Bangladesh Bank has consolidated existing rules on licensing foreign exchange dealers, money changers and gold traders into a single circular to make regulatory requirements easier to access and follow.

The circular, issued yesterday, brings together existing instructions on issuing and renewing licences for authorised dealers (ADs), money changers, limited money changers, authorised gold dealers (AGDs) and authorised importers of gold ore and dore.

The circular aims to streamline licensing and operational procedures by consolidating previous instructions, with necessary modifications and updates, into a single document.

It covers licensing and renewal procedures, foreign currency transactions, gold imports and exports, anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) compliance, reporting requirements, and the central bank’s inspection and licence cancellation powers.

It also sets out eligibility criteria and application procedures for authorised importers of gold ore and dore.

Under the circular, authorised dealers may process applications for money changer and authorised gold dealer licences on behalf of customers and forward them to the central bank. The issuance of licences, however, remains subject to BB’s decision.

The circular will remain in force for one year. Previous instructions on matters covered by the new circular will stand repealed to the relevant extent, while subsequent instructions, amendments and clarifications issued by Bangladesh Bank will prevail.

For the first time, Bangladesh is preparing to borrow directly from investors around the world, aiming to raise up to $1 billion by December through a sovereign bond. It is a real milestone, but it comes at a price: the bond would likely cost about 8% a year in interest, roughly four times what the country pays the World Bank for its cheapest loans.

For Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, the bond is part of a bigger shift. At World Investor Week in Dhaka on 4 October, he announced that the government had ended its IMF loan programme because it found the conditions unacceptable. Bangladesh, he said, would no longer run its economy on money from the IMF, and would instead raise funds through bond and stock markets at home and abroad. The country needs around $50 billion a year, far more than development lenders can provide.

The argument has real force: development lenders attach politically painful conditions, and their money arrives slowly. The government also says it will be careful not to overpay.

The minister also deserves credit for taking Bangladesh's case directly to Wall Street. In late September he and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman met BlackRock, PIMCO, TPG, Macquarie, GoldenTree, and MetLife at a JP Morgan breakfast in New York, and JP Morgan has since been approved in principle as lead manager. Opening that door is the hard first step; keeping investors' confidence will depend on what follows at home.

"Compared with the World Bank's cheapest loans, the bond would cost roughly $60 million more a year, or about $300 million over five years, for every $1 billion borrowed"

The market may see things differently. Many investors treat an IMF programme as a seal of approval: proof that someone independent is checking the books. Without it, they are likely to ask for higher interest. Ending the programme may also affect some World Bank and ADB budget support tied to IMF reviews. And $1 billion covers only a small part of the $50 billion a year the minister says the country needs.

A bond is simply a loan that can be bought and sold. The government borrows from investors and promises to pay interest every year and repay the full amount on a fixed date.

If Bangladesh sells a five-year bond for $1 billion at 8%, it receives $1 billion today, pays $80 million in interest each year, and repays the whole $1 billion at the end of year five.

Until now, Bangladesh has borrowed abroad mainly from development lenders such as the World Bank, ADB, and Jica, whose cheap, long-term money comes tied to conditions and projects. Bond money comes from private investors, can be used more freely, and is priced by the market.

The interest rate has two parts.

Part one: the starting price of money. Investors measure every loan against US Treasury bonds, issued by the world's safest borrower. Five-year Treasuries now pay about 5%, up sharply from about 4.4% in August, which makes everyone's borrowing more expensive.

Part two: the extra charge for risk. Investors then add a premium for lending to Bangladesh instead of the US, much as a bank charges a new customer with a few warning signs more than one with a long, clean credit history.

Bangladesh looks like that new customer, for three reasons:

It has never issued a sovereign bond. There is no track record for investors to judge.
Its credit rating is low. The major agencies grade Bangladesh B+ or B2, below investment grade, and two warned this year that it could fall further.
It has warning signs at home. Its banks hold large bad loans, and ending the IMF programme removes a seal of approval many investors look for.
Together, these add roughly 3 percentage points. On top of the US rate of about 5%, Bangladesh is likely to pay about 8% a year, give or take half a point, and more likely at the higher end without an IMF programme.

Here is what it costs each year to borrow $1 billion from each source:

Lender

Interest rate

Yearly interest on $1 billion

When the money must be repaid

World Bank, cheapest window (IDA)

2.13%

about $21 million

Over 25 years, starting after 5 years

World Bank, standard window (IBRD)

about 4.5% to 5% (estimate)

about $48 million

Over many years, in instalments

Global bond (5-year bond)

about 8% (estimate)

about $80 million

All at once, at the end of 5 years

Compared with the World Bank's cheapest loans, the bond would cost roughly $60 million more a year, or about $300 million over five years, for every $1 billion borrowed.

The repayment schedule matters as much as the rate. A World Bank loan is paid off slowly over decades, like a home loan; a bond falls due in full on one day. If that day arrives when reserves are low or markets are nervous, refinancing can become very difficult. Bangladesh's foreign debt repayments are already at a record high and are expected to keep rising until about 2029.

Two loans approved on 7 October show these prices. For fuel and gas imports, the government is borrowing $3.1 billion from the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation at about 5.4%, but only for six months at a time. The Asian Development Bank is lending $200 million for rural power lines around Dhaka at about 4.3% over 25 years. Even after leaving the IMF, Bangladesh still depends on such lenders.

Bangladesh could also borrow in Chinese yuan through a Panda bond in China, or in Japanese yen through a Samurai bond. With interest rates much lower in China and Japan, these look far cheaper at first glance.

A committee is already studying a Panda bond, and the central bank governor has backed a small first issue of about $50 million. Pakistan, rated lower than Bangladesh, borrowed about $250 million in yuan for three years at just 2.5% in May 2026, and the issue was five times oversubscribed.

There are two catches.

First, the low rate usually needs a guarantor. Pakistan's bond was backed by the ADB and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. In Japan, investors generally lend to countries like Bangladesh only with a guarantee from a state bank such as JBIC, as with Côte d'Ivoire and Mexico. Without a guarantee, much of the saving disappears.

Second, currency risk. If the yuan or yen rises against the taka and the dollar, the debt becomes more expensive to repay. A currency swap can protect against this, but it costs money and pushes the real cost back up to roughly 5.5% to 6.5% in dollar terms (estimate).

Option

Headline rate

Needs a guarantor?

Real cost after currency protection (estimate)

US dollar bond

about 8%

No

about 8%

Panda bond (yuan)

about 2.5% to 3%

Usually, yes

about 5.5% to 6.5%

Samurai bond (yen)

about 2.7% to 3.3%

Yes, in practice

about 5.5% to 6.5%

So, Panda and Samurai bonds can genuinely lower costs, mainly because of the guarantee rather than the currency.

