Bangladesh has outlined a $1.85 billion investment plan to execute an equitable green economic transition, becoming the first country in Asia to incorporate a dedicated Just Transition chapter into its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0).

The framework translates the country's climate targets into actionable and bankable investment opportunities, according to an action plan presented at a national high-level dialogue in Dhaka on Thursday.

The dialogue was jointly organised by the Department of Environment, International Labour Organisation (ILO), South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) and the Embassy of Sweden.

The strategy was developed through a cross-mapping of 14 national strategy documents, including the Eighth Five-Year Plan, Perspective Plan 2041 and Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100. It consolidated 258 commitments into 33 core priorities.

These priorities form an action matrix containing 69 traceable and time-bound activities across six key sectors-energy, transport, construction, agriculture, waste management, and industrial processes and product use (IPPU).

The final implementation plan will be incorporated into NDC 3.0 this month before being presented to international development partners and global investors at COP31 in November.

SANEM Executive Director Dr Selim Raihan and ILO Just Transition Technical Officer Elisa Benistant Fremigacci jointly presented the action plan and its annexes at the dialogue.

Speaking as the chief guest at the event, State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam said the government was focusing on field-level measures to clean major rivers and reduce air and noise pollution.

Referring to his recent visits to facilities in Rajshahi, he stressed the need to improve occupational safety and health standards for factory and waste-management workers.

Workers are central to economic growth and therefore need fair wages, stronger social protection and skills upgrading to cope with technological changes, he said.

Bangladesh is also targeting 10,000 MW of renewable energy within five years as part of its clean-energy transition, including through wind power projects such as those in Cox's Bazar.

The government is forming an inclusive, multi-sectoral team to present strong research and policy positions at COP31, the state minister added.

Speaking at a panel discussion, Dr Fahmida Khatun, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said a just transition must focus on creating employment through the green transition.

She called for sector- and occupation-level mapping to identify where jobs would be gained or lost and proposed adding a green jobs module to the Labour Force Survey to establish a reliable baseline. She also stressed the need for data disaggregated by sex, age, geography, and formal and informal employment to better target social safety-net programmes such as the Family Card.

Emission-reduction tracking should be paired with employment and decent-work indicators, she said, calling for an institutional mechanism to integrate data across the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, government ministries, employers and worker organisations.

Moustapha Kamal Gueye, director of the ILO's Just Transition Priority Action Programme, said climate ambition requires building human capacity among workers, businesses and communities to transform energy, agriculture and transport systems.

Social justice and decent work are essential to climate mitigation and adaptation rather than merely additional benefits, he said, stressing that social dialogue should be formally institutionalised instead of remaining ad hoc.

Bangladesh Employers' Federation Secretary General Farooq Ahmed said a just transition required a whole-of-society approach involving all stakeholders, not just employers and workers.

He noted that Bangladesh accounts for only 0.47 per cent of global carbon emissions, yet remains disproportionately vulnerable to climate change because of its geographical position.

He identified three key responsibilities: raising public awareness, mobilising financial and technical resources, and developing a framework for resilience and preparedness.

He also called for climate issues to be communicated in simple and accessible language and stressed the need to build the capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises to adapt to environmental and technological changes.

Mesbahuddin Ahmed, chairman of the National Coordination Committee for Workers' Education, recalled past industrial disruptions caused by globalisation and cautioned against repeating instances where workers lost jobs without opportunities for retraining.

The current green transition must prioritise worker reskilling and involve worker organisations from the outset, he said.

Sector-level specialisation is also crucial to understanding future workforce needs and designing appropriate training, he added, stressing that a just transition must go beyond policy documents to deliver real jobs, job security and effective skills transfer.

ILO Country Director Max Tunon moderated the panel discussion.

The British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BBCCCI) plans to establish a British-Bangladesh Trade Centre in London to strengthen trade, investment and business ties between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom.

The proposed centre will connect businesses from both countries, facilitate investment and help build commercial partnerships, the chamber said in a press release yesterday (12 September).

