Gold prices in Bangladesh have been reduced again, with the price of 22-carat gold, the highest purity available in the local market, falling by Tk5,481 per bhori (11.664 grams).

The new prices came into effect at 10am today (31 October), according to the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (Bajus).

Following the latest adjustment, the price of 22-carat gold has been fixed at Tk217,592 per bhori, including VAT.

Bajus said the prices were revised downward following a fall in the price of pure gold (tejabi gold) in the local market.

Under the revised rates, the price of 21-carat gold has been reduced by Tk5,249 to Tk207,794 per bhori, while 18-carat gold now costs Tk178,459, down Tk4,491.

The price of traditional-method gold has also been cut by Tk3,674 to Tk145,800 per bhori.

Gold prices were last reduced by Tk1,633 per bhori on Friday. With the latest cut, the price of 22-carat gold has fallen by a total of Tk7,114 per bhori in just two days.

Silver prices have also been reduced across all categories.

The price of 22-carat silver has been cut by Tk175 to Tk3,499 per bhori. Meanwhile, 21-carat silver now costs Tk3,383, down Tk116.

The price of 18-carat silver has been reduced by Tk117 to Tk2,916, while traditional-method silver has become cheaper by Tk58, bringing its price to Tk2,216 per bhori.

The central bank has consolidated existing foreign exchange regulations and subsequent instructions into a single document to streamline foreign exchange management and operations.

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) issued a circular on Thursday under Section 20(3) of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, repealing existing instructions on foreign exchange management and operations contained in Volume 1 of the Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Transactions (GFET), 2018, and subsequent circulars.

However, monthly reporting instructions under GFET Volume 2 will remain in force, it added.

The circular covers exchange rates and reporting, transactions between Bangladesh Bank and authorised dealers (ADs), Asian Clearing Union (ACU) payment settlements, foreign currency accounts, open-position limits, NOSTRO account reconciliation, forward dealings, swaps and commodity price risk hedging for imports.

It also addresses restrictions on virtual assets and virtual currencies, including facilitating their exchange, transfer and trading.

The instructions will remain valid for one year from the date of issuance, with any subsequent instructions issued during this period to be read alongside the circular.

Bangladesh has submitted a time-bound reform roadmap to its development partners, especially the European Union, to improve banking, revenue collection and the business environment, as it secured a three-year delay to its graduation from the UN’s list of least developed countries.

The EU and the United Nations will monitor the plan’s implementation annually, a finance ministry official said

The UN General Assembly on Thursday extended Bangladesh’s preparatory period for leaving the LDC category to November 24, 2029, from November 24, 2026. The decision was adopted without a vote or an objection.

The EU, Bangladesh’s largest export market, backed the extension but said it must be matched by action. Speaking for the EU at the General Assembly, Ireland said the extension should be understood as an “exceptional time-bound” measure that must be “accompanied by concrete, measurable domestic actions, effective monitoring and continued engagement.”“A system in which countries remain in the category for prolonged periods, despite meeting the criteria, risks weakening the credibility of the framework,” an EU delegate said at the assembly.The EU also concurred with the view of the UN Committee for Development Policy that “domestic political transitions do not constitute grounds” for extending preparatory periods, though it said Bangladesh’s recent political transition may merit an exception.The finance ministry official said the finance and commerce ministers had sternly cautioned officials at a recent core group meeting. In the first phase, five ministries and departments must submit monthly progress reports, the official said.The 2026-2029 roadmap aims to ensure a smooth, sustainable and permanent graduation and to make the economy competitive, production-oriented and institutionally strong by 2029. It places special emphasis on economic stability and restoring discipline in the banking sector, according to the document.

The roadmap aims to raise real GDP growth to 7 percent by 2029, from 4.14 percent in 2026, and to cut inflation to 6 percent from 9.16 percent over three years.

It targets raising foreign exchange reserves to cover six months of imports, from four months now, and lifting the tax-to-GDP ratio to at least 10 percent from below 7 percent. The investment-to-GDP ratio is targeted to rise to 32 percent from 27.93 percent.

The plan aims to cut non-performing loans to below 20 percent of total loans by 2029, from more than 30 percent now.

It calls for a new framework for managing distressed assets, regular stress tests of banks and comprehensive asset-quality reviews. Wilful defaulters will be identified and penalised, and single-borrower exposure limits will be strictly enforced.

The roadmap sets out yearly actions to improve the business environment, raise the industry’s contribution to the economy and increase non-garment exports.

A national task force will monitor implementation of reforms to make doing business easier. The government plans to launch an integrated one-stop service, guarantee business start-up licences within 14 days, scrap unnecessary licences and introduce an investment aftercare mechanism.

New entrepreneurs and investors will need fewer documents and certificates, and online company registration will continue. Rules for faster profit repatriation will be framed, licence validity will be extended to five years, and a digital common application platform will be introduced for all approvals and renewals.

Customs, ports, bonded warehouses, banks and trade bodies will be fully integrated into the National Single Window system, bringing 39 ministries and departments under its coverage. All of these measures are to be completed by June, the end of the current fiscal year.