If the World Bank is so much cheaper, why issue a bond? Because it buys things the World Bank cannot provide.

A price tag for Bangladesh. A traded government bond sets a reference price, helping Bangladeshi banks and companies borrow abroad.
New lenders. Global pension funds, insurers and investment firms could lend to Bangladesh for the first time.
Preparing for life after cheap loans. Bangladesh is due to leave the UN's list of Least Developed Countries in November 2026, though it has asked for a delay until 2029 and a decision is pending. Either way, cheap development loans will shrink over time, and it is better to learn market borrowing while things are calm than in a crisis.
Discipline. A bond's price moves every day. If reforms stall, borrowing costs rise in public view.
What the bond should not be is a replacement for World Bank and ADB money. A low-rated country cannot swap about $4 billion a year of cheap, long-term loans for expensive, short-term market debt. Sri Lanka leaned heavily on market borrowing and defaulted in 2022.

The bond is worth doing if it is done carefully. Five rules would help keep the cost down:

Replace the IMF's seal of approval with its own. Investors will want other proof of good management: a published debt and reform plan, regular and honest economic data, and clear progress on the banks.
Start small. $500 million to $750 million is enough to set a price without taking on too much expensive debt.
Use the money wisely. Pay off more expensive debts or strengthen reserves, rather than fund day-to-day spending.
Seek guarantees for Panda and Samurai bonds. Small, guaranteed yuan and yen bonds can lower the average cost of borrowing.
Keep fixing the basics. The cheapest way to borrow is to become a safer borrower: collect more tax, clean up the banks and restore growth.
Done this way, Bangladesh's first global bond can open a door. Done in a hurry, it becomes an expensive way to borrow money the country could have had for less.

International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva said today (17 October) this year's Annual Meetings with global policymakers were marked by "optimism and worry" about the global economic outlook as the event wound down in Bangkok.

Georgieva also said her organisation had a "responsibility" to help low-income countries struggling with price shocks stemming from the US-Israel war on Iran.

Meetings in the Thai capital this week brought together finance ministers, central bank chiefs and other top officials from around the world, with surging inflation, spiking bond yields and economic growth driven by artificial intelligence at the top of the agenda.

"(The meetings) were marked by both optimism and worry," said Georgieva, who was speaking at a press briefing alongside Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan.

"Optimism from the resilience of the global economy, the promise of AI, the dynamism of Asia. But AI is also recognised to be a source of worry, and so are inflation, high levels of debt, wars, and climate risks."

All week, the IMF has warned that high levels of debt and rising bond yields in advanced economies are tightening financial conditions just as central banks need to focus on bringing inflation down, likely by increasing interest rates.

Global energy prices have spiked since late February, when the United States and Israel launched the war on Iran, with Tehran's retaliatory actions targeting Washington's Gulf allies and curtailing oil and gas supplies.

The price increases have rippled across the globe, fuelling inflation in economies across a range of income groups.

The most vulnerable to the shock, the IMF has said, are low-income oil-importing countries that are not exposed to the boom in AI investment that has propped up growth in many advanced economies.

"I can tell you that people everywhere, but especially in poorer countries, they don't like inflation. Inflation is like a tax on the poor," said Georgieva.

She said such countries needed to set spending targets such that they prioritised growth and protecting the most vulnerable people, adding that the Fund had a "relentless pursuit of more resources for low-income countries".

Higher global interest rates and bond yields, however, were driving up debt repayments for low-income countries, she said.

The share of debt repayments as a percentage of government revenue had gone up from eight to 14% for low-income countries in recent years, the IMF chief said.

She said her organisation had a responsibility to help countries to restructure debt if needed; to assist with domestic resource mobilisation; to bring in international finance; and to create conditions for private investment.

"When we do our best, it translates into better lives for people."

On the AI investment boom, Georgieva said that member countries had recognised its value in propping up growth, but "when we are dependent on one particular driver of growth, it is like we stand on one leg".

A key debate at this year's meetings has been on whether the technology's most advanced frontier models require regulation and guardrails.

The question has grown more urgent after recent revelations of security incidents involving autonomous AI agents.

Georgieva said she was "impressed" by the spirit of cooperation between AI companies, governments and other stakeholders that she witnessed in Bangkok on the issue.

The asset value of state-owned Renwick Jajneswar & Company (BD) Ltd has surged by around 4,100% to Tk1,258 crore following a revaluation by independent chartered accounting firm Shafiq Basak & Co.

According to a disclosure posted on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) today (15 October), the carrying value of the company's assets increased from Tk29.96 crore to Tk1,258 crore, adding Tk1,228 crore to their value.

The company said the revaluation surplus would be reflected in its financial statements, subject to the auditor's review and applicable regulatory requirements.

However, the increase in the value of land, buildings and other assets will not generate any immediate cash inflow. As a result, the revaluation surplus may not directly affect the company's share price.

Following the declaration of asset revaluation information, Renwick Jajneswar's shares price declined by 5.22% to Tk842.70 each at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE).

Before that, its shares price since 8 October until 14 October surged by 25.56% to Tk889.10 each.

At the mid of July, its shares trading was halted due to abnormal price hike and increase in volume of shares.

The 2025-26 fiscal year ended, the company yet to publish the annual financials.

Its latest first nine months financial showed that it had incurred a loss per share of Tk7.14 till March 2026.

The loss per share at the same time of the previous fiscal year was Tk15.61, meaning its loss significantly declined.

Regarding the improvement in profitability, it said EPS increased significantly compared to last year in the same period driven by mainly decreasing cost of goods sold and operating expense.

Shahjalal Islami Bank PLC posted a 21% year-on-year growth in consolidated earnings per share (EPS) to Tk1.23 in the July-September quarter of 2026, up from Tk1.02 in the same period last year.

According to a disclosure filed with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) today (15 October), the Shariah-compliant bank attributed the growth to higher net investment income and increased revenue from commission, exchange and brokerage services.

For the January-September period of 2026, the bank's consolidated EPS rose to Tk4.00 from Tk3.50 in the corresponding period of 2025.

The bank said improved yields on net investments, stronger income from capital market investments and higher fee-based revenue contributed to the growth in earnings during the nine-month period.

Operating cash flow saw a substantial surge, with Consolidated Net Operating Cash Flow per Share (NOCFPS) climbing to Tk36.61 for the January-September period, up from Tk22.97 in 2025.

