesh Indexes from the November 2026 index review. The decision marks a move towards normalisation after MSCI placed Bangladesh under "special treatment" in 2023 amid disruptions associated with the floor price mechanism.

MSCI's special treatment mechanism allows the index provider to modify or suspend its standard review procedures for markets or securities facing significant disruptions. The resumption of regular reviews is therefore being viewed by market participants as a step towards restoring Bangladesh's standing among international portfolio investors.

Regulatory changes by Bangladesh Bank (BB) have also reduced some of the operational hurdles faced by overseas investors.

In March, the central bank raised the threshold for prior approval of capital repatriation by foreign investors to Tk100 crore from Tk10 crore. The measure was intended to simplify the repatriation process and bring the regulatory framework closer to international practices.

BB subsequently removed another major compliance hurdle by scrapping the requirement for an auditor's certificate for every transaction by non-resident investors.

Under the new arrangement, authorised dealer banks can deduct or withhold applicable taxes on capital gains directly from the sale proceeds of shares or securities held by non-resident investors. The proceeds can then be credited to the investors' Non-Resident Investor Taka Accounts, or NITAs, before payment of the applicable taxes to the government.

Previously, investors were required to obtain a chartered accountant's certificate for individual transactions to determine capital gains tax before proceeds could be reinvested or repatriated. Market participants said the process often caused delays and increased compliance costs.

The improvement in September follows fluctuating foreign participation throughout the year. Foreign turnover stood at Tk663 crore in February, before falling to Tk272 crore in March, Tk175 crore in April and just Tk73.92 crore in May. It then increased to Tk540 crore in June and Tk523 crore in July before declining to Tk318 crore in August. Foreign turnover reached around Tk400 crore in the first 24 days of September, according to DSE data.

Despite the recent improvement, foreign participation remains relatively small compared with the overall size of the market. Foreign investment in Bangladesh's stock market currently stands at around Tk13,000 crore, while only about 132 of roughly 360 listed companies have some level of foreign shareholding.

BRAC Bank has the highest foreign ownership among listed companies at around 35%, followed by Olympic Industries with more than 25%. Beximco Pharmaceuticals, Navana Pharmaceuticals, Square Pharmaceuticals and Renata are among the other companies with significant foreign shareholdings.

According to the Central Depository of Bangladesh, the non-resident accounts (Beneficiary Owners Accounts) stood at 41,937 at the end of 24 September.

The capital market ended the week in the red as investors, who had hoped for monetary easing to boost the bourse, were disappointed by Bangladesh Bank's decision to leave its key policy rate unchanged.

The benchmark DSEX index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) fell 17 points, or 0.31%, to close at 5,578. The blue-chip DS30 index lost 10 points to settle at 2,112.

Decliners outnumbered gainers, with 190 issues falling, 141 rising and 57 unchanged. Turnover at the DSE dropped 11% to Tk756 crore, indicating weaker participation from both retail and institutional investors.

Brokerage firms cited the central bank's rate decision as the main trigger for the pullback.

In its daily review, Sheltech Brokerage Limited said profit-taking picked up as sentiment weakened following the monetary policy stance. Early buying lifted the DSEX to an intraday high of 5,631, but heavy selling soon took over and pushed the index down to an intraday low of 5,578, near which it closed.

EBL Securities said the market lacked conviction about the sustainability of its recent uptrend. The index held steady in the opening hour, but sustained profit-booking wiped out early gains, and a later rebound attempt was not strong enough to withstand widespread selling.

The market reaction came shortly after Bangladesh Bank decided to hold its policy rate steady at 9.5% at the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, chaired by Governor Mostaqur Rahman on 23 September. The central bank opted for a cautious stance to assess the macroeconomic fallout from recent domestic and international shocks, including volatile global energy markets caused by prolonged Middle East conflicts and the government's recent domestic fuel price hike.

While the committee acknowledged a downward trend in headline inflation, consumer price growth remains above the target ceiling of 7.50% for FY27. Furthermore, the committee identified the implementation of a new national pay scale as another potential inflationary headwind, prompting the monetary authority to prioritise price stability and monitor impact on inflation and GDP growth before considering rate cuts.

Banking sector heavyweights led the index downturn, with Pubali Bank, BAT Bangladesh, United Commercial Bank, BRAC Bank, and Eastern Bank emerging as the chief index draggers.

On the sectoral front, General Insurance captured the largest share of daily turnover at 17.8%, followed by Textile at 16.3% and Pharmaceuticals at 13.3%.

Most sectors closed in the red, with Travel and Ceramic both dropping 1.2%, and IT declining 1.1%. On the flip side, Mutual Funds and General Insurance bucked the trend, both posting 2% gains.

GQ Ball Pen emerged as the most-traded stock of the session, followed by IPDC Finance, Fine Foods, Square Pharmaceuticals, and BRAC Bank.

CNA Textile led the gainers' chart with a 10% jump, while Sena Insurance (9.97%), Orion Pharma (9.82%), Tung Hai Knitting (7.69%), and Emerald Oil (7.69%) also posted notable gains.

Conversely, Saiham Textile hit the losers' list hardest, slumping 6.68%, followed by Peoples Leasing, Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag, Premier Cement, and Meghna PET.

Over at the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), performance diverged from the capital bourse. The selective CSCX index gained 17 points to close at 9,147, while the all-share price index, CASPI, jumped 41 points to settle at 14,912.

A further Tk 20 per litre increase in fuel prices has landed at a difficult time for most households in Bangladesh. It comes five months after the last major adjustment in April, followed by a smaller rise in June. Fuel prices have risen across much of the world following the conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. For Bangladesh, the impact is compounded by persistent domestic inflation.

For more than four years, Bangladesh has struggled to bring inflation down from rates close to 10 percent, against a longer-term average of around 5-6 percent. Before the Hormuz crisis, Bangladesh maintained relatively low domestic fuel prices compared with many other countries. Now the situation is such that while inflation stays elevated, the government is having to make substantial price adjustments given its acute fiscal space constraint, with the tax-GDP ratio falling below 8 percent.

Higher fuel costs would ripple through almost every economic activity, raising the cost of producing goods, transporting them to market and providing essential services

In fact, among the developing countries with which Bangladesh is commonly compared, its fuel price increase since the Hormuz conflict has been one of the largest, at around 38 percent, compared with less than 10 percent in India, 19 percent in China and 27 percent in Viet Nam. Indonesia has experienced a gasoline price rise nearly as large as Bangladesh’s, but inflation in Indonesia is much lower, at around 3.3 percent.