To improve trade facilitation and logistics, the government plans by June 2028 to develop an integrated industrial and logistics corridor, implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and put the National Logistics Policy 2025 into effect.

To protect investors, dedicated commercial courts, intellectual property courts and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms will be made operational to resolve investment, commercial and intellectual property disputes quickly.

To raise industrial productivity, the plan includes a technology modernisation fund, automation incentives and productivity programmes for small and medium enterprises.
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The National Productivity Master Plan (2021-2030) will be updated and fully implemented, and will include women-led enterprises and other non-mainstream entrepreneurs.

To reduce reliance on ready-made garments, which account for more than 80 percent of exports, the roadmap promises policy support and incentives for high-potential sectors including pharmaceuticals, information technology, leather, jute, light engineering, shipbuilding and agro-processing.

A time-bound industrial energy security action plan aims to ensure uninterrupted gas and electricity supply to export-oriented factories, while the share of renewable energy is to rise to 16 percent by 2029.

Container dwell time at ports is to be cut to three to four days from 9.44 days, alongside broader improvements to port and transport connectivity.

As a result of these steps, private sector credit growth is expected to rise above 10 percent, from 4.98 percent.

A three-year, year-by-year plan for revenue collection calls for full end-to-end tax automation and bringing new taxpayers in 16 categories into the tax net. It also calls for a risk-based audit framework, using an Automated Risk Management System or Post-Clearance Audit, to end arbitrary audit selection.

VAT compliance will be strengthened, and unnecessary tax exemptions will be brought down to a rational level.

The Finance Division, Bangladesh Bank and other regulators will jointly implement the reforms.

Procurement of 200 metre-gauge (MG) carriages for Bangladesh's eastern railway operations is planned with financial support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to cater growing passenger demand.Bangladesh Investment Guide
Officials have said Bangladesh Railway has undertaken a Tk 37.79-billion project to procure the coaches, four relief cranes and as many under-floor wheel lathe machines, aiming to ease a chronic shortage of passenger carriages and improve operational efficiency.

The state-run Railway has recently submitted the Development Project Proposal (DPP) to the Planning Commission for approval, with expected SDB financing of the project.

The proposed investment comes at a time when the national railway operator has been struggling to provide adequate passenger coaches to meet growing demand, putting pressure on its existing rolling stock.

Once implemented, the project is expected to increase the availability of passenger carriages and help Bangladesh Railway improve the quality and reliability of its services.

According to the BR, the state-run rail company has a total of 1,282 MG coaches. Out of the stock, only 681 carriages are now operative although many of them are not in good shape for running.

"Upon approval of the project, we will go for procuring 200 MG coaches. It will upgrade the Railway's fleet," said a senior BR official.

The procurement of four relief cranes is also expected to strengthen the railway's capacity to deal with derailments and other operational emergencies, he said.

Meanwhile, the four "under-floor wheel lathe machines" will help maintain and repair railway wheels without removing them from the bogies, potentially reducing maintenance time and improving the availability of coaches.

The project now awaits scrutiny and approval by the Planning Commission before moving to the subsequent implementation stages.

The ADB has emerged as one of BR's major development partners, providing financial and technical assistance for railway infrastructure modernisation, rolling-stock procurement and improvements in operational capacity.

The Manila-based lender has supported several railway-development initiatives in Bangladesh as the government seeks to expand rail connectivity, improve passenger services and strengthen the role of railways in the country's transport system.Bangladesh Investment Guide

Railway experts have long emphasised the need for investment in both new coaches and maintenance facilities to address service constraints.

Procuring additional coaches could help the railway operate more trains or increase the number of

carriages on existing services, depending on operational requirements and the availability of locomotives and other infrastructures.

However, the project's actual impact will depend on timely approval, procurement and delivery of the equipment, as well as adequate maintenance and operational planning.

The proposed investment forms part of a broader effort to modernise Bangladesh Railway and improve its capacity to provide more reliable passenger services while reducing pressure on ageing rolling stock.

The DSE Brokers Association of Bangladesh (DBA) has sought a complete tax exemption on capital gains from listed securities for individual and foreign investors until 2030 to restore investor confidence, boost market liquidity and encourage long-term investment.

The association submitted a proposal to Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Investment and Capital Market Tanvir Shariar Gani, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Masud Khan and National Board of Revenue Chairman Ahsan Habib last week.
Today, the DBA shared the information in a press release.

Currently, individual investors enjoy tax exemption on capital gains of up to Tk 50 lakh from listed securities, while gains exceeding that threshold are generally subject to a 15 percent tax.

The DBA has proposed a full tax exemption for individual investors and a revision of the tax regime for foreign individual and institutional investors.

According to the association, the proposed measure would encourage more trading, reinvestment of profits and productive use of domestic savings, while helping listed companies raise equity financing.

The DBA suggested amending relevant provisions of the Income Tax Act 2023 to make capital gains from eligible transactions tax-exempt, provided the transactions are executed through stock exchanges and settled through the designated central depository system.

The DBA said the proposed tax exemption should remain in force until 2030, when the Central Counterparty Bangladesh Limited (CCBL) is expected to become fully operational.