The bank credited this increase primarily to higher cash collections from investment income and a steady inflow of customer deposits.

Meanwhile, Consolidated Net Asset Value (NAV) per share strengthened to Tk25.45 as of 30 September 2026, rising from Tk23.07 recorded on 31 December 2025.

Despite the positive financial results, Shahjalal Islami Bank's share price edged down 0.57% to close at Tk17.30 on the DSE today.

Indonesia's stock market is no longer worthy of "emerging market" status, MSCI said on Friday, laying ​out a plan to remove it from a suite of indexes tracked by funds, a shock move that sparked the steepest one-day drop in Jakarta shares since 1998.

Coming a month ahead ‌of a scheduled review, MSCI's change of tack stunned investors and irked Jakarta officials, with the Indonesian regulator unveiling sanctions against those linked to alleged trading manipulation in shares of three firms.

The benchmark stock index, already the world's worst performer this year, closed down 11.57%, in its biggest single-day drop since January 1998.

The rupiah currency slid as much as 0.8% to 18,070 a dollar, its weakest since late July, but recovered some ground.

Equities in Southeast Asia's biggest economy have struggled since a January freeze in the MSCI indexes, with a threatened downgrade ​to "frontier" status because of opacity in ownership and trading behaviour.
The market has lost more than $350 billion in capitalisation since, with about $60 billion wiped out on Friday alone.

MSCI cited, opens new tab insufficient reforms to tackle the problems and ​said even a downgrade to "frontier" status would not reflect the severity of the issues, but proposed instead to move further beyond that, to "standalone" status.

"Significant concerns remain around market ⁠dysfunction," MSCI said in a statement on Friday. "Accordingly, MSCI considers Indonesia's continued classification as an emerging market no longer appropriate."

The lower "standalone" status it proposed would exclude Indonesian stocks from global indexes tracked by billions of dollars in passive ​investment, forcing funds that follow, or are ranked against, the indexes, to sell.
UBS estimated such a move could trigger about $4 billion of passive outflows from Indonesia, with active investors potentially adding a further $15 billion in outflow.

Foreign investors have already ​net sold $4.7 billion worth of Indonesian stocks in 2026.

Indonesia's senior economic minister, Airlangga Hartarto, said there was "a big question mark" over why MSCI did not discuss the downgrade to "standalone" status during a meeting this week in the Thai capital of Bangkok.

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He made the comment ahead of a meeting of top officials, including the finance minister, the governor of the central bank and other related officials to discuss MSCI's announcement.

The Indonesia Stock Exchange said it had taken concrete steps to enhance transparency and integrity in the capital market, ​and CEO Jeffrey Hendrik said he would request further clarification on the basis of the announcement.

The move did not reflect the health of the vast majority of listed companies or indeed the Indonesian economy, said Angus Mackintosh, an ​ASEAN specialist at Aletheia Capital in Singapore, adding that "grouping Indonesia with Lebanon, Palestine, and Argentina does not make sense".

He added, "This is a wake-up call for Indonesia."

Indonesia would be the largest economy in the group if it was downgraded to "standalone" status.

MSCI SCRUTINY ‌RAISES MORE QUESTIONS

MSCI's ⁠announcement piles pressure on the government of President Prabowo Subianto.
It is the latest of a series of setbacks for Indonesia this year, with Moody's and Fitch cutting their sovereign rating outlooks to negative, citing reduced policymaking credibility.

"The proposal highlights MSCI's dissatisfaction with the pace of reforms and raises further questions about the investability of the market," said Tan Altundag, investment manager for emerging equities at Pictet Asset Management.

"The investment implications could be significant," said Altundag, who has no holdings in Indonesia.
The office of Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara, who chairs the financial stability board, did not reply to a request for comment.

In a sign of investor anxiety over the index provider's move, there was a rush for the exits when ​the market opened, triggering a 30-minute trading halt on ​the Jakarta exchange.

"It's the first time this has ⁠ever happened in my 20 years in the stock market," said Liza Camelia Suryanata, head of research at stockbroker Kiwoom Sekuritas Indonesia, referring to the chaotic opening minutes.

MSCI's move seemed heavy-handed, given Indonesia's efforts to tackle issues around market transparency and increase the free-float requirement for listed firms, Mackintosh added.

"The only way for Indonesia to remedy this situation would ​be to impose severe sanctions and fines on those involved in concerted share manipulation," he said.

After the MSCI move, Indonesia's Financial Services Authority (OJK) disclosed fines of millions ​of dollars for market participants ⁠involved in trading violations concerning three listed firms - Dian Swastatika Sentosa, Barito Renewables Energy and Petrindo Jaya Kreasi.

Investors allegedly conducted "planned and structured" price manipulation of Dian Swastatika's shares, said Hasan Fawzi, an official of the regulator.

Shares offered in the IPOs of Barito Renewables and Petrindo were allegedly intended from the outset for parties linked to the controlling shareholder, leading to concentrated ownership.

The companies did not immediately respond to Reuters emails seeking comment.

DOWNGRADE PLANNED FOR MID-2027

MSCI said it would run a consultation with ⁠market participants for ​a downgrade to "standalone" status until April 2027 and then proceed with reclassification unless it finds clear evidence of improvement in market governance ​and function.

Standalone markets are not included in MSCI's emerging or frontier index products, which are tracked by passive funds and treated as performance benchmarks for other fund managers.

MSCI says reclassification to standalone status may occur in the case of severe deterioration in market accessibility or size and ​liquidity, with Argentina the most recent example.

Bangladesh is seeking a $4.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in quarterly instalments from December this year through December 2029, with an agreement expected by year-end, a Bangladesh delegation official said.

The loan amount and conditions are expected to be finalised during staff-level negotiations after an IMF mission visits Bangladesh later this month, the official told The Business Standard on condition of anonymity.

Senior officials of the Bangladesh delegation accompanying Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury expressed optimism about the timeline following what they described as "fruitful discussions" with IMF Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday, on the sidelines of the 2026 IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings.

Prime Minister's Economic Affairs Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir did not directly confirm the proposed loan amount or number of instalments, saying these would be determined during staff-level negotiations and at an IMF board meeting.

He said Bangladesh must implement its reform initiatives by 2029, ahead of the 2030 national election, when the government would have to seek a public mandate.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru also said the new IMF programme would come with conditions that Bangladesh would have to fulfil, although some issues could be resolved through discussions and mutual agreement.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Clarke in Bangkok yesterday, he said discussions on the proposed programme were progressing positively. Further talks would determine the conditions and how they would be met, he added.