The dual blow of prolonged high inflation and steep fuel price increases falls on consumers, particularly poor and vulnerable households. It comes amid recent assessments suggesting that poverty in Bangladesh is likely to have risen substantially since the last official household survey in 2022.

Higher fuel costs would ripple through almost every economic activity, raising the cost of producing goods, transporting them to market and providing essential services. Poor households, small farmers, and enterprises with limited working capital have the least capacity to absorb the additional pressures, whether through higher prices, narrower margins or reduced consumption.

One may well ask how many more shocks households can bear when their real purchasing power has been declining for years. Yet, for several years now, the response to prolonged inflation has too often been delayed and half-hearted, without sufficient attention to the scale of the problem.

During the interim government’s tenure, efforts to control inflation relied heavily on demand management. Bangladesh Bank raised its policy rate and maintained a tight monetary stance, but liquidity support for troubled banks and rising government borrowing, particularly borrowing directly from the central bank, complicated that effort. Supply-side measures received less sustained attention.

After the February 2026 election, the new government recognised the importance of bringing inflation down. Its first budget, however, set an ambitious growth target and substantially higher spending. This was accompanied by a large stimulus package for struggling industries, significant provision for restructuring weak banks and, subsequently, approval of a new public-sector pay scale for phased implementation. Bangladesh Bank also reduced its policy rate by 50 basis points. Each measure responds to a real problem, but together they raise the question of whether the drive to revive growth is adequately reconciled with lowering inflation.

Spending out of the crisis is risky when inflation remains high and firms cannot readily expand production. Energy shortages and reliance on imported fuel constrain the supply response, while additional demand could put fresh pressure on prices and the foreign exchange reserves Bangladesh Bank is seeking to rebuild. This makes the supply constraints central to the inflation debate.

One principal element of the supply side deserves closer examination. Merchandise imports fell from a peak of $79 billion in FY22 to $68 billion in FY25. According to Bangladesh Bank’s provisional estimates, imports recovered substantially to $75 billion in FY26, though they remained below the FY22 level. Import compression may have contributed to supply shortages. The policy question is whether formal or informal barriers to importing essential goods and production inputs are unnecessarily restricting supply.

This question warrants a systematic comparison of prices for selected essentials in Bangladesh, international markets and, particularly, neighbouring countries, allowing for differences in exchange rates, quality, transport costs and taxes. Where substantial gaps persist, there is a need to examine whether tariffs, import permissions, access to foreign exchange or delays in opening letters of credit are restricting supply.

This is also an opportune moment to consider prudent tariff rationalisation, with particular attention to the widespread use of supplementary and regulatory duties. These duties can impede imports even where domestic producers are unable to increase supply sufficiently. Easing such constraints and facilitating imports could relieve price pressures.

The pressure to rebuild foreign exchange reserves makes import policy sensitive. Reserve accumulation remains essential, but the budget’s projection of $41 billion in gross reserves by the end of FY27 should be weighed against the costs of restricting imports. The objective should be to rebuild reserves without unnecessarily constraining the supply of essential goods and production inputs.

There is a fiscal dimension too. With weak revenue mobilisation, ambitious spending plans can mean greater government borrowing. Support for troubled banks, industrial stimulus and public-sector pay increases may each have a case, but their scale, timing and financing matter when bringing down inflation is already proving difficult. Price stability needs to carry greater weight in these decisions.

Stabilising the taka helps contain import costs and inflationary pressures. During high inflation, taka depreciation would only add fuel to the fire. However, if inflation remains high while the nominal exchange rate barely moves, the taka may appreciate in real terms, undermining export competitiveness.

For instance, as against Bangladesh’s average rate of 9-10 percent during FY23–FY26, India’s inflation fell from 6.7 percent to around 4 per cent; Viet Nam was able to contain it within 3-4 percent while China saw near-zero inflation. These differences must have put pressure on Bangladesh’s export competitiveness and contributed to its recent difficulty in expanding exports. Holding the nominal exchange rate steady cannot substitute for bringing inflation under control.

Finally, goods must move reliably from farms, ports and factories to markets. Extortion along transport routes, delays and other logistical obstacles add to costs and disrupt supply. Tackling them requires sustained enforcement, alongside better freight and market infrastructure. Without a more effective domestic supply chain, even adequate imports or harvests may fail to ease prices where consumers buy their essentials.

The fuel price increase has exposed a wider policy challenge. There is a critical need to protect vulnerable households now while addressing the import, fiscal and distribution constraints that have allowed high inflation to persist. Households cannot keep absorbing external shocks through a steady loss of real purchasing power. Nor can it be overemphasised that failure to rein in inflation is likely to have serious consequences for macroeconomic stability and external competitiveness.

The socioeconomic costs of persistent inflation are too high for price stability to be weakened by conflicting policy choices; tackling it requires sustained commitment and prudent, practical measures across the economy.

The author is an economist who serves as chairman of Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID). He can be reached at m.razzaque@rapidbd.org

The US has secured a 6 percent share of Bangladesh’s corn imports in the 2025-26 marketing year (MY), marking a re-entry into the market after eight years.

Bangladesh imported over 17.4 lakh tonnes of corn to meet the requirements of its feed industry, of which approximately 111,000 tonnes were of American origin in MY26, according to a report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) released early this month.

Brazil remained the largest supplier, accounting for 68 percent of Bangladesh’s total corn imports, followed by India at 24 percent, said the agency in its Grain and Feed Update on Bangladesh.

The share of Brazil in corn shipments, however, declined in MY26, which began in May. Bangladesh imported about 93 percent of its corn from Brazil in MY25, followed by 4 percent from Argentina and 2 percent from Pakistan, according to a previous USDA report.

The re-entry of US corn began after three Bangladeshi feed companies initiated the first purchase of approximately 60,000 tonnes, and the grain arrived at Chattogram port in the first week of January this year.

The development came amid broader trade engagement between Bangladesh and the US after Dhaka agreed to increase imports from the US to help narrow an annual trade gap exceeding $6.2 billion in its effort to avoid a high tariff on Bangladesh’s exports announced by the Trump administration as part of reciprocal tariffs. The US Supreme Court later ruled them illegal.