Once the CCBL becomes fully functional, the calculation of capital gains and the process of determining tax liabilities will become easier, the association said.

DBA President Saiful Islam said a favourable tax regime for individual and foreign investors would help restore confidence in the capital market, encourage long-term investment and expand financing opportunities for listed companies.

He also said the initiative would support the government’s plans for developing the capital market. The association urged the relevant government authorities to give the proposal due consideration and take the necessary policy and legal measures.

However, the association has supported retaining the existing tax arrangements for sponsors, directors and institutional investors.

Bangladesh has signed a $450 million financing agreement with the World Bank to strengthen the country's financial sector safety net, enhance supervisory capacity and support restructuring of the banking sector.

The financing agreement under the 'Financial Sector Support Project II' was signed between the Government of Bangladesh and the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's concessional lending arm, on Friday, reports BSS.

Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiky and World Bank Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan Jean Pesme signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.

The project will receive 328 million Special Drawing Rights (SDR) or equivalent to $450 million and will run from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2031.

The Bangladesh Bank will implement the project under the supervision of the Financial Institutions Division (FID) of the Ministry of Finance.

The project aims to strengthen the financial sector safety net, improve the supervisory capacity of the financial sector authorities and support restructuring of the banking sector.

Under the financing terms, the loan carries an annual interest rate of 1.5 per cent on the withdrawn credit balance. It also includes a maximum commitment fee of 0.50 per cent per annum on the undisbursed financing balance.

However, the World Bank has waived the commitment fee for Bangladesh for many years, including the current fiscal year, according to the ERD press release.

The financing has a maturity period of 25 years, including a five-year grace period.

The ERD said the World Bank remains Bangladesh's largest multilateral development partner, with its financing supporting a wide range of sectors, including economic and social development, institutional reforms, infrastructure development and energy sector advancement.

The latest financing agreement reflects continued cooperation between Bangladesh and the World Bank in strengthening the country's financial and institutional capacity.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) is implementing a series of reforms to restore stability in the banking sector, improve governance and normalise investment and credit flows, with visible improvements in banks' financial conditions expected by March-April next year.

"The central bank is prioritising control of non-performing loans (NPLs), assessment of asset quality, addressing capital shortfalls, strengthening corporate governance and improving risk management," said BB Deputy Governor Dr Md Habibur Rahman today (28 October).

He made the remarks while speaking as a special guest at the inaugural session of the 11th Annual Banking Conference (ABC) 2026, organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM).

Renowned economist and former interim government adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud, a former professor of economics at Dhaka University, attended the programme as the chief guest.

Other special guests included Jean Pesme , World Bank Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan; Mohammad Abdul Hai Sarker, chairman of the Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) and Dhaka Bank PLC; and Mashrur Arefin, managing director and CEO of City Bank PLC and chairman of the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh Limited (ABB).

Dr Habibur Rahman said the first phase of measures to address the banking sector's challenges focused on rebuilding foreign exchange reserves, settling outstanding external liabilities and maintaining exchange rate stability.

The target of building foreign exchange reserves sufficient to cover nearly six months of import expenditure has also been achieved, he said.

Drawing lessons from the global financial crisis and the Southeast Asian financial crisis, he said, the central bank is prioritising financial stability, in line with the approach adopted by central banks in other countries.

An initiative has also been taken to amend the Bangladesh Bank Order to strengthen the central bank's role in maintaining financial stability, he added.

Explaining the ongoing banking reforms, the deputy governor said asset quality reviews were being conducted to assess banks' actual financial conditions and restore confidence among depositors and investors.

The reviews have already been completed in 15 banks, while assessments of the remaining banks are progressing with support from the World Bank, he said.

The banking sector's non-performing loan ratio, which stood at 36% in December 2025, has declined to 31%, he said, expressing hope that it would fall further significantly by December this year.

The Money Loan Court Act and the new Special Asset Management Act would help accelerate the recovery of defaulted loans, he added.

Restoring the financial capacity of state-owned and private banks facing capital shortfalls is another major priority of the central bank, Dr Habibur Rahman said.

The central bank is working with the Finance Ministry on the issue. If the planned measures are implemented as intended, visible improvements in banks' financial conditions are expected by March-April 2027, he said.

He noted that conventional policies alone might not always be sufficient to address a financial crisis, making exceptional measures necessary in certain circumstances.

During the 2008 global financial crisis in the United States, liquidity support and government investment were used to help banks and financial institutions recover. Bangladesh is also focusing on improving banks' financial health, governance and transparency after containing risks, he said.

The deputy governor stressed the need for independent decision-making by bank boards, accountability of management and effective authority for risk management and compliance departments.

He urged banks to make lending decisions based on borrowers' repayment capacity, cash flows and realistic business prospects rather than influence or personal relationships.

Proper loan classification, adequate provisioning and sound capital planning are also essential to restoring discipline in the banking sector, he added.

Dr Habibur Rahman emphasised regular stress testing to strengthen banks' liquidity and capital management.

Banks must assess their capacity to withstand simultaneous shocks, including declining export orders, rising energy costs, exchange rate fluctuations and pressure from deposit withdrawals, he said.