Revenue mobilisation, banking reforms in focus

The IMF is prioritising increased revenue mobilisation and financial sector reforms in discussions on the proposed loan, which could range from $4.5 billion to $5 billion, according to Sonali Jain-Chandra, deputy director of the IMF's Asia and Pacific Department.

At a press conference on the Asia-Pacific region yesterday, Jain-Chandra said Bangladesh's revenue-to-GDP ratio had fallen to 7%, placing it among the lowest in the world.

She said higher revenue collection was necessary to restore financial sector stability and finance development activities. The IMF also stressed the need for strategic measures to address major problems in the banking sector, maintain a contractionary monetary policy until high inflation comes under control, and implement reforms on schedule.

Khosru said the IMF had raised concerns about the banking sector, the tax-to-GDP ratio, bank recapitalisation and macroeconomic stability. Bangladesh agreed with the IMF's observations on these issues, and many had already been addressed, he added.

He also said the IMF is satisfied with Bangladesh's recent economic progress following the budget, despite global challenges, including the war in the Middle East.

NPL ratio rises to around 33%

Bangladesh presented plans for banking sector reforms during the discussions, including measures to restore depositor confidence and reduce non-performing loans (NPLs), a Bangladesh Bank delegation official said.

Depositors of troubled Sammilito Islami Bank are already receiving repayments, while National Bank began returning deposits yesterday as the government seeks to rebuild confidence in distressed banks through regular repayments.

The delegation is also preparing a strategy to reduce bad loans across the banking sector.

Under an IMF loan agreement signed in 2023 during the Awami League government, Bangladesh committed to reducing the NPL ratio to 10% by 2026. Instead, the ratio has climbed to around 33%.

The target for NPL reduction under the proposed new programme has yet to be determined, the official said.

The 2026 IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings began in Bangkok on 12 October and will continue until 18 October, bringing together finance ministers, central bank governors, policymakers and representatives of development partner organisations.

Electric vehicle (EV) demand is rising in Bangladesh, but limited charging infrastructure, high investment costs and gaps in after-sales services and battery recycling are holding back wider adoption.

EV sales started gaining momentum in 2025, although vehicle registration started in September 2022, according to officials at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

BYD Bangladesh, a major player in the country's new-energy vehicle (NEV) market, has delivered more than 1,400 vehicles, including electric and plug-in hybrid models, and operates seven flagship showrooms.

The company sold around 500 NEVs in 2025, averaging about 42 units a month, while average monthly sales rose to around 160 in 2026, nearly four times the previous year's rate, according to Amid Sakif Khan, managing director of BYD Bangladesh.

Sakif said demand has expanded beyond early adopters to families, businesses and corporate customers, driven by lower operating costs and environmental awareness.

Mohammad Saiful Islam Tushar, marketing lead at DHS Autos, the exclusive distributor of Changan Automobile's Deepal electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, said customer enquiries have shifted from basic questions about charging, battery performance and driving outside Dhaka to concerns about running costs, warranties, after-sales service and resale value.

Deepal does not disclose sales figures, but Tushar said enquiries, test drives and customer acceptance are increasing. "Consumer confidence remains the biggest barrier, alongside vehicle prices, financing, taxation, charging access, battery life and resale prospects."

Apartment dwellers can face restrictions on installing chargers and difficulties securing electrical connections, while motorists travelling on highways need reliable charging facilities along their routes, he said.

Investment remains risky

Bangladesh's charging network is expanding, but the relatively small EV fleet is making it difficult for operators to generate enough business to justify the high upfront investment.

Sakif said around 30 public charging stations equipped to charge BYD vehicles have been established across the country.

CrackPlatoon Charging Solutions operates 32 public charging units, 241 private units and 335 residential installations, mainly in Dhaka and Chattogram, with additional coverage in Cumilla, Narayanganj and Gazipur.

The company recorded 1,972 charging sessions, consuming 33.73 megawatt-hours of electricity, in 2026, compared with 461 sessions and 11.88 megawatt-hours in 2025. Average daily sessions increased to three for direct-current (DC) chargers and 0.57 for alternating-current (AC) chargers, from 0.8 and 0.23, respectively.

Despite the increase, utilisation remains low. A 120kW DC charger in Cumilla recorded a usage ratio of 1.203% in 2026, up from 0.300% in 2025.

Engr Abu Mosaeb Khan, head of operations at CrackPlatoon, said a typical 120kW public charging station costs around Tk70 lakh, with commercial payback generally taking five to seven years or longer.

The payback period could fall below two years if utilisation reached 30%-50%, he said.

Around 70% of a station's investment may go towards substations, grid connections, cabling and other electrical infrastructure, he added. Demand charges and regulatory clearances further increase costs, making operators cautious about expanding before demand grows sufficiently.

Ekhon Charge's Tejgaon station served three to four vehicles a day in 2026, compared with four to five a week in 2025, according to Safi Ar Rahman, the company's EV activation executive.

Most users are plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the BYD Sealion 6, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro and Omoda C9, as well as BMW and Mercedes models.

Ekhon Charge operates four charging points in Tejgaon, Cumilla, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar. Safi said the government's 0% tax policy on imported EV chargers should help reduce equipment costs.

The company plans to extend its network to Panchagarh, Khulna and Sylhet and aims to achieve nationwide coverage within 1.5 to two years using chargers rated at 120kW to 180kW.

After-sales services struggle to keep pace

The expansion of charging infrastructure is only one part of the challenge, as EV owners also need technicians trained to handle high-voltage systems, battery management and software-driven components.

Sakif said BYD had five service centres and two spare-parts dealer partners. The company plans to add more service points and roadside technicians while expanding training in high-voltage systems, diagnostics and batteries, alongside nationwide spare-parts distribution.

Deepal is also building its technical capacity. Tushar said technicians need expertise in high-voltage systems, battery management, charging, electronics, software diagnostics and safety. The company is continuing training and developing its spare-parts and diagnostic capabilities.

Abu Sufiyan Arnab, a BYD Atto 3 owner, said spare parts are readily available through the official distributor and he had not experienced major mechanical problems.

However, he is concerned about access to servicing in district towns, while EV spare parts are more expensive than those for conventional vehicles.

Battery recycling remains a major gap

Battery durability and disposal are expected to become increasingly important as the country's EV fleet ages.

Sakif said BYD provides an eight-year battery warranty and estimates battery life at 12-14 years. Its battery management system monitors performance, while authorised service centres can assess battery health.

Deepal also offers an eight-year battery warranty. Tushar said its modular battery design allows individual sections to be diagnosed and, where appropriate, repaired or replaced without replacing the entire battery pack.