The US agency earlier said that, historically, India has been one of the major corn suppliers to Bangladesh due to its price competitiveness, efficient logistics and shorter shipment durations.

However, since 2024, India’s exportable surplus of corn has declined significantly as the country has increased corn-based biofuel production. As a result, Brazil has emerged as the leading supplier.

For the current MY27, Bangladesh’s private sector is expected to import 18 lakh tonnes of the grain, up 3.4 percent year-on-year. In the first three months of MY27, Bangladesh imported around 115,000 tonnes of corn, according to the latest report.

“Corn imports are expected to remain strong, supported by continued growth in Bangladesh’s poultry, aquaculture, and cattle feed industries. However, import volumes fluctuate from year to year depending on domestic corn production and market availability,” it said.

Over the past several years, Bangladesh has imported an average of approximately 15 lakh tonnes of corn annually. The US agency said corn is now the second-largest grain crop in Bangladesh in terms of acreage and production after rice, and farmers are increasingly cultivating corn due to its high yields and strong market prices that make it a profitable crop.

“As demand for livestock and aquaculture products continues to grow, corn production is expected to increase, with farmers adopting improved hybrid seeds and better farming techniques to maximise yields,” it said.

In Bangladesh, farmers grow corn in both the summer and winter seasons, with the USDA forecasting 60 lakh tonnes of production, an increase of 1.7 percent year-on-year.

However, domestic production alone cannot meet the requirement for the grain from feed mills that cater to the poultry, fisheries and livestock industries.

Bangladesh requires over 71 lakh tonnes of corn annually, and approximately 90 percent of local harvests are absorbed by animal feed manufacturers, as poultry feed relies primarily on corn as its main raw material.

For the current MY27, the USDA has kept its forecast for the country’s total feed and residual corn use at 72.5 lakh tonnes, up 2.1 percent from its estimate for MY26.

Bangladesh has been registering a gradual decline in foreign tourist arrivals over the last two years amid political turmoil, security concerns and inadequate infrastructure and services.

The country recorded 239,400 foreign tourist arrivals in the first six months of 2026, down around 20 percent year-on-year, according to data from the Special Branch of Police and Bangladesh Bank, compiled by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

This is the second consecutive year of decline since Bangladesh welcomed more than 667,000 foreign visitors in 2023. The country received 585,145 foreign visitors in 2025, down 4 percent year-on-year.

HM Hakim Ali, president of the United Tourism Stakeholders’ Society of Bangladesh (UTSSOB), said Bangladesh is failing to attract foreign tourists despite its natural attractions because it is not adequately prepared to receive international visitors.

“We need to bring foreign tourists and earn from outside,” he said.

The decline in inbound tourism also comes at a cost to foreign-currency earnings, particularly as around two million Bangladeshis travel abroad each year.

“Countries such as China and Vietnam are making it easier for Bangladeshis to obtain visas because they understand the value of this market. We need to think about how to bring money into the country, not just how to stop money from going out,” he said.
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Hakim said Bangladesh needs better marketing, roads, communication, clean toilets, restaurants and maintenance of tourist attractions.

Md Taslim Amin Shovon, chief executive officer of Innoglobe Travels and Tours, said political turmoil and security concerns were major reasons behind the decline in tourist arrivals.

“Many embassies earlier raised travel alerts regarding travelling to our country. They are yet to give any green signal,” he said.

“The situation has worsened over the last two and a half years,” he added.

“We do not know what is going to happen. We are really worried,” Shovon said. “We do not have any projection of good business.”

Shovon said they had urged the government to introduce e-visas and set up a dedicated desk to provide services to foreign tourists on arrival. It takes a lot of time for foreign tourists to get clearance at the airport, he added.

Santus Kumar Deb, a tourism expert and professor in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of Dhaka, said Bangladesh needs to improve price, quality and service to become more competitive.

“Nearly 90 percent of our tourists are domestic, while only 10 percent are international,” he said.

Bangladesh also needs stronger digital branding, including AI-based storytelling, QR codes and short promotional videos to highlight lesser-known destinations, Deb said. E-reservations, e-visas, self-check-in and cashless transactions could also improve the visitor experience.

Better coordination among government agencies, stronger security and greater involvement of local communities are also needed.

The government is turning to digital technology and artificial intelligence as part of its efforts to revive tourism. The official theme of World Tourism Day 2026 is “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”.

Fahmida Akhtar, secretary of the civil aviation and tourism ministry, said the government wants to raise tourism’s contribution to GDP to 7 percent from the current 2-3 percent.

The government is also updating the tourism master plan and preparing a tourism satellite account to measure the sector’s contribution.

Mutasim Billah Faruqui, chief executive officer of the Bangladesh Tourism Board, said the government would strengthen international promotion by engaging foreign diplomats, bloggers, influencers and journalists and participating in overseas tourism fairs.

Washington and Beijing may have bought themselves breathing space with an extended trade truce, but analysts warn that time is running out for the world’s two biggest economies to resolve their strategic rivalry.

President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping concluded a pomp-filled summit Friday, with the US leader confirming they would meet twice more this year.

But even as Trump and Xi “are making nice,” their countries “remain locked in a bitter competition over trade, tech, Taiwan, defense, rare earths and industrial policy,” said Daniel Russel of the Asia Society Policy Institute.

Daniel Kritenbrink, a former US official now with The Asia Group consultancy, said there’s “no doubt that both leaders would like to see stability in the relationship, at least through the end of the year.”

However, “you’d have to see further tangible outcomes for this truce to extend in the long run.” Some feel Beijing has “largely not lived up to the commitments it made” at earlier meetings, he added, noting many US officials “have articulated their profound frustration with the Chinese.”

Xi and Trump agreed to a trade truce last year during a meeting in South Korea, after a bitter tit-for-tat fight that saw tariffs soar over 100 percent at one point.

As part of the agreement, Beijing agreed to buy more US soybeans and other agriculture products, and to suspend rare earths restrictions for a year.

The pact was originally due to expire in November but both sides agreed this week to extend it until January 10, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

Trump’s top trade official Jamieson Greer told CNBC on Friday that Washington views such extensions as “compliance periods.” “I think US officials would say China is doing just barely enough to maintain the agreement and no more,” Kritenbrink said.

“That’s unsustainable over the long run,” he added.

The brief extension “was the preferred position of the Americans,” Mary Lovely of the Peterson Institute for International Economics told AFP.