He also called for stronger cybersecurity, measures to prevent digital fraud and improved capacity to ensure uninterrupted customer services.

The central bank is taking an initiative to establish a 'Bank Restructuring and Resolution Fund' to address the problems of weak banks and financial institutions.

The proposed fund would provide an effective and cost-efficient mechanism for resolving distressed institutions without increasing dependence on government funds, he said.

The deputy governor also stressed the need to modernise the central banking system to harness regional economic opportunities.

Initiatives are underway to expand the use of technology in banking, establish performance-based management and promote cashless transactions, he said.

Alongside the existing Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network (BEFTN), Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), National Payment Switch Bangladesh (NPSB) and Bangla QR systems, an inclusive payment system is planned for introduction next year.

The proposed system would make person-to-person digital transactions easier, he said.

Corporate restructuring and related risk management have also been included in future plans to prevent financial distress at large corporate groups from adversely affecting multiple banks.

He further said an initiative was underway to implement a Tk 60,000 crore package by rearranging existing assets and financing within the financial system, without creating excessive inflationary pressure.

Addressing researchers, academics and bankers, Dr Habibur Rahman underscored the importance of evidence-based policymaking, improving loan quality and expanding safe financial inclusion.

He called for continuous monitoring by policymakers, effective resolution of problems in weak institutions and measures to protect depositors' interests.

Banks, meanwhile, must ensure good governance, identify risks at an early stage and provide fair and quality services to customers, he said.

Expressing optimism about the country's economic prospects, the deputy governor said the main objective was to build a banking system capable of harnessing Bangladesh's skilled workforce, entrepreneurs and economic potential.

Asia stocks rallied on Wednesday after a resurgence in AI enthusiasm ahead of earnings from industry bellwethers later in the US day, while the dollar was perky ahead of a Federal Reserve policy decision.

South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix reporting a more than seven-fold rise in quarterly operating profit added to the buoyant mood.

The AI rally faces its next test when technology giants Alphabet and Microsoft report earnings after market close, with investors looking for evidence of returns that would justify the hefty price of AI build-out.

"While we're expecting strong results across the board, the focus is less about the actual earnings results than about whether the capex spending for AI growth will translate into sustainable revenue growth for these companies, which remains a big question mark," said SWBC Chief Investment Officer Chris Brigati.

"The period of a rising market lifting all stocks has started to shift. Future expectations are more focused upon execution risk and how much future success is already embedded in the current stock price."

Ahead of US earnings, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.85 per cent in early Asia trade, with Japan's Nikkei adding 1.2 per cent and South Korea's KOSPI jumping more than 3 per cent.

Shares of SK Hynix rose 3 per cent shortly after open, before paring gains to last trade 1.75 per cent higher.

A series of AI-related funding announcements from Meta, SpaceX and Broadcom this week has breathed new life into the AI trade, with sentiment further boosted by Anthropic's initial public offering filing.

US futures were little changed, while EUROSTOXX 50 futures edged 0.03 per cent lower.

What Will The Fed Do?

Earnings aside, investors are watching for the Fed's policy decision later on Wednesday, where a steady outcome is widely expected.

Market focus, however, will be on what policymakers say regarding the outlook for interest rates, with inflation concern still front and centre as war in West Asia drags on.

Analysts at JPMorgan said in a client note they anticipate at least two hawkish dissents.

"Market participants will likely focus on how Chair (Kevin) Warsh couches the decision, and we think deferring on an explanation will be viewed as dovish in nature," they said.

Ahead of the decision, the dollar index held near a two-week high against six major currencies at 102.37.

Meanwhile, the kiwi tumbled more than 1 per cent after the Reserve Bank of New Zealand confounded market expectations by leaving its policy interest rate unchanged.

The Australian dollar rose 0.25 per cent to $0.7043 following data which showed consumer prices rose sharply in the third quarter of the year as fuel costs jumped, while core inflation stayed uncomfortably hot.

In Israel, the shekel weakened after exit polls showed the country's wartime election appeared deadlocked.

In oil markets, Brent crude futures were up 0.47 per cent at $114.42 a barrel and US crude added 0.55 per cent to $100.45.

An agreement to end the US-Israeli war with Iran remains elusive. Iranian Security Council chief Mohsen Rezaei met Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Tuesday, a day after talks with representatives of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.

British American Tobacco (BAT) Bangladesh PLC's net profit fell 67.28% year on year to Tk99.84 crore in the July-September quarter of 2026, as lower revenue and higher operating expenses weighed on earnings.

According to the company's unaudited financial statements for the third quarter ended 30 September, net profit after tax declined from Tk305.04 crore in the same period last year.

Quarterly earnings per share (EPS) also dropped to Tk1.85 from Tk5.65 a year earlier.

The decline came as net revenue from contracts with customers fell to Tk1,259 crore in the third quarter, down from Tk1,677.13 crore in the corresponding period of 2025.

The company generated gross revenue of Tk7,328.34 crore during the quarter, from which Tk6,068.78 crore was deducted as supplementary duty and value-added tax (VAT).