However, Bangladesh has no comprehensive system for collecting, reusing and recycling end-of-life EV batteries.

Sakif said developing such a system will require cooperation among manufacturers, distributors, recyclers and government agencies. No specific investment or timeline has been announced.

Arnab said the potential cost of battery replacement after eight to 10 years, alongside the shortage of public charging facilities, remained among his biggest concerns.

Automakers eye localisation and long-term growth

Despite the infrastructure gaps, companies are preparing for a larger market.

Sakif said BYD is discussing plans for an assembly and manufacturing plant in Bangladesh, although no timeline has been announced. The company aims to become the market leader within three to five years, offering vehicles across affordable and luxury segments and expanding its after-sales network nationwide.

Deepal is also interested in localising production, but Tushar said investment would depend on market size, government policy, taxation, infrastructure, foreign exchange conditions and the availability of a reliable local supplier base.

Both companies say wider adoption will require more than vehicle sales. Tushar identified home and highway charging, trained technicians, after-sales services, financing, insurance, consumer education and long-term policy support as key requirements.

Sakif called for policies covering public charging, electricity supply to charging stations, battery recycling, smart-city development and greater use of electrified vehicles in commercial and public transport.

Lower running costs offer a strong incentive

For existing owners, lower running costs provide a major incentive to switch to electric vehicles.

Arnab, who drives around 50km a day, said he spends about Tk1,400 on electricity to run his EV for seven days, compared with around Tk900 a day when he used a fuel-powered vehicle.

However, public charging facilities remain extremely limited outside Dhaka, creating anxiety about long-distance journeys.

With demand for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles rising, Bangladesh remains in the early stages of building the infrastructure and support services needed for mass adoption. Charging utilisation remains low, while much of the ecosystem is concentrated in major cities.

As Tushar noted, wider EV adoption depends not simply on bringing more vehicles into the country, but on developing the entire ownership ecosystem alongside them.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has delivered a sobering economic forecast for Bangladesh, showing neither leniency nor ungrounded optimism.

While the government continues to project robust economic expansion, expecting growth to accelerate to 8.5% by FY31 and turn Bangladesh into a $1 trillion economy by 2034 (doubling its current size), the IMF's latest outlook presents a stark contrast. The IMF projects that Bangladesh's growth will slow to merely 3% by FY31. Worse still, growth over the preceding three years is expected to remain below 3%, less than half the government's target, leaving Bangladesh with the lowest growth rate in South Asia through FY31.

The root cause: A crisis of governance

What is driving this severe deceleration? The answer lies in two words: governance crisis.

While this diagnosis is far from new, the depth of the crisis is clearly mapped out in the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI). Good governance is not an accidental byproduct of development; it is the essential foundation of any economy. It functions as the invisible infrastructure that converts potential into sustainable prosperity.

Why is governance so important for an economy to grow?

As the World Bank highlights in its WGI report, governance, defined as the traditions and institutions by which authority in a country is exercised, plays a central role in shaping development outcomes. A substantial body of research demonstrates that inclusive, accountable institutions drive higher growth, foster stronger public services, and expand opportunity. When governance fails, these development gains inevitably collapse.

Bangladesh's current economic stagnation testifies to a system struggling to perform its most fundamental duties. The IMF's grim projection is a direct reflection of this governance breakdown.

Measuring the institutional decay

Let's have a quick look at how Bangladesh has performed in the World Bank's governance indicators which provide annual composite indicators summarising six dimensions of governance: voice and accountability, political stability, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption.

Take it one by one. Among the six indicators, Bangladesh slightly improved in political stability and government effectiveness. But the overall score is not inspiring. In political stability, Bangladesh scored 49.11 out of 100 in 2025 from 42.03 in 2015. Government effectiveness too slightly improved to 43.24 in 2025 from 41.19 in the last one decade. Its score slightly declined in the other four indicators. The overall scores in voice and accountability, political stability and regularity quality remained in between 39 to 49 out of 100. Among South Asian countries, Bangladesh is ahead of only Afghanistan and Pakistan in most of the indicators. The countries having an effective governance system score above 90. [See the infographic]

The cumulative effect of the poor score in the above five indicators has made controlling corruption a herculean task with Bangladesh always scoring lowest. In 2015, it scored only 26.33 out of 100, which increased to 28.20 after a decade. Bangladesh's failure to curb corruption is also reflected every year on the Corruption Perception Index published by Transparency International, in which Bangladesh is also bracketed among the world's most corrupt countries underscoring how systemic graft drains public resources, erodes institutional capacity, and weakens the state's economic foundation.

At the heart of unbridled corruption is a compromised judicial framework. The World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index which evaluates police, courts, and correction systems, ranks Bangladesh near the bottom. Over the past decade, Bangladesh's score has hovered between 0.30 and 0.34 (out of 1.00), lagging well behind the global average (0.47–0.50) and the regional South Asian average (0.36–0.39). With courts overwhelmed by millions of pending cases, maintaining law and order remains improbable, leaving corruption to flourish unabated.

The above scores portray a fragile state of Bangladesh's governance. Vulnerability and maladministration in the banking sector, fiscal deficits, revenue shortfalls, debt traps, poor tax-GDP ratio, persistent high inflation, market syndicate and extortion, stagnant foreign direct investment, private sector constraints, regulatory red tape are among the fallouts of the governance crisis. Ultimately it is ordinary citizens and local businesses who bear the financial brunt of these failures.

Extractive institutions and the reform paradox

Reaching the ambitious target of a $1 trillion economy by 2034 requires sweeping, fundamental structural shifts. Yet, successive reform attempts have routinely lost momentum. Current policy adjustments lack the depth needed to rebuild decaying institutions.

Institutional economists advocate for actively building and reforming institutions. The necessity of institutions for economic growth is loud and clear. They believe that markets cannot function efficiently in a vacuum. Institutions set the "rules of the game" that dictate whether an economy will flourish or stagnate. Four prominent economists-- Douglass North, Daron Acemoglu, James Robinson and Simon Johnson who won Nobel for their groundbreaking institutional analysis argue that institutions are the fundamental cause of long-term economic growth, far outweighing factors like geography or culture.

The World Bank's governance report speaks for inclusive institutions for growth. Unfortunately, in Bangladesh, political and economic institutions turned into extractive institutions, concentrating political and economic power within a small, unconstrained group of elites. That elite group exploits the system to extract wealth from the general population for their own benefit.

Reversing this trajectory requires unyielding, uncompromising reform to transition toward inclusive institutions.