She added that while Beijing would have preferred a longer rollover, the current situation points to Washington’s anxiety about the delivery of rare earth magnets and how officials “want to keep this on a short leash.”

“It’s not clear anymore how much their threats of high tariffs actually move China,” she said. For now, Greer said that both countries have made “progress” on other economic outcomes and expect to release more details Monday.

“We want to have some subset of goods that we can trade with the Chinese on a more preferential basis,” he said.

He added that both sides have agreed on products that can be left aside in future trade disputes.

Greer is set to host G20 trade ministers in Wisconsin next week, with US tariff threats and the issue of excess capacity -- a key concern surrounding Chinese industry -- expected to be discussed.

Washington and Beijing have also agreed to set up some kind of notification system for artificial intelligence threats between the two countries, Bessent said.

Peter Richardson of Counterpoint Research said the channel could be as simple as a hotline, but it will be tough to define what triggers it.

“It is often very difficult to tell quickly whether an AI incident was state-directed, a rogue actor or an accident,” he said.

“Given the rivalry we don’t expect this to lead to any comprehensive international framework for AI regulation, but it would be the first practical guardrail,” he added.

Kritenbrink, for his part, said the summit has done “nothing to curb the competitive instincts of both sides on AI.”

“I don’t think you’ll see any slowing down.”

Banks' consumer finance increased by Tk 53.63 billion, or 3.4 per cent, in the April-June quarter of 2026 from the previous quarter amid subdued demand for private- sector credit.
Consumer finance stood at Tk 1.64 trillion at the end of June, up from Tk 1.58 trillion three months earlier, according to the Bangladesh Bank data.

The quarterly growth, however, slowed from 4.35 per cent in the January-March quarter, when consumer finance rose by Tk 66.0 billion to Tk 1.58 trillion from Tk 1.51 trillion.

Consumer finance accounted for 9.05 per cent of banks' total loans and advances at the end of June, compared with 8.88 per cent three months earlier.

The quarter-on-quarter growth was driven mainly by higher borrowing for TV, fridge, air cooler, computer, furniture, housing, personal loan, marriage loan, credit card, land purchase, and other personal financing.

Loans for consumer goods like TV, fridge, air cooler, computer, and furniture increased to Tk 350.10 billion from Tk 345.36 billion.

Loans for purchasing flats and apartments increased to Tk 372.24 billion in the April-June quarter from Tk 320 billion in the previous quarter.

Credit card loans climbed to Tk 138.77 billion from Tk 135.19 billion, while loans for land purchases increased to Tk 76.88 billion from Tk 71.81 billion.

Financing for motor vehicles and motorcycles also rose to Tk 69.41 billion from Tk 63.74 billion.

Loans for marriage expenses rose to Tk 1.05 billion from Tk 0.94 billion.

Personal loans against DPS, MSS, etc. also increased to Tk 53.56 billion from Tk 50.73 billion.

One of the sharpest increases was recorded in personal loans secured against fixed deposits and other savings instruments, which jumped to Tk 290.28 billion from Tk 276.25 billion.

Doctors' and professional loans edged up to Tk 11.35 billion from Tk 10.63 billion, while loans against provident funds rose to Tk 18.87 billion from Tk 17.50 billion.

The rise came despite continued weakness in overall credit demand as businesses and households remained cautious about taking new loans amid elevated borrowing costs and economic uncertainty.

According to the central bank data, banks' total economic purpose loans and advances stood at Tk 18.09 trillion at the end of June, up from Tk 17.84 trillion in March, indicating a quarterly increase of around Tk 250 billion.

The relatively moderate growth in consumer finance suggests that household borrowing continued to expand during the quarter, although the pace remained below that recorded in the previous quarter.

Bankers say consumer loans are increasingly being used to finance essential spending rather than discretionary purchases as many households seek credit to cover education, healthcare, marriage, travel, and other day-to-day expenses amid persistent inflation and erosion of purchasing power.

They also note that banks have expanded their consumer lending portfolios as demand remains resilient despite relatively high lending rates.

Syed Mahbubur Rahman, managing director and CEO of Mutual Trust Bank, says rising living costs and persistent inflation are prompting more people to rely on consumer loans to meet everyday expenses.

Banks are also diversifying their loan portfolios by expanding consumer lending as private sector credit growth remained below 5.0 per cent amid weak demand for business loans, he says.

At the same time, lenders have stepped up promotional activities to attract retail borrowers, he also says.

Economists, however, warn that while consumer credit can provide short-term financial relief to households, excessive reliance on borrowing could increase debt burdens and financial vulnerability over time.

They also caution that if a growing share of bank lending continues to flow into consumption rather than productive sectors, it could undermine private investment, employment generation, and long-term economic growth.

Dr Masrur Reaz, chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, says the 3.4 per cent quarterly rise in consumer finance indicates that household credit demand has remained somewhat resilient despite the broader economic slowdown.

However, the growth should not yet be interpreted as a strong recovery in consumer demand as Bangladesh is still dealing with elevated inflation, weak private sector investment, subdued business activity, and pressure on real household incomes, he says.

He says a stronger recovery in consumer finance would depend on sustained disinflation, improvement in real incomes and consumer confidence, and a revival in overall economic activity.

Banks also need to maintain prudent credit assessment so that faster growth in consumer lending does not create additional asset quality risks, he adds.

The government has released Tk10,300 crore in subsidies for liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports in the first three months of the current fiscal year, as Bangladesh has increasingly relied on costly spot-market cargoes after disruptions to long-term supplies amid the Iran-US war and its regional fallout.

The latest Tk3,000 crore tranche was released on 21 September, taking total LNG subsidy disbursement for July-September to Tk10,300 crore, according to Petrobangla figures.

The amount is equivalent to 70.5% of the Tk14,600 crore subsidy spent on LNG imports during the entire FY2025-26. It is also 71.7% higher than the Tk6,000 crore originally allocated for LNG subsidy last fiscal year.

Petrobangla data show that the government has provided about Tk20,900 crore in LNG subsidy since 17 February, when the current government took office, through 21 September.

The rapid rise in subsidy created a widening gap between the cost of imported LNG and the price at which gas is sold domestically.

During July-September, the blended average cost stood at Tk46.40 per cubic metre, against a weighted average sales price of Tk23.90, leaving a gap of Tk22.50 per cubic metre, which is being paid as a subsidy.