The weaker quarterly performance also weighed on the company's cumulative earnings for the first nine months of the year.

From January to September, BAT Bangladesh's net profit after tax fell 28.77% year on year to Tk513.02 crore from Tk720.26 crore in the same period of 2025.

Net revenue for the nine-month period declined to Tk5,090 crore from Tk5,754 crore a year earlier, while EPS fell to Tk9.50 from Tk13.34.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has approved bonds worth Tk 35 billion over the last five months to create new investment opportunities and expand long-term financing options through the capital market.

The approvals, granted since the current commission leadership assumed office, aim to strengthen corporate financing through the capital market and offer investors alternative investment opportunities beyond equities, reports BSS.

The approved bonds include a three-year zero-coupon green bond worth Tk 10 billion issued by BRAC Bank, a seven-year subordinated bond worth Tk 8 billion issued by Southeast Bank, a seven-year sustainable subordinated bond worth Tk 8 billion issued by Bank Asia, a seven-year subordinated bond worth Tk 5 billion issued by Al-Arafah Islami Bank and a subordinated bond worth Tk 4 billion issued by ONE Bank.

Apart from approving the bonds, the commission has undertaken several reform initiatives to expand the bond market, including listing bonds on the main boards of stock exchanges, introducing thematic and social bonds, increasing participation by provident and pension funds, encouraging investment by insurance companies and mutual funds, and modernising bond issuance regulations.

As part of the reforms, the BSEC has made listing on the main boards of stock exchanges a condition for the approved bonds. The move aims to increase corporate bond trading and activate the secondary market.

The commission has also directed stock exchanges to reduce bond listing fees and taken initiatives to simplify and modernise the issuance process to attract more institutional investors.

BSEC Executive Director and Spokesperson Md Abul Kalam said that the commission had, for the first time, imposed the condition of main-board listing to make the bond market more dynamic.

As a result, the bonds will have opportunities for trading on the secondary market through stock exchanges, he said, adding that the commission had also directed a reduction in listing fees.

When bonds are listed on the main boards, investors will be able to sell them when necessary and exit their investments more easily, Abul Kalam said. “This will help establish an effective bond market and increase trading,” he added.

The BSEC is also working to introduce new investment products to diversify the capital market. It has taken initiatives to launch thematic and social bonds targeting specific objectives, including environmental protection, social development and women's empowerment.

As part of this initiative, the commission has approved an Orange Bond worth Tk 1.58 billion issued by Sajeda Foundation to finance women's empowerment and social development activities.

The bond will introduce a new investment product to the market while providing financing for initiatives aimed at improving women's economic participation and advancing social development.

BRAC Bank's green bond, meanwhile, is intended to finance environmental and social development initiatives and raise Tier-2 capital. Such initiatives could broaden the range of corporate bonds and diversify investment opportunities.

The BSEC spokesperson said the commission had also taken steps to bring major institutional funds into the corporate bond market.

A substantial portion of the funds held by various provident and gratuity funds currently goes into government treasury bills and bonds. The commission is working on a new policy framework to allow a certain portion of these funds to be invested in corporate bonds and equities, he said.

“Once implemented, the initiative will create a new source of long-term financing for the capital market, increase demand for corporate bonds and expand alternative financing opportunities for the private sector,” Abul Kalam said.

The commission is also prioritising greater participation by insurance companies and mutual funds in the bond market. It is working to create a favourable environment for fixed-income mutual funds and insurance companies to increase their investments in corporate bonds.

In addition, the BSEC plans to make a dedicated bond trading platform more effective to facilitate bond transactions and expand secondary-market trading opportunities for investors.

To simplify bond issuance and bring the process in line with current market needs, the commission is also working to modernise the existing legal framework.

The BSEC has initiated revisions to the Debt Securities Rules to make bond approval and issuance more efficient while strengthening investor protection and ensuring transparency.

The commission believes Bangladesh's capital market should evolve beyond its dependence on equities and become a diversified market comprising shares, bonds and other financial instruments.

Against this backdrop, developing the corporate bond market has become an important component of its reform programme.

Successful implementation of these initiatives could improve long-term financing opportunities for private-sector companies and enable investors to choose relatively stable, fixed-income investment products alongside equities.

An active secondary bond market could also increase trading activity and deepen the country's capital market.

The Bangladesh Bank has sold $122 million from its foreign exchange reserves to commercial banks as rising demand for the US currency pushed the dollar's exchange rate higher in the domestic market.

The central bank sold the dollars today (28 October) at rates ranging from Tk124 to Tk124.30 per dollar, against demand from commercial banks for $800 million. The gap between demand and supply highlights the continuing pressure on the foreign exchange market.

The central bank last sold dollars from its reserves on 20 October, at Tk123.65 per dollar. However, according to a senior commercial bank official, the $20 million dollar sales had failed to bring down the exchange rate significantly.

Yesterday morning, remittance houses offered dollars to commercial banks at rates ranging from Tk124.30 to Tk124.50. Some banks bought the currency at Tk124.30. The offers came down after Bangladesh Bank supplied dollars to commercial banks.