The announcement was made at the BBCCCI Business Reception 2026 and the inauguration of its newly elected committee at the Ivy Hill Hotel in London.

The trade centre will support businesses seeking to enter the Bangladesh and UK markets and organise programmes focused on trade, investment, entrepreneurship development and bilateral business cooperation, according to the chamber.

"The main objective is to turn connections between British and Bangladeshi businesses into trade and create new business opportunities," BBCCCI Director General Musleh Ahmed said.

He said the centre would help businesses identify potential partners, explore new markets and expand their operations through joint ventures and other forms of cooperation.

BBCCCI President Muhib Chowdhury said the proposed centre reflected the chamber's commitment to building a modern and ambitious organisation.

He said the BBCCCI would play a leading role in strengthening commercial relations between Bangladesh and the UK.

M Nazrul Islam, Bangladesh's acting high commissioner to the UK, was the keynote speaker at the event.

The chamber said growing interest among businesses in accessing international markets, exploring investment opportunities and building strategic partnerships had created a need for stronger institutional support.

It expects the proposed trade centre to deepen economic relations between Bangladesh and the UK and potentially become an important hub for bilateral trade and investment.

BBCCCI advisers, members of the chamber's election commission, businesspeople, professionals, journalists and representatives of various professional organisations attended the programme.

Bangladesh's electrical and electronics exports are gaining momentum, with shipments of electrical products rising nearly 24% in FY2025-26, even as manufacturers seek to keep pace with increasingly demanding sustainability, traceability, and product-compliance requirements in the European Union.

According to the latest Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data, exports of electrical products increased 23.82% from $166.52 million a year earlier, reaching a record $206.19 million.

The category was the largest earner among engineering products, surpassing bicycles, which earned $151.04 million, up 29.71%.

Engineering exports overall rose 21.77% to $652.15 million, underscoring the growing contribution of electrical and electronics products to Bangladesh's export diversification.

The growth comes as the European Union introduces new sustainability requirements through its Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Digital Product Passport (DPP) framework.

The ESPR entered into force in July 2024, introducing requirements for DPPs and product durability, as well as a ban on destroying certain unsold goods.

The ESPR does not immediately require every electronic product to carry a DPP. Instead, product-specific requirements are being introduced through delegated acts. Where applicable, manufacturers will need to provide information on materials, components, environmental characteristics, durability and repairability.

For Bangladesh, this could prove challenging as manufacturers remain dependent on imported components and raw materials, making supply-chain traceability more difficult.

Industry races to prepare

Mohammad Ali, senior vice-president of the Bangladesh Electrical Merchandise Manufacturers Association (Bemma), said the association was preparing its members through workshops covering product origin, warranties, after-sales service, repairability, and documentation.

"We are already working on a product basis, product origin, product warranty, and after-sales service – whether a product is repairable or not," he said.

But the sector still lacks adequate testing infrastructure, Ali said.

Bemma has approached the commerce and industries ministries several times for support in establishing facilities capable of testing electrical products against European and other Western-market standards.

"For the electrical sector, we think there should be an individual common facility centre," he said.

Such a facility could particularly benefit smaller manufacturers that are beginning to explore export markets.

Imported inputs pose traceability challenge

Supply-chain traceability remains another hurdle, particularly because many manufacturers source components and raw materials from China and Vietnam.

"Most of the raw materials we are importing are from China or Vietnam. In that case, it is actually totally difficult to identify the carbon footprint," Ali said.

Bemma members that have traditionally focused on the domestic market face a steeper learning curve as they move towards exports, he said.

Walton says it can adapt

For leading exporter Walton, adapting to changing international standards is not new.

Syed Al Imran, executive director of Walton Hi-Tech Industries, said the company had repeatedly upgraded its systems as overseas requirements changed, citing the transition from manual registration to the digital Registered Exporter (REX) system and changes in European energy-efficiency ratings.

"When A+++ changed to A, B, C, D and E, Walton instantly upgraded," Al Imran said.

He attributed the company's ability to respond quickly partly to its vertical integration, with Walton manufacturing many of its own parts and components.