LNG subsidy nearly triples to Tk16,600cr amid Iran war supply shock
War pushes Bangladesh into expensive spot market

The subsidy burden began rising sharply following the Iran-US war, which disrupted LNG shipments from the Middle East to Asia and effectively choked the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global LNG trade normally passes.

QatarEnergy, Bangladesh's largest LNG supplier, declared force majeure while OQT of Oman and Excelerate also followed the suit forcing the Petrobangla to replace contracted cargoes with spot-market purchases to keep gas flowing to power plants, industries and other consumers.

"The Iran war cost us an additional Tk10,600 crore as most long-term suppliers have maintained force majeure since March, forcing us to rely on expensive spot purchases," said AKM Mizanur Rahman, director (finance) of Petrobangla.

The disruption has fundamentally changed Bangladesh's LNG procurement mix.

Before the conflict, the country relied heavily on relatively predictable long-term supplies from Qatar and Oman.

With those supplies disrupted, Petrobangla had to repeatedly go to the spot market, where prices are determined by tight global supply and demand conditions.

The financial pressure has intensified as spot LNG prices have moved far above pre-war levels.

Before the conflict, Bangladesh generally bought spot LNG at around $10-$12 per MMBtu.

By August, some cargoes were being approved at more than $21-$22/MMBtu, while September cargoes were contracted at $24.25-$24.63/MMBtu.

More recent emergency purchases have crossed $26-$28/MMBtu, with some cargoes approaching $30/MMBtu.

Bangladesh has been among the countries seeking supplies from West Africa, Indonesia, North America and other regions as buyers diversify away from disrupted Middle Eastern supply routes.

The government had initially allocated Tk6,000 crore for LNG subsidies in FY2025-26, but the final requirement rose to Tk14,600 crore as the cost of emergency and spot purchases increased.

Subsidy pressure likely to remain

The current subsidy expenditure also highlights the widening mismatch between Bangladesh's LNG import cost and domestic gas pricing.

The per cubic metre blended gas price as of September stands at Tk46.40. But the average weighted sale price during July-September was Tk23.90.

The Tk22.50 per cubic metre gap has to be covered through the government's subsidy support to Petrobangla.

With international LNG prices still elevated and geopolitical risks continuing around the Middle East, the subsidy requirement could remain under pressure in the coming months.

The scale of spending is particularly striking because Tk10,300 crore has been disbursed in only three months – roughly 71% of the entire Tk14,600 crore LNG subsidy bill for FY2025-26.

Last year's subsidy had already risen sharply from the original allocation because of higher import costs and increased reliance on spot purchases.

The latest figures suggest that the fiscal pressure from LNG imports is no longer confined to an exceptional period during the initial supply shock; the higher cost of securing replacement cargoes is continuing into the current fiscal year.

Subsidy history

Petrobangla's data show that the government's LNG import subsidy has increased sharply since Bangladesh began importing LNG.

The subsidy stood at Tk2,500 crore in FY2018-19, rising to Tk3,600 crore in FY2019-20 and then falling to Tk2,400 crore in FY2020-21.

It increased significantly to Tk6,000 crore in FY2021-22, before reaching Tk6,365.12 crore in FY2022-23.

The subsidy stood at Tk6,000 crore in FY2023-24 and then rose to Tk8,900 crore in FY2024-25.

The amount surged further to Tk14,600 crore in FY2025-26.

Overall, the annual LNG subsidy increased by about 143% in just two years, from Tk6,000 crore in FY2023-24 to Tk14,600 crore in FY2025-26.

Supply crisis leaves little room to cut imports

Despite the higher prices, Petrobangla cannot simply reduce LNG imports without risking a further deterioration in gas supply.

Gas-fired power plants remain heavily dependent on imported LNG, while domestic gas production has been declining.

The government has therefore continued procuring cargoes even when spot prices have surged.

In July, Bangladesh imported 11 LNG cargoes, while procurement continued at a high level in August and September.

Officials said most of the cargoes were secured from the spot market to compensate for shortages in long-term and short-term supplies.

As a result, the government has effectively faced a choice between paying substantially more for LNG or reducing imports and risking lower gas supplies to power plants and industries.

Red Sea risks add another layer

The pressure has been compounded by growing security risks around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another major maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean.

This strait carries 8% to 10% of Qatari LNG.

While the waterway has not been completely shut, vessel traffic has fallen amid renewed attacks and threats linked to the wider Middle East conflict.

The prospect of disruption has raised concerns over longer shipping routes, higher freight costs and tighter availability of energy cargoes.

For Bangladesh, the simultaneous disruption risks around Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb are particularly significant because the country depends heavily on imported energy, said Petrobangla officials.

Any prolonged disruption can force LNG and other fuel suppliers to use longer routes, increasing freight, insurance and other logistics costs.

The threat around Bab el-Mandeb has added another layer of uncertainty to an LNG market that was already under pressure from the loss of contracted Middle Eastern supplies.

Spanish business leaders and entrepreneurs see significant trade and investment opportunities in Bangladesh's textiles, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, renewable energy, agribusiness, information technology, logistics and consumer goods sectors.

They made the observation at a seminar titled "Bangladesh: A Strategic Partner in the Global Economy", held in Madrid on Thursday, according to a press release issued yesterday.

Madrid Chamber of Commerce President Ángel Asensio highlighted Bangladesh's market potential, describing the country as one of Asia's emerging and important markets.

He said Bangladesh is moving towards sustainable growth and economic stability, while noting that the European Union is one of the country's major trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching around €23.3 billion in 2025.

Asensio also highlighted the potential for green investment in Bangladesh. He said there are opportunities for around $172 billion in green investment in Bangladesh during 2018–2030 in areas including green buildings, transport, climate-smart agriculture, infrastructure and waste management.

He identified export diversification as both a major challenge and an important opportunity for Bangladesh's economy.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Administrator Md Fazlul Haque called on European businesses to invest in Bangladesh, saying the government is encouraging foreign investment.

He said there are plans to offer major incentives, including free land for investors in the renewable energy, logistics and infrastructure sectors, while the government would purchase electricity from such projects at fixed prices.

Although Bangladesh faces some challenges in doing business, he said the country offers significant opportunities and potential for profitable investment.

The FBCCI administrator also invited a business delegation from the Madrid Chamber of Commerce to visit Bangladesh.