The market faced additional pressure as payments totalling more than $300 million were due on the day. Bankers also said the pressure had increased because remittance inflows tend to be relatively low towards the end of the month.

Another senior commercial bank official said demand for dollars remained strong in the banking sector and that further sales from the reserves could help stabilise the market.

"Since several more payments are due this month, the market will remain stable if the central bank sells dollars from its reserves a few more times," the official said.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Bangladesh Bank had issued a notice to commercial banks regarding dollar sales but did not sell any dollars from its reserves that day.

So far in the current fiscal year, the central bank has sold a total of $153.50 million from its reserves. According to Bangladesh Bank data, expatriate Bangladeshis sent home $2.54 billion in remittances during the first 27 days of this month.

Another senior commercial bank official said dollar demand had increased over the past few days, largely because of substantial payment requirements from Petrobangla and the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).

Bangladesh Bank data show that commercial banks opened letters of credit (LCs) worth more than $8 billion in September, up from $6.65 billion in August.

Oil prices rose over 1 percent on Wednesday after an attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia, the world’s top crude exporter, renewed concerns about supply risks because of conflicts in the Middle East.

Brent crude futures rose $1.36, or 1.2 percent, to $115.24 a barrel as of 0858 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude gained $1.62, or 1.6 percent, at $101.52.

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Tuesday they had hit Saudi Arabia’s biggest oil refinery with a missile, intensifying their strikes against the world’s second-largest crude producer. Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the strike on the 550,000 barrel-per-day facility. For now, the market is pricing in a greater likelihood of re-escalation, ING commodity strategists said on Wednesday.

“Oil prices remain elevated as the market waits for greater clarity on President (Donald) Trump’s next move toward Iran,” said ING strategists. “If we get past the elections without renewed strikes on Iran, that might be enough for the market’s risk premium to start eroding,” they added, referring to US midterm elections on November 3.

Meanwhile, US crude oil stocks eased, according to market sources citing data from the American Petroleum Institute. Crude stocks fell by 2.03 million barrels in the week ended October 23, the sources said, against expectations of a 15,000-barrel build in an analyst poll by Reuters. Government data from the US Energy Information Administration is due later on Wednesday.

The market will also monitor an upcoming industry meeting on Sunday, where Opec+ oil producers are expected to keep their December oil output targets steady, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Production in most of the seven core Opec+ members — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan and Oman — is below their output targets. Crude oil exports from Russia’s Baltic and Black Sea ports could fall next month as domestic refiners increase diesel output following a deal with Washington this month, traders said.

Robi Axiata PLC, the country's second-largest mobile operator, reported a profit of Tk746.5 crore in the first nine months of 2026, supported by revenue growth, rising data usage and improved operational efficiency.

According to the company's financial disclosure, revenue reached Tk7,929 crore during January-September, while earnings per share (EPS) stood at Tk1.43.

In the July-September quarter, Robi's profit after tax stood at Tk251 crore, with a profit margin of 9.4%. Revenue grew 7% year-on-year to Tk2,686 crore, while quarterly EPS was Tk0.48.

Robi's active subscriber base expanded to 5.92 crore at the end of September, including 4.68 crore internet users. Its 4G user base reached 4.28 crore, accounting for 72% of total active subscribers.

The operator invested Tk342 crore in capital expenditure during the quarter, taking its total investment for the first nine months to Tk1,413 crore. The spending supported network expansion, including the rollout of more than 19,000 4G sites nationwide.

Robi also contributed Tk4,975 crore to the national exchequer during the nine-month period, including Tk700 crore in the third quarter, equivalent to 26% of its quarterly revenue.

Managing Director and CEO Ziad Shatara said the performance demonstrated the resilience of Robi's business fundamentals and its role in advancing Bangladesh's digital transformation.

bKash Limited, the country's leading mobile financial services (MFS) provider and a subsidiary of BRAC Bank PLC, experienced a dip in its quarterly profit during the July–September period of 2026, despite achieving steady top-line revenue growth.

According to the un-audited interim financial statements, the company's net profit for the third quarter ended 30 September 2026 stood at Tk147.45 crore, dropping 25% from Tk197.07 crore recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

Despite the quarterly dip in profitability, revenue continued to expand. For the third quarter of 2026, bKash reported a net revenue of Tk1,706 crore, which was 4.51% higher than the previous year at the same time.

The company said in its statement that the net profit dropped mainly due to increase in operating and administrative expenses.

For the cumulative nine-month period from January to September 2026, the MFS pioneer demonstrated overall resilience, posting a net profit of Tk559 crore, up from Tk504.78 crore in the same nine months of the previous year.

Cumulative net revenue for the first three quarters reached Tk5,398 crore, compared to Tk4,837 crore during the corresponding period in 2025.

The second edition of Global Sourcing Expo Dhaka will begin on November 15, bringing together around 200 companies from 12 sectors at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center in Dhaka.

Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, minister for commerce, industries, textiles and jute, is expected to inaugurate the three-day event as chief guest.

Mohammad Hasan Arif, vice-chairman of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), announced the details at a press briefing in Dhaka yesterday, according to a press release.