Another advantage is Walton's NUSDAT-UTS laboratory, which provides testing and certification services, including CB certificates, he said.

Walton previously had to send refrigerators to India for testing, but NUSDAT-UTS reports are now accepted for the relevant Indian star-rating process, eliminating the need to send products abroad, Al Imran said.

When new requirements emerge, Walton can work with NUSDAT-UTS and partner laboratories to identify necessary upgrades and implement them, he added.

Vision prepares for European entry

PRAN-RFL Group's Vision Electronics is also preparing to enter the European market.

The company currently exports across South Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania and Africa, while Europe remains a strategic target.

For refrigerators and air conditioners, Vision is redesigning its product architecture to meet European quality, safety and eco-design requirements. It has already secured G-Mark certification for its air-conditioner line for the Middle East.

The company is integrating ERP systems to track raw-material origins, chemical compliance and sub-assembly batches. It is also digitising bills of materials and working with consultants to measure Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions at its Habiganj and Danga industrial parks.

Its R&D team is moving towards modular PCB designs and quick-release compressor and fan-motor mounts to facilitate repairs and component replacement.

Vision is also replacing some non-recyclable composite plastics with single-grade polymers such as ABS and HIPS, while planning for the long-term availability of key spare parts.

Policy support needed

Bemma says stronger government support is needed to help the broader industry compete internationally.

Ali called for incentives, back-to-back letters of credit and duty relief on imported raw materials, similar to support mechanisms available to the garment sector.

"If we get this kind of government backup in the electrical sector, I think electrical and electronics can be the most promising sector over the next 10 years, even more promising than RMG," he said.

The senior vice-president also urged the commerce, industries and finance ministries to hold sector-specific discussions with electrical manufacturers.

A more immediate regulatory deadline concerns batteries. Under the EU Batteries Regulation, an electronic battery passport will be mandatory from 18 February 2027 for electric-vehicle batteries, industrial batteries above 2kWh and light means of transport batteries placed on the EU market.

For Bangladesh's rapidly expanding electrical and electronics industry, the challenge is moving beyond producing competitive goods to being able to prove how they are made, tested, sourced and repaired.

Bangladesh currently exports a range of consumer electronics and appliances, including televisions, refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners, as well as electrical equipment such as power transformers, electric cables and insulated wires, switches, sockets, circuit breakers and LED lighting solutions.

The export basket also includes rechargeable batteries, transistors and semiconductor devices, along with eco-friendly bicycles and other light mechanical components.

With electrical exports growing at a double-digit rate, manufacturers that build these capabilities early could be better positioned to turn the sector's export growth into a sustained foothold in major global markets.

Bangladesh has 51.83 lakh tonnes of fertiliser in government stocks against a projected demand of 35.20 lakh tonnes through February, leaving a surplus of around 16.63 lakh tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Yet farmers in several districts are struggling to buy fertiliser, with some waiting in long queues or paying above government-fixed prices.

The Business Standard found that the disruption lies in the distribution chain after the government began implementing a new dealer policy during peak Aman demand. Existing dealer vacancies, uncertainty over the transition and rumours of dealership cancellations have reduced lifting from warehouses, disrupting last-mile supply to farmers.

The disruption has since led to farmer protests and allegations of overpricing and hoarding, despite adequate fertiliser stocks at the national level.

The agriculture ministry gazetted the Comprehensive Policy on Fertiliser Dealer Appointment and Distribution 2026 on 27 August, seeking to reorganise a system the government says had suffered from discrimination and weaknesses in distribution.

Under the new arrangement, each union can have up to three dealer units. One additional dealer is to be appointed while existing eligible dealers remain, and one person cannot hold more than one dealership. Fresh appointments are also being made against vacant dealer points.

The government says the changes are intended to make fertiliser distribution more efficient, transparent and accessible to farmers.

An unbecoming time

Implementation of the new dealer appointment and distribution system began when Aman cultivation was already under way and fertiliser demand was high, with the Rabi season also approaching.