In response, the Madrid Chamber president said a high-level business delegation is planning to visit Bangladesh around November.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Spain Md Masudur Rahman attended the seminar organised by the Madrid Chamber of Commerce.

EuroCham Bangladesh President Nuria Lopez, international trade consultant Pablo Araujo, Molins Executive Vice President for Asia and Africa Tarek Elba, and Recover Global Director of Sustainability Ana Rhodes participated in the panel discussion.

Invest Bangladesh member Nahian Rahman Rochi and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice-Chairman and CEO Mohammad Hasan Arif joined the seminar via video conference and highlighted Bangladesh's trade and investment prospects.

A B2B networking session between Bangladeshi and Spanish business representatives was held at the conclusion of the programme.

FBCCI Secretary General Md Alamgir and members of the FBCCI business delegation visiting Spain, along with representatives of the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and EuroCham Bangladesh, also attended the event.

A 26-member FBCCI business delegation, led by Administrator Md Fazlul Haque, left for an 11-day tour of Europe on 23 September with the aim of boosting bilateral trade with European countries, establishing industrial linkages and attracting foreign direct investment (FDI).

Stocks extended their winning streak for a second straight week as bargain hunters stepped in to snap up beaten-down shares, driving up the benchmark index.

But the recovery came under a fresh cloud as the government raised fuel prices by Tk 20 per litre, stoking fears of higher inflation, rising business costs and weaker corporate earnings.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) saw three sessions, out of five, close higher, as investors selectively bought fundamentally strong and momentum-driven stocks. The remaining two sessions ended lower amid growing caution over the impact of higher fuel costs.

The benchmark DSEX gained 46 points, or 0.83 per cent, to settle the week at 5,578. It has gained a total of 63 points over the past two weeks.

Market participants said bargain hunting remained the main driver of the recovery, with investors returning to stocks that had suffered sharp corrections and were considered relatively attractive at current prices.

This week, the fuel-price hike emerged as a major concern. On Sunday night, the government raised the prices of all four major petroleum products by Tk 20 per litre, citing higher global fuel prices and freight costs amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

"The market was already under pressure, while the latest fuel-price hike emerged as a major concern for the equity market because of its potential impact on corporate earnings," said a leading stockbroker.

He said higher fuel costs could slow earnings growth for many listed companies in the coming quarters.

The hike is expected to raise transportation, logistics and production costs for businesses, putting further pressure on operating margins. Investors are also concerned that higher energy costs could fuel inflation and delay any meaningful easing of borrowing costs.

In its weekly market review, EBL Securities said stocks closed higher mainly on broad-based bargain hunting in perceived attractive scrips, although the sustainability of the recovery would depend on the resolution of prevailing economic concerns and a restoration of investor confidence.

The brokerage said concerns over the domestic fuel-price increase and its potential impact on inflation and corporate earnings triggered renewed caution in the market.

Still, selective buying in fundamentally sound and trending stocks helped the indices recoup some of their recent losses before a sell-off in the final session signalled a cautious approach among investors.

The DS30 index, which tracks blue-chip shares, rose 11 points to 2,112, while the Shariah-based DSES index gained nine points to 1,116.

Large-cap stocks provided significant support to the DSEX. Square Pharmaceuticals, LafargeHolcim Bangladesh, Orion Infusion and Mutual Trust Bank together contributed more than 18 points to the weekly rise in the benchmark index.

Trading activity picked up sharply as investors returned to selected beaten-down shares. Total turnover on the DSE rose to Tk 39.30 billion during the week from Tk 27.74 billion in the previous week.

Average daily turnover jumped 42 per cent to Tk 7.85 billion from Tk 5.55 billion, signalling a significant increase in trading participation.

The textile sector dominated turnover, accounting for 20.5 per cent of total trading activity, followed by general insurance with 15.5 per cent and pharmaceuticals with 13.1 per cent.

Market breadth remained firmly positive, with 252 issues advancing against 105 declining, while 29 remained unchanged.

The mutual fund sector led the sectoral advance, gaining around 6 per cent. Non-bank financial institutions, pharmaceuticals, engineering, telecommunications and power also posted gains.

Eastern Bank emerged as the week's most-traded stock, with shares worth Tk 1.10 billion changing hands. Sharp Industries, Square Pharmaceuticals, IPDC Finance and Saiham Textile followed in terms of turnover.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also ended the week higher. Its All Share Price Index (CASPI) rose 176 points to close at 14,912, while the Selective Categories Index (CSCX) gained 125 points to 9,148.

The European Union is facing an energy price crisis as fallout from the Iran war roils oil and gas markets, the bloc’s energy chief said on Friday in a letter seen by Reuters that urged countries to consider measures to curb natural gas demand.

“We are facing a price crisis linking to a supply crisis,” EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said in a letter to EU countries’ energy ministers.

Europe is heavily dependent on imported oil and gas.

Foreign suppliers cover about 80 percent of the bloc’s gas needs, leaving it highly exposed to surging global energy prices caused by the Iran war’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, normally a transit route for 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.

Europe has not yet faced supply shortages, but is grappling with soaring prices, leaving some countries struggling to fill gas storage ahead of winter, when demand for home heating peaks.

EU-wide gas storage is about 70 percent full, 12 percentage points below the same time last year, data from Gas Infrastructure Europe showed.

Jorgensen said that the EU is better prepared now than it was in winter 2021 when Russia squeezed Europe’s gas supplies by reducing deliveries, thanks to increased LNG import capacity, more renewable energy and reduced gas demand.

But he urged governments to step up preparations for the winter.

“I invite you to consider taking or continuing to take measures that can sustain [gas storage] injections or reduce gas and electricity demand for as long as necessary,” Jorgensen said.

Such measures could include limiting temperatures in public buildings, preventing outdoor heating and switching off unnecessary public lighting, Jorgensen said.

A European Commission spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The United Nations' Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) is set to discuss Bangladesh's request to defer its least developed country (LDC) graduation by three years on 7 October, with the final decision to be taken by the General Assembly.

The Second Committee will consider recommendations sent by the UN Committee for Development Policy (UNCDP) through the Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc), based on Bangladesh's request for more time to prepare for a sustainable graduation.

According to information on the UN website, the Second Committee's 81st session will run from 1 October to 25 November. The recommendations on Bangladesh and Nepal's requests for a three-year deferral of their LDC graduations are scheduled for discussion at its 7 October meeting.