Band-aids on a deep wound

In practice, meaningful reform remains elusive. Dr Zahid Hussain, former Lead Economist at the World Bank's Dhaka office, notes that while some efforts have been made, progress remains severely constrained.

"In banking, some work has gone into standing up the consolidated bank, and that is the one big step toward resolving distressed institutions. But most of the central bank's circulars — on rescheduling, on emergency liquidity — are not reforms; they are band-aids that cover the bleeding," he observes.

He says governance helps explain why Bangladesh is performing worse than comparable countries despite the various crises unfolding around the world. After all, those countries are operating in the same global environment. They are facing many of the same external shocks, yet their economic performance is better than ours.

Emphasising political reforms the economist says the economy's structure stands on the political structure; if the political equilibrium does not change, shifting the economic one is very hard—both in how fast the economy grows and in who enjoys the gains.

"And look at where the politics has gone. Search the term "political settlement" on Google Trends and you will see it spike after August 2024 and then fade to almost nothing. All that intense talk of a new political settlement has gone quiet—not because we achieved one, but because we did not, and perhaps we have given up hope for it."

In the FY27 budget speech last June, the finance minister outlined ten core priorities—placing the issue of building transparent, efficient, and accountable institutions and administration dead last at number ten.

Metaphorically speaking, Bangladesh governance system needs organ transplant to remove structural malaise acting as deadliest pathogen crippling institutions. But what if reform measures are acting as band-aids as noted by economist Zahid Hussain? Will it cure the failing system which is urgently needed overhaul?

When a nation fails to disrupt the vicious cycle of extractive institutions, the inevitable outcome is clearly foretold in Acemoglu and Robinson's seminal work: Why Nations Fail.

The first phase of an India-US trade deal is in the final stages of drafting, India’s trade minister said on Thursday, but reiterated that New Delhi would proceed only if it secures an advantage over competing exporters.

New Delhi ‌and Washington agreed to a framework for the deal in February which brought down to 18 percent from 50 percent the punitive tariff on most Indian goods imposed in August last year after a previous round of talks ​collapsed.

Since then, negotiations have run into hurdles, with officials on both sides signalling that efforts to reach a final agreement have slowed.

Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal said the “first tranche” of the deal would be finalised soon.

“It’s going through the final contours, the legal ​drafting, and we hope to be able to finalise that soon and operationalise that once we ​get comparable advantage or competitive advantage over our peer countries,” a statement from his office quoted him as saying at an event in New Delhi.

Goyal was referring to New Delhi’s efforts to secure a tariff advantage for Indian exporters over competing economies such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia in the US market.

India wants to ensure its exporters face tariffs no higher than those imposed on competing economies do.

Trade Secretary Rajesh Agrawal ‌echoed Goyal’s ⁠comments.

“We anticipate concluding and signing the trade deal at the earliest possible time,” Agrawal said, adding that India was seeking preferential market access and greater tariff stability under the proposed agreement.

India’s goods exports to the United States rose to $42.79 billion in April-August from $40.39 billion a year earlier. In the fiscal year 2025/26, India recorded a ⁠trade surplus of nearly $34 billion with the United States.

Neither side has publicly detailed the reasons for the delay, but one recent complication has been a new US law that could pave the way for tariffs of up to ⁠100 percent on Indian goods because of New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil.

The trade talks have unfolded against a backdrop of increasingly strained ties between India and the United States, complicating efforts to steady ⁠their trade partnership.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit India and Uzbekistan, from October 17 to 22, and will meet government and business leaders to discuss energy cooperation, commercial investment and broader economic ties.

The International Monetary Fund expects energy-rich Middle Eastern economies to bounce back, but not in the medium term, the organisation’s regional chief said on Thursday, as fighting continued between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis.

The statement comes as the IMF projects a widespread contraction in Gulf economies following months of war that began in Iran and has now spread to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, with maritime energy traffic still impacted.

“We will not go back to the pre-war trajectory in the medium term because this shock will have a scarring impact on various sectors and also will disrupt a certain number of infrastructure, and will require additional spending in order to increase resilience,” IMF regional director Jihad Azour told reporters.

The warning comes as officials and experts huddled in Bangkok this week to discuss headwinds facing the global economy, including stubbornly high energy costs and questions over the sustainability of the artificial intelligence boom.

The IMF on Tuesday released projections showing that the Middle East and Central Asia region -- directly exposed to the Iran war -- is expected to contract 0.3 percent in 2026. Saudi Arabia is among the worst affected, with its economy projected to shrink 3.3 percent.

The projection points to a rare recession for the Gulf kingdom, which has long been buffered by robust energy exports. On Wednesday, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva warned that ongoing attacks targeting Saudi Arabia could affect people “everywhere”.

A violent battle between a Saudi-led coalition and Yemen’s Houthis has sharply escalated in recent days, with fatal missile strikes hitting airports and energy facilities, as well as the headquarters of the kingdom’s state oil giant Aramco.

Uttara Bank PLC reported a slight gain in net profit for the July-September quarter of 2026, supported by steady performance across its core operations.

According to a price-sensitive disclosure filed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) today (15 October), the private commercial bank posted a consolidated net profit after tax of Tk159.88 crore for the third quarter ended 30 September 2026. This represents a slight increase from Tk158.46 crore recorded during the same period of the previous year.

Consequently, the bank's consolidated earnings per share (EPS) inched up to Tk1.32 for the July-September quarter, compared to Tk1.31 in the corresponding period of 2025.

On a standalone basis, Uttara Bank's net profit after tax rose to Tk161.32 crore in Q3 FY26, up from Tk157.99 crore in Q3 FY25, pushing solo EPS to Tk1.33.

For the cumulative nine-month period (January-September 2026), the lender logged a consolidated net profit of Tk430.59 crore, up 28% from Tk335.26 crore in the corresponding period of 2025. Consolidated nine-month EPS increased to Tk3.55 from Tk2.76.

Operating cash flow witnessed a massive surge, with consolidated net operating cash flow per share (NOCFPS) climbing to Tk17.02 for January-September 2026, compared to Tk0.44 in the same period last year.

Consolidated net asset value (NAV) per share strengthened to Tk28.99 as of 30 September 2026, up from Tk23.73 a year earlier.

Following the disclosure, its shares price remained unchanged at Tk20.90 on the DSE.

State-owned submarine cable operator Bangladesh Submarine Cables reported a 37.47% year-on-year increase in net profit for the 2025–26 fiscal year, reaching Tk283 crore, and recommended a 47.50% cash dividend for its shareholders.