Officials said work on revising the dealer system began in June, but repeated changes pushed the appointment process into the peak demand period.

Mohammad Hamidur Rahman, former director general of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said the timing was inappropriate.

"Aman cultivation, the country's main rice crop, starts from the beginning of August. Farmers need a huge amount of fertiliser at this time. But the new dealer appointment process was started at this very time, which was not right. As a result, existing dealers have reduced fertiliser collection from warehouses. Some are not collecting fertiliser at all. This has created the crisis," he said.

The government should have started the dealer appointment process during the off-peak season after assessing the situation, he added.

Rumours over dealerships unsettle distribution

Sector insiders said the policy transition created uncertainty among dealers, while rumours spread that existing dealerships would be cancelled.

The policy itself retained eligible existing dealers, and the agriculture ministry had also issued instructions allowing existing chemical fertiliser retailers to continue operating.

But insiders said the uncertainty was enough to make some dealers reduce or stop lifting fertiliser from government warehouses.

Agriculture Secretary Md Salim Khan acknowledged that internal disputes over the new integrated policy had affected lifting by dealers of the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) and Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC).

He also blamed rumours for creating panic among farmers.

"Effectively, there is no fertiliser shortage. A section of people are artificially creating various incidents. Many rumours have been spread at the district level about fertiliser. They have agitated farmers by spreading the claim that there is no fertiliser," he said.

An already weak dealer network

The policy transition came on top of another problem: thousands of dealer points were already vacant.

State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam told parliament on 9 September that around 3,759 dealer points had become vacant after dealers appointed under the previous government left their positions. The government plans around 4,918 new appointments as it seeks to fill gaps and expand the network.

The vacancies were not created by the new policy, but agriculturists say they left the distribution network more vulnerable when the government began changing the system during peak demand.

Dealers had sought a delay

The Bangladesh Fertilizer Association (BFA) also raised objections to the timing and implementation of the new policy.

After seeking clarification over provisions it described as unclear, unlawful and contradictory, the association asked the agriculture ministry in September to suspend the dealer appointment process for two months.

The request followed a High Court order asking the ministry to dispose of the BFA's objections within 60 days. The association argued that appointments should remain suspended during that period so the Aman season could be completed without further disruption.

BFA Chairman Md Mosharraf Hossain had separately instructed dealers in August to lift allocated fertiliser on time and sell it at government-fixed prices.

Reduced lifting hits local supply

Agriculture ministry officials said the disruption became more acute after dealers lifted only around half of their allocated fertiliser from government warehouses in July and August.

Officials said agriculture officers in 15 districts failed to report the reduced lifting to the ministry. After two consecutive months of low collection, shortages began appearing in local markets.

The ministry later concluded that some dealers had deliberately refrained from lifting allocations to create an artificial shortage, officials said.

Show-cause notices were subsequently issued to agriculture officials in the affected districts, while some faced withdrawal and stand-release orders.

Agriculture Secretary Md Salim Khan said some farmers were also trying to stock more fertiliser ahead of the Rabi season, adding further pressure on local supply.

Farmers feel the impact

The effect has become visible in districts including Rajshahi, where farmers have repeatedly visited dealer warehouses only to return without fertiliser.

Some supplies are also being sold outside the authorised dealer network at substantially higher prices. TSP, officially priced at Tk1,350 per sack, has reportedly been selling for around Tk2,000 in the open market.

More than 100 farmers from Baneshwar and surrounding areas blocked the Rajshahi-Natore highway for about an hour earlier this week, protesting what they described as an artificial shortage and demanding increased supplies.

Enough fertiliser nationally

Government figures, however, continue to show sufficient supply at the national level.

The government told parliament this week that projected demand for urea, TSP, DAP and MOP from October through February stands at 35.87 lakh tonnes, against 51.71 lakh tonnes of prepared supply – around 15.84 lakh tonnes above projected demand.

State Minister for Commerce Md Shariful Islam said the government was maintaining domestic production, imports and buffer stocks to keep supplies uninterrupted.