Bangladesh is currently scheduled to graduate from the LDC category on 24 November.

Officials from the Ministry of Commerce said the Second Committee will send the recommendation adopted at its meeting to the General Assembly for consideration and voting before Bangladesh's graduation date.

Permanent representatives of UN member states will vote for or against the resolution on behalf of their respective countries. According to officials, the decision will take effect if most member states vote in favour.

How will the decision be made?

Mohammad Hafizur Rahman, former director general of the WTO Cell at the Ministry of Commerce, told TBS that the UN Committee for Development Policy had made its recommendation on Bangladesh's request and sent it through Ecosoc to the General Assembly's Second Committee.

"Now the Second Committee will hold its meeting and send the resolution adopted there to the General Assembly. The final decision will be taken there," he said.

Bangladesh has sought a three-year deferral of its graduation timeline, arguing that it needs additional time to prepare for a sustainable transition.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sent a letter to the United Nations requesting the extension.

In response, the UNCDP sent a report to Ecosoc saying Bangladesh had met all three LDC graduation criteria. However, as Bangladesh had requested a deferral, the graduation could be postponed for some time, according to the recommendation.

Ecosoc subsequently sent the UNCDP recommendation to the General Assembly's Second Committee.

Nepal has also requested a three-year deferral of its LDC graduation. Member states will vote on Nepal's request alongside Bangladesh's.

What happens after 7 October?

The Second Committee's role is to consider the recommendation and forward its decision to the General Assembly. The General Assembly will then consider the resolution and take the final decision through a vote by member states.

With Bangladesh's graduation date set for 24 November, the process is expected to be completed before that deadline.

The Bangladesh Jewellers Association (Bajus) has cut gold prices in the domestic market after two consecutive increases, reducing the price of 22-carat gold by Tk1,691 per bhori to Tk2,32,930, including VAT.

Bajus announced the revised prices in a notice issued this morning (26 September). The new rates came into effect at 10am the same day.

According to the notice, the price of pure gold, locally known as tezabi gold, has declined in the local market. Considering the overall market situation, Bajus revised the prices of gold, including VAT.

Under the new rates, a bhori (11.664 grams) of 22-carat gold will cost Tk2,32,930, while 21-carat gold will cost Tk2,22,491 per bhori. The price of 18-carat gold has been set at Tk1,91,056 per bhori, while traditional-method gold will cost Tk1,56,064 per bhori.

Bajus said the revised prices will remain effective at all jewellery shops until further notice. Labour charges will apply separately depending on the design of the jewellery.

As VAT is included in the selling prices of gold and silver jewellery, jewellers cannot collect VAT separately from customers.

The previous Bajus rules will remain applicable to jewellery exchange and purchase after excluding applicable VAT, labour charges and stone costs.

Bajus last adjusted gold prices on 19 September, raising the price of 22-carat gold by Tk1,691 per bhori to Tk234,621, including VAT.

So far this year, Bajus has adjusted gold prices 117 times.

Of these, prices were raised on 58 occasions, reduced on 58 occasions and adjusted once for VAT.

Silver prices have also been reduced in the domestic market. The price of 22-carat silver has been cut by Tk291 per bhori to Tk4,841, including VAT.

The new price of 21-carat silver is Tk4,607 per bhori, while 18-carat silver will cost Tk3,966 and traditional-method silver Tk3,033 per bhori.

Bajus has adjusted silver prices 71 times so far this year, raising them on 36 occasions and reducing them on the remaining 35 occasions.

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) has proposed 60 tourism development projects across the country at an estimated cost of Tk19,090 crore to build new facilities and upgrade infrastructure at potential destinations.

The projects cover the Chattogram Hill Tracts, Cox's Bazar and Chattogram, Sylhet, coastal islands, Rajshahi and northern districts, the Khulna-Sundarbans region, and Dhaka and its surrounding areas.

The proposals include tourism complexes, hotels, eco-friendly facilities, entertainment centres, cable cars, handicraft and heritage tourism facilities, training centres and other visitor amenities.

A tourism master plan prepared by the Bangladesh Tourism Board identified 1,498 tourism spots nationwide to assess and develop the country's tourism potential systematically.

"Of these, 60 development projects, estimated to cost around Tk19,000 crore, have been prioritised and submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism," BPC Chairman Md Shamimuzzaman said.

The ministry has since sent the proposal to the Planning Ministry for approval, he said.

Shamimuzzaman said the projects would help build infrastructure needed to make Bangladesh's tourism sector more competitive and increase its contribution to the economy.

BPC General Manager (Planning) Md Ziaul Haque Howlader said the projects would not necessarily be financed entirely by the government.

"Some of the projects are planned for government financing, while others will be implemented through public-private partnerships or private investment," he told TBS.

Foreign investors could also be involved in larger projects, while financing arrangements would be determined individually at a later stage, he said.

The proposed investment comes as the government is separately pursuing a PPP-based model for BPC's existing tourism facilities to attract private capital and modernise state-owned properties.

BPC currently operates 53 establishments, including hotels, motels, restaurants, bars, picnic spots and tourist information centres. Officials say most have generated weak financial returns over the years, making major upgrades difficult through government financing alone.

The first major project under the PPP initiative is the proposed redevelopment of Hotel Shaibal in Cox's Bazar into an international-standard integrated tourism complex on nearly 132 acres of government land.

The largest regional allocation is proposed for Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, where nine projects would cost around Tk5,980 crore.

The plans include tourism facilities in the coral island area of Cox's Bazar, Patenga, Cumilla and Sabrang, along with diversified attractions, night-time entertainment and other activities aimed at encouraging longer stays and higher visitor spending.

In the Chattogram Hill Tracts, projects are planned for Kaptai, Bandarban and Rangamati to expand facilities and rehabilitate or redevelop existing attractions, including suspension bridges.

Around Tk3,540 crore has been proposed for tourism development in coastal and island areas, including Taltali in Barguna, Rangabali, Char Bijoy, Amtali, Kuakata, Hatiya, Nijhum Dwip and Manpura.

The projects would add accommodation and other visitor facilities to destinations with tourism potential but limited infrastructure.

BPC has proposed 12 projects in Sylhet at an estimated cost of Tk3,460 crore, including international-standard tourism facilities and tourism complexes.

The broader plan also covers destinations in the Mymensingh region, including Sherpur, Durgapur, Jamalpur and Nalitabari.