The annual audited financial statements were approved on Thursday at a meeting of the company's Board of Directors.

According to its Price Sensitive Information disclosure, total revenue grew by 25% to Tk496 crore, up from Tk396 crore in the previous fiscal year.

The company attributed its top-line growth to increased demand across core business segments – including International Private Leased Circuit (IPLC) rent, IP transit services, and co-location services – supported by management initiatives and favourable government policies.

Its diluted earnings per share (EPS) stood at Tk13.61, up from Tk9.93 in the prior fiscal year, driven primarily by operational business growth alongside higher interest and other income, with no significant extraordinary transactions recorded during the period.

The record date for determining shareholder eligibility for the dividend has been set for 17 November, and the company will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) virtually on 20 December 2026.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has said Bangladesh and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will hold further discussions for two weeks from next week to work out the details of the country's loan proposal, with the aim of finalising the outstanding issues.

"In principle, everything is fine. Now, the two teams will sit together to discuss how to close the deal," he said after a meeting with the IMF in Bangkok today (16 October).

The meeting focused on the final review of a proposal submitted by Bangladesh to the IMF, the minister said.

All multilateral organisations are working closely with Bangladesh, he said, adding that all multilateral and bilateral partners, including the World Bank, IMF, Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency, are keen to support the country.

The coming year is very important for Bangladesh and development partners share that view, Khosru stated.

Dhaka has proposed signing a Country Partnership Framework with the World Bank, he added.

The government has drawn up a development framework for the next five years, said the minister.

The comments come during the 2026 annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group, which are taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 12 to 18 October.

Garment exporters have sought Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s intervention to resolve a dispute over the clearance of imported coarse cotton yarn, saying that delays could disrupt production and hurt export orders from international retailers and brands.

In a letter to the prime minister yesterday, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) urged the government to resolve the issue and withdraw an order by the revenue board.

In that order in the first week of September, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) suspended the bond facility for imports of 10 to 30-count cotton yarn. This range usually covers coarse yarn mostly used in making knitwear items.

BGMEA and BKMEA said their members are facing difficulties clearing the imported yarn from Chattogram port despite the commerce ministry’s subsequent move to withdraw the requirement for bank guarantees for imports of 10 to 30-count yarn.

“Yes,” BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said in a WhatsApp message yesterday when asked whether the associations have sent the letter to the prime minister.

The Daily Star has seen a copy of the letter where BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem signed it on behalf of the knitwear trade body.

In the letter, apparel manufacturers said that garment exports could be significantly affected if the 10 to 30 count-yarn consignments remain stuck at the port and the previous facility for duty-free imports under the bonded warehouse system is not restored promptly.

They also said that international retailers and brands could lose confidence in Bangladesh if exporters fail to deliver garments on time because they could not obtain the raw materials needed for production.

The dispute centres on the conditions for clearing yarn imported under letters of credit (LCs) opened before September 7, when the NBR issued its order withdrawing the bond facility for 10 to 30-count cotton yarn.

Following the order, customs officials began requiring bank guarantees for the release of such consignments, including yarn imported under LCs opened before the new rules took effect.

The commerce ministry issued a circular on September 13 withdrawing the bank guarantee requirement. However, exporters said customs officials continue to hold up consignments, citing the need for further instructions from the authorities.

The exporters said they want yarn imported under earlier LCs to be released without imposing the new conditions, saying that they made their import commitments under the previous rules.

Beacon Pharmaceuticals PLC has announced a massive investment plan of Tk250 crore to set up its second oncology production facility.

The decision was approved during the company's board meeting yesterday (15 October).

The move aims to expand its manufacturing footprint, boost future revenues and strengthen research capabilities to meet international regulatory standards, according to the company's price-sensitive statement.

According to a price-sensitive disclosure issued by the drugmaker, the new facility will significantly enhance its annual production capacity.

Upon completion of oncology production facility 2, the company's annual output will increase by 37.97 crore tablets, 21.10 crore capsules, 2.53 crore blisters and 2 crore vials of injectables.

Beacon Pharmaceuticals expects this new facility to have a substantial positive impact on its long-term revenue growth.

Alongside the investment announcement, the company released its audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended 30 June 2026, displaying a robust financial performance driven by a 31% year-on-year increase in sales.

Beacon Pharmaceuticals saw its earnings per share (EPS) more than double, rising 105% to Tk8.41 for FY2025–26, up from Tk4.10 recorded in the previous fiscal year.

Reflecting this stellar financial growth, the company recommended an 11% cash dividend for the year ended 30 June 2026.

The record date for the dividend distribution has been scheduled for 10 November. Shareholders will vote on the proposed dividend and financial statements during the company's annual general meeting (AGM), set to take place via a digital platform on 13 December.

Emerald Oil Industries PLC has once again missed its production restart deadline, as delays in obtaining an electricity connection and a seasonal shortage of rice bran, its main raw material, have stalled the listed company's plan to resume commercial operations.

The company had expected to restart production by 30 September 2026, but the deadline passed without operations resuming. It is also holding back production during the current off-season because of insufficient raw material, according to a disclosure published on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) today (15 October).

The share price of the company closed at Tk27.90 on the Dhaka Stock Exchange today.

Emerald Oil said recent electricity shortages in rural areas and shortfalls in the national grid had delayed the required electricity connection from the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

To facilitate the connection, the company has installed solar panels worth around Tk80 lakh and deposited approximately Tk50 lakh towards the connection costs specified by BPDB. However, it has not announced a revised date for resuming commercial production.

The company also said rice bran, its primary raw material for producing rice bran oil, becomes available in the market from November because of its seasonal nature. Limited supplies during the current off-season have therefore prevented it from starting commercial operations.

The latest delay follows an earlier disclosure on 30 July, when the company said it expected to resume commercial operations by the end of September.

Factory shut for more than two years

Emerald Oil's factory has remained closed since 1 January 2024, when the company suspended production citing inadequate gas supply.

In a disclosure on 8 July, the company said its board had authorised management to take the necessary steps to reopen the factory and carry out repairs and maintenance.

The planned work included purchasing and installing a new boiler, transformer and electrical substation, along with repairing and maintaining machinery, including the refinery unit. The company estimated that the work could cost around Tk10 crore.

Despite these preparations, the company has yet to restart production because of the electricity connection issue and the unavailability of sufficient rice bran.

Repeated shutdowns undermine recovery efforts

Established in 2008, Emerald Oil began producing rice bran oil under the Spandan brand in 2011 and was listed on the stock market in 2014.