The expo will feature 12 sectors, up from eight at last year’s inaugural event, as the EPB seeks to showcase Bangladesh’s export potential and manufacturing capabilities.

The sectors include readymade garments and textiles; leather and leather goods; handicrafts and jute products; agriculture and agro-processed products; plastic products and kitchenware; furniture and home decor; pharmaceuticals; information and communication technology; paper and packaging; automobiles; light engineering; and ceramics and tableware.

To attract international buyers, the EPB has sought support from foreign diplomats stationed in Bangladesh and engaged commercial counsellors at Bangladesh’s embassies and high commissions abroad to encourage overseas buyers to attend the expo.

The organisers expect the expo to create business opportunities between local suppliers and international buyers, help exporters explore new markets and strengthen Bangladesh’s position in global sourcing networks.

The World Bank on Wednesday warned that global commodity prices were set to increase by 23% by the end of 2026, with energy prices at four-year highs due to the war on Iran and food prices driven up by global conflicts and El Nino.

"Commodity markets are being hit by several major shocks at once," said Ayhan Kose, the World Bank's deputy chief economist, in a statement accompanying the release of the organization's Commodity Markets Outlook report.

"Higher energy costs and trade disruptions are driving up prices across a broad range of commodities, threatening to worsen inflation, food insecurity, and economic growth."

Food prices were expected to rise by 10% in 2026 and another seven percent next year, due to conflict-affected grain supply lines, the effects of an extreme El Nino phenomenon and high fuel and fertilizer prices.

El Nino is a naturally occurring weather phenomenon that is set to bring higher temperatures to much of the planet this year, with its impact compounding the effects of man-made climate change.

For food producers, it is expected to lead to more flooding, droughts and heat stress across multiple regions.

Higher energy prices

Energy prices are projected to see an increase of 32% this year before moderating in 2027, the World Bank report said, assuming that conflicts in Iran and Ukraine do not intensify.

Global energy and fertilizer prices have skyrocketed since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran in late February, plunging the Middle East into violence.

Iran responded with attacks on US allies in the region and virtually choked the Strait of Hormuz -a key oil, natural gas and fertilizer supply route.

The World Bank report warned that an especially strong El Nino, intensifying attacks on Black Sea grain shipments during the Russia-Ukraine war or further energy price spikes from the Iran war could lead to a "food crisis."

"In an adverse scenario in which these risks materialize together, Brent could average $105 a barrel in 2027 and food commodity prices could be 12%t higher than expected in the baseline forecast, surpassing their level in 2022," the report said.

Since the start of the war on Iran, the World Bank has provided $8.7 billion in emergency support for vulnerable countries.

"The priority must be to protect the poorest people and support low-income countries already struggling with heavy debt burdens," said Kose.

Global oil supply is slated to fall by 5.2% in 2026 - the largest decline in more than four decades outside of the pandemic - due to the effects of wars in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine.

The report noted that global oil price forecasts would be higher still if oil consumption were not forecast to fall by 2.5 % this year, the third-largest such drop after the Covid pandemic and the 1980 oil crisis.

Still, the forecasts for food, energy and overall commodity prices were sharply higher from the Bank's earlier predictions in April.

The price of gold has gone up again in the domestic market, with the cost of the best-quality 22-carat gold rising by Tk 2,216 per bhori.

The new rates came into effect from 10am today (28 October), according to a press release issued by the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (Bajus).

With the latest adjustment, 22-carat gold will now sell at Tk 223,074 per bhori including VAT.

Bajus said the prices of gold ornaments were adjusted following an increase in the price of refined (tejabi) gold in the local market.

Under the revised rates, the price of 21-carat gold has been raised by Tk2,100 to Tk213,043 per bhori, while 18-carat gold has gone up by Tk1,750 to Tk 182,950 per bhori.

The price of gold of the traditional method has increased by Tk1,458 to Tk 149,474 per bhori.

Earlier, BAJUS had cut gold prices four times in a row on 13, 22, 23 and 25 October bringing down the price of 22-carat gold by a total of Tk10,439 per bhori. The latest hike comes after those four consecutive reductions.

Meanwhile, silver prices remain unchanged despite the rise in gold rates.

According to the new rates, 22-carat silver will sell at Tk3,849 per bhori, including VAT.

The prices of 21-carat and 18-carat silver stand at Tk3,674 and Tk3,149 per bhori respectively, while silver of the traditional method will cost Tk2,391 per bhori.

Bangladesh's economic zones have attracted nearly $300 million in private investment with support from the World Bank, creating around 42,000 new jobs, according to a post by the World Bank Bangladesh on its official Facebook page.

The investment has helped create employment opportunities and expand business development prospects in the country's economic zones, contributing to efforts to build a stronger and more resilient economy.

The World Bank highlighted the achievements as part of its efforts to mobilize private capital and promote investment-led economic growth in Bangladesh.

The initiative underscores the potential of economic zones to attract domestic and foreign investors, generate employment and strengthen the country's industrial base.

The World Bank's post also emphasized the role of private capital mobilization in creating opportunities for businesses and supporting Bangladesh's long-term economic development.