Four projects worth around Tk1,720 crore have been proposed for the Khulna-Sundarbans region to expand tourism facilities around the Sundarbans and develop higher-quality accommodation and other infrastructure.

The plans also include five-star hotels and training centres in Bagerhat and Khulna.

Seven projects worth around Tk1,510 crore have been proposed to develop existing and potential tourist destinations and supporting facilities in Rajshahi and the northern districts.

Around Tk2,900 crore has been proposed for tourism infrastructure in Dhaka and surrounding areas.

The plans include multipurpose tourism complexes, cable cars, handicraft centres and heritage-based tourism attractions. A cable car is also proposed at Hatirjheel.

Devise an agreed formula through wider consultations to execute the proposed special exit facility for defaulting borrowers so that viable businesses are not hurt and credit discipline not breached.

Stakeholders and financial experts Saturday made the call at a roundtable as the government is about to launch a crash course to dispose of loads of classified loans the economy is ridden with.

They also stressed the need to distinguish between wilful defaulters and those who defaulted for genuine reasons, strengthen coordination among regulators and financial institutions, ensure reasonable rescheduling where appropriate, and assess loan -recovery cases individually.

The participants further called for stronger enforcement about non-repayment, good governance and fair treatment of borrowers, while bankers emphasised the need for institutional coordination in recovering non-performing loans (NPLs).

They were speaking at a roundtable titled "Special Exit Facility for Classified Loans: Balancing NPL Recovery, Business Sustainability, and Credit Discipline", organised by the International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) at its conference room in Dhaka.

Dr Shah Md Ahsan Habib, professor at the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM), presented the keynote paper, while IBFB President Lutfunnisa Saudia Khan delivered the opening remarks.

In his keynote, Dr Ahsan said Bangladesh's large stock of classified loans became a problem for both banks and businesses, as uncollected credit ties up bank capital, delays new lending and leaves viable businesses short of working capital.

He said the gross NPL ratio had risen from 9.00 per cent at the end of 2023 to 30.60 per cent at the end of 2025, after peaking at 35.73 per cent in September 2025.

According to the March 2026 Banking-Sector Update cited in the paper, the NPL ratio stood at 32.7 per cent against total loans of about Tk17.84 trillion, implying roughly Tk5.83 trillion in classified loans.

At the end of 2025, gross NPLs stood at Tk5.57 trillion, with Bad/Loss loans accounting for roughly 94 per cent. The reported provision shortfall was Tk1.91 trillion.

Dr Ahsan said the special exit facility, introduced in June this year for Bad/Loss loans, should be assessed against realistic recovery prospects rather than being used simply to reduce the reported NPL ratio.

He has noted that the facility allows a negotiated lump-sum settlement with board approval and specified interest-waiver flexibility and will remain available until December 31, 2026.

However, most of the discussions at the event focused on how the facility should be implemented and how loan recovery could be made more effective.

Former BIBM director- general Dr Toufic Ahmad Choudhury said "political commitment from the government is necessary to recover classified loans".

He stressed the importance of distinguishing between wilful and unwilful defaulters and suggested that cases should be examined individually rather than applying a blanket approach.

His comments came amid growing concern over the size of classified loans and the effectiveness of existing recovery mechanisms.

Dr Abu Yusuf, economist and professor at the University of Dhaka's Department of Development Studies, raised the issue of enforcement against borrowers who fail to repay their loans.

He questioned how the authorities and financial institutions could ensure effective recovery "in cases where borrowers did not meet their repayment obligations".

Prof Md Mamun Habib, professor at Independent University, Bangladesh, emphasised the importance of good governance and fair practices in implementing the exit facility for the defaulters.

He stressed that any settlement mechanism should be applied "transparently and consistently so that the facility does not create unfair advantages for particular borrowers".

A representative of Pubali Bank PLC referred to the Money-lending Act 1832, and stressed the need for reasonable rescheduling of loans where borrowers have the capacity to continue their businesses and repay their obligations.

The point reflected a broader concern at the discussion that a one-time settlement may not always be the most suitable option for a viable business facing temporary liquidity constraints.

Dr Ahsan's paper also distinguishes between exit settlement and restructuring, noting that a viable business without sufficient lump-sum cash may require monitored restructuring rather than a one-time settlement.

Md Khairul Anam Mohiuddin, executive vice-president of Southeast Bank PLC, and Syed Abu Naser Bukhtear Ahmed, chairman of Agrani Bank PLC, shared their views on loan recovery and institutional coordination.

They emphasised the need for coordination among Bangladesh Bank, the Ministry of Finance and other relevant stakeholders to address the recovery of classified loans.

The discussion also highlighted the practical difficulties faced when borrowers have exposures with multiple banks and financial institutions.

Ali Reza Iftekhar, adviser of Bank Asia PLC, stressed consulting stakeholders before issuing such a major regulatory circular.

He called for engagement with banks, businesses and other concerned parties so that practical challenges can be identified before implementation.

The participants broadly agreed that wider consultation would help identify implementation difficulties and make major regulatory measures more effective.

IBFB President Lutfunnisa Saudia Khan, in her opening remarks, stressed constructive dialogue among policymakers, banks, businesses and other stakeholders.

The discussion also focused on the need to balance recovery of bad loans with the survival of businesses that remain commercially viable.

Dr Ahsan's paper notes that a lump-sum settlement could free a business from an unserviceable legacy debt but could also consume the cash required for inventory, suppliers, wages and taxes. It recommends that businesses assess their liquidity before committing to a settlement.

Business community's concerns: Business leaders at the event also highlighted the importance of maintaining access to finance for viable enterprises.

Humayun Rashid, managing director and CEO of Energypac Power Generation Ltd, Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Saumitra Kumar Mutsuddi, head of BSRM, Khadem Mahmud Yusuf, managing director and CEO of Bangladesh Petrochemical Company Ltd (BPCL), and Engr Utpal Kumar Das, managing director of Protec Electronics Ltd, participated in the discussion.

Banking-sector representatives included Kazi Mahmood Sattar, chairman of IDLC, Mohammad Jamal Uddin Mazumder, additional managing director of Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC, Mohammad Firoz Alam, chief risk officer of City Bank PLC, and Ali Reza Iftekhar of Bank Asia.

Dr Md Ezazul Islam, director -general of BIBM, also attended the event.