The company suspended production in 2017 amid financial and business difficulties. It resumed trial production in late 2021 following investment from Minori Bangladesh Ltd, an associate of Japanese agricultural company Minori Co Ltd, before returning to full-scale production in January 2022.

However, the recovery proved short-lived as gas shortages, raw material constraints and financial difficulties continued to affect operations.

In September 2023, Emerald Oil, Minori Bangladesh and Jamuna Edible Oil signed an agreement to increase rice bran oil production. Under the plan, Jamuna Edible Oil's facilities would be used to process crude rice bran oil, with a target of raising daily production to 160 tonnes by processing 800 tonnes of rice bran a day.

The subsequent suspension of operations and business difficulties, however, disrupted the company's recovery plans.

Financial disclosures not updated

The prolonged shutdown has been compounded by the absence of updated financial information. According to the information provided, Emerald Oil has not published financial statements since January 2023, leaving investors without a clear picture of its current financial position, liabilities and ability to finance a production restart.

The company's shares are currently traded in the Z category on the DSE. General investors hold 41.04% of its shares.

The lack of recent financial statements makes it difficult for investors to assess the company's performance and recovery prospects, particularly after more than two years of suspended production.

For Emerald Oil, securing a reliable electricity connection, ensuring adequate supplies of rice bran and completing factory repairs will be crucial to restarting operations.

Shares of Far East Knitting and Dyeing Industries PLC surged 11.96% to Tk20.60 today (15 October), despite the company reporting a net loss in FY26 and halving its proposed cash dividend.

The share price rose following the disclosure of its financial results and dividend recommendation on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE). Under applicable trading rules, the stock had no circuit breaker on the first trading day after the dividend declaration, allowing its price to move without the usual daily limit.

The textile manufacturer posted a net loss of Tk14.62 crore in the fiscal year ended 30 June 2026, against a net profit of Tk37.46 crore in FY25, according to its price-sensitive information. Earnings per share (EPS) fell to negative Tk0.67, primarily due to lower sales and other income.

Despite the loss, the board recommended a 6% cash dividend, equivalent to Tk0.60 per ordinary share of Tk10 each, for FY26, down from 12% in the previous fiscal year.

The company's net operating cash flow per share (NOCFPS) fell to negative Tk3.40, reflecting lower cash receipts from customers and other income alongside higher operating expenses.

Net asset value (NAV) per share declined to Tk19.27 as of 30 June 2026, from Tk21.37 a year earlier.

Shareholders will approve the dividend and financial statements at the company's annual general meeting, scheduled for 23 December on a digital platform. The record date for dividend entitlement is 12 November.

A delegation led by German Ambassador to Bangladesh Rüdiger Lotz visited two AKIJ Resource factories in Narayanganj on Tuesday to explore opportunities for industrial cooperation, technology exchange and investment between Bangladesh and Germany.

The delegation toured AKIJ Cement Company Limited and AKIJ Essentials Limited, discussing production capacity, technological advancement, resource efficiency and sustainable manufacturing.

Welcoming the ambassador and his delegation, Mohammad Towfique Hasan, chief business development officer of AKIJ Resource, said, “We are honoured to welcome Rüdiger Lotz and the delegation from the German Embassy to our manufacturing facilities.”

“We attach great importance to such exchanges and believe that sharing experiences and maintaining regular engagement can help create new opportunities for industrial and commercial cooperation between Bangladesh and Germany,” he added.

Asadul Haque Sufyani, cluster chief executive officer of AKIJ Building Solutions, said Bangladesh’s industrial sector was undergoing continuous modernisation, with technology, product quality, operational efficiency and environmentally responsible manufacturing becoming increasingly important.

“The German ambassador’s visit provides a valuable opportunity to showcase our manufacturing capabilities and industrial operations, while facilitating the exchange of experience and discussions on potential areas of future cooperation,” he said.

Senior AKIJ Resource officials briefed the ambassador and his delegation on production capabilities, quality standards, technology adoption and sustainable industrial development. Discussions also highlighted opportunities to strengthen industrial capabilities through manufacturing innovation, efficient resource utilisation and greater attention to environmental considerations.

Bangladesh and Germany share longstanding commercial ties, and direct engagement between industrial enterprises can help deepen these relations, the release added.

Through factory visits and knowledge exchange, AKIJ Resource seeks to strengthen engagement with international partners, showcase Bangladesh’s industrial capabilities and explore opportunities for cooperation in technology and sustainable manufacturing.

Sohanur Rahman Sohan, deputy chief operating officer of AKIJ Resource; Md Mustaq Ahmed, chief financial officer; Subrata Kumar Singha, senior manager (marketing) of AKIJ Building Solutions; Md Ariful Islam, plant head of AKIJ Essentials Limited; Md Habibur Rahman, plant head of AKIJ Cement; Md Rahajul Amin, sustainability lead; and Md Ashrafur Rahman, communications and partnerships lead, attended the event.

Nearly 29% of highly educated young people in Bangladesh are unemployed, while around half of highly educated workers are employed in jobs that do not fully use their qualifications and skills, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The findings were highlighted in the IMF's Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific, released yesterday (15 October) at a press conference at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand.

The report said Bangladesh's overall youth unemployment rate stands at 12-13%, but the situation is far worse among highly educated young people.

A mismatch between educational quality and labour market demand has left many struggling to find suitable jobs.

Many graduates work below their qualifications

According to the IMF, nearly 50% of highly educated workers in Bangladesh are employed in occupations below their qualifications.

The gap between the skills acquired through education and employers' needs is a key reason, forcing many people to accept jobs that do not match their training and limiting the economy's productivity.

The report also identified the dominance of the informal sector as a major weakness in the labour market.

Many workers in agriculture and other informal sectors lack formal employment contracts, job security and opportunities for career advancement. Conventional unemployment figures do not fully reflect this insecurity, it said.

Demographic dividend faces employment challenge

The IMF projected that Bangladesh's working-age population, aged 15-64, would grow by around 10-12% between 2025 and 2035.

Creating productive, quality jobs in manufacturing and services will be crucial to turning this demographic growth into an economic advantage.

Without sufficient employment opportunities, rising joblessness could fuel frustration among young people and slow economic growth, the report warned.

AI reshapes labour market demand

The report also highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on employment across Asia.

Hiring demand in occupations highly exposed to AI has fallen by nearly 10% compared with occupations less affected by the technology, while demand for workers with specialised AI-related skills is increasing.

The IMF warned that Bangladesh's employment challenges could deepen unless workers' skills keep pace with technological changes.

Improving skills, expanding labour market capacity and preparing strategies to create jobs for the future will be key to addressing the challenges.