IDLC Finance PLC reported a 17% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit for the third quarter of 2026, with earnings per share (EPS) rising to Tk4.51 from Tk3.85 in the same period last year.

According to the company's financial statements approved at a board meeting yesterday (27 October), consolidated net profit after tax reached Tk206 crore for the quarter ended 30 September.

The company's annualised return on equity (ROE) rose to 12.24% from 11.39% in the third quarter of 2025, while return on assets (ROA) increased to 1.51% from 1.48%.

On a standalone basis, IDLC's customer deposits stood at Tk116.93 billion, while its loan portfolio totalled Tk120.45 billion.

The company's non-performing loan (NPL) ratio declined to 4.09% from 4.71% a year earlier. Its provision coverage ratio stood at 110%, reflecting provisions against potential loan losses.

IDLC said the group's performance was also supported by its subsidiaries: IDLC Securities Limited, IDLC Investments Limited and IDLC Asset Management Limited.

Commenting on the results, IDLC Finance Chairman Kazi Mahmood Sattar said the performance reflected the company's forward-looking financial management approach, combining sustainable profitability with prudent risk governance.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer M Jamal Uddin highlighted the company's focus on business expansion and sustainability, as well as improved returns across its asset base.

Natural gas was supposed to be the dominant bridge fuel between legacy generation systems and a clean-powered future. But across key markets in Europe and Asia, power producers appear to be increasingly bypassing the fuel in favour of other options.

Total electricity generation from gas-fired power plants has contracted this year from 2025 in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Turkey, Japan, South Korea and China, according to data from think tank Ember.
Those countries represent some of the key traditional and high-potential gas markets for gas power generation, and yet all simultaneously pared back gas use this year as global supplies and prices were impacted by the war in the Middle East.

Significantly, total electricity generation across those six nations has expanded this year despite lower collective gas-fired output, resulting in natural gas losing share to other generation sources within those key power networks.

For exporters of liquefied natural gas, the risk is that gas remains essential as a marginal fuel but ceases to be a growth engine for power generation. Power systems still need gas-fired plants to bolster reliability, but they appear to need progressively less gas-fired electricity from those facilities as renewable generation, storage and output from other power sources expand. That is a challenging outlook for an industry investing heavily in new export capacity on the assumption that tomorrow’s power sector will burn substantially more gas than today’s.

The steady erosion of natural gas’ share within a wide span of key power sectors underscores the problem for gas market bulls. In the Netherlands, home to Europe’s main gas trading hub, the gas share of electricity generation during the first nine months of 2026 was just under 32 percent. That’s the lowest reading on record for that period and compares to a nearly 60 percent gas share in the same months in 2020 and nearly 40 percent in 2022.

In the United Kingdom, the closure of the country’s last remaining coal power plant in late 2024 was expected to trigger a sustained upturn in gas use. Yet gas’ share of the utility mix plumbed a new low of 29 percent so far this year, compared to roughly 41 percent in the same months in 2022. And in Turkey, which was long considered a viable growth market for gas due to its fast-growing manufacturing base, gas’ share of the generation mix this year has dropped to just under 11 percent.

That compares to an average 32 percent gas share in 2021, which is when Turkey’s gas-fired generation total hit a record and spurred optimism among gas exporters that the country would continue to steadily increase its gas needs. Gas has also lost ground across key Asian markets. In Japan, which for years has been one of the top LNG importers, gas use in electricity generation has lost ground to both rising output from renewables and a recovery in output from the country’s nuclear reactor fleet.

The gas share of Japan’s electricity mix so far this year was 28.4 percent, which was the first reading on record below 30 percent, and compares to an average share of around 35 percent in 2022 and nearly 40 percent in 2019. South Korea’s power system also reduced gas’ share to a multi-year low of just under 29 percent this year, while in China gas’ share of the mix was just 3.07 percent, which again was a record low.

For gas market bulls, the trends in absolute levels of gas-fired generation are also likely to be a cause for concern. In all six of the key markets noted above, year-to-date generation from gas-fired power plants has posted a decline this year, just as output from many other sources has increased in 2026. In Europe, higher output from renewables installations alongside battery storage networks has allowed most utilities to boost total electricity supplies while cutting overall gas generation.

In Turkey, a jump in hydro power production to the highest in over five years also allowed for lower gas consumption. In Asia, power producers dialled up generation from cheaper coal-fired power stations to accommodate tighter gas supplies, which have been hampered by the US and Israeli war against Iran and the subsequent drops in LNG shipments from Qatar. The worrying signal for LNG producers is that this decline has occurred even before a new wave of gas export capacity comes online. Major suppliers are investing billions of dollars on the assumption that power demand growth will translate into rising gas consumption for decades to come.

Yet across several of the world’s most important gas-burning economies, utilities are finding ways to grow electricity supplies while reducing reliance on gas-fired generation. If that pattern spreads further, the industry’s challenge may not be securing enough supply to meet future demand, but finding enough demand to absorb future supply. Gas may remain indispensable in many modern power systems, but the latest generation trends suggest it is increasingly valued for reliability rather than volume. That’s an uncomfortable distinction for exporters betting on sustained growth.