The figures reinforce the central problem identified by officials and sector insiders: fertiliser is available nationally, but disruptions in the dealer network are preventing it from consistently reaching farmers.

Govt steps up monitoring

The government has intensified enforcement as it tries to stabilise distribution.

Agriculture ministry officials said 230 mobile courts were conducted between 28 August and 10 September, with fines totalling Tk38,68,824. Authorities also recovered 1,700 sacks of fertiliser and sentenced four people to imprisonment.

Monitoring arrangements have been strengthened across all 64 districts, while the government is moving ahead with new dealer appointments.

The challenge now is to complete that transition without further disrupting a distribution system already under pressure during one of the busiest periods of the agricultural calendar.

The government aims to attract an additional $5 billion in US investment to Bangladesh over the next five years, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said.

He said the government and the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) would work together to achieve the target, with the government ready to cooperate with US companies to boost investment, create jobs, facilitate technology transfer and expand economic opportunities.

The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at a programme marking AmCham Bangladesh's 30th anniversary at the Radisson Blu Water Garden in Dhaka today (12 September).

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen, AmCham President Syed Mohammad Kamal, Vice President Ala Uddin Azad, former presidents and current and former executive committee members, government officials, business leaders and media representatives attended the event.

Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and the US currently exceeds $13 billion, Muktadir said, adding that the relationship extends well beyond trade.

AmCham member companies have invested more than $5 billion in Bangladesh and contribute more than 20% to the country's national revenue, according to the minister.

"This investment reflects the confidence of US businesses in Bangladesh's economy," he said.

Muktadir said AmCham leaders recently met with the prime minister and expressed interest in bringing an additional $5 billion in US investment to Bangladesh over the next five years.

"The government will provide the necessary support to implement this initiative," he said.

He assured US businesses that the government would respond to genuine concerns raised by investors.

Money is getting cheaper in Bangladesh, but the falling cost of credit reflects a sluggish economy rather than a recovery.

Interest rates have steadily declined as banks accumulate vast excess liquidity amid weak credit demand. Simultaneously, Bangladesh Bank has shifted towards an easier monetary stance by cutting its benchmark policy rate, placing further downward pressure on money-market yields.

Healthy commercial banks have trimmed both lending and deposit rates by 1-2 percentage points in recent months. This comes as private-sector credit growth dropped to 4.47% in June – the lowest level in 33 years. Average deposit rates at most institutions now hover between 7% and 8%, while lending rates range from 10% to 11%. With minimal credit demand from businesses, banks have piled into government securities, driving yields on all Treasury bills and bonds down into single digits.

By June 2026, total excess liquidity in the banking sector surged by 39.40% year-on-year to exceed Tk4 lakh crore. The foreign-exchange market shows a similar imbalance: robust dollar inflows and weak import demand have created upward pressure on the taka. To prevent sharp currency appreciation and protect exporters and remitters, the central bank resumed dollar purchases from commercial banks on 1 September, buying $50 million at Tk122.75 – well above market remittance rates of Tk122.30-122.60. Gross foreign-exchange reserves subsequently rose by nearly $5 billion over the year, reaching $36.33 billion by 3 September.

This rate decline occurs against a fragile macroeconomic backdrop marked by sluggish growth, persistent inflation, and high unemployment, raising fears of stagflation. Although inflation eased to 8.26% in August, it remains comfortably above the government's 7.5% target for FY27. Because prices were already elevated last year, this ongoing inflation compounds a high baseline, keeping consumer prices uncomfortably high.

In response, Bangladesh Bank is injecting liquidity via stimulus measures and planning further monetary easing to reignite investment. However, economists and bankers warn that injecting liquidity without addressing structural bottlenecks will fail to revive real demand and could aggravate inflation.

Why is Bangladesh Bank cutting rates?
In July, Bangladesh Bank lowered its policy rate by 50 basis points to 9.5% to spur private investment. This marked a clear departure from the tight monetary stance maintained since 2022, during which the policy rate was gradually raised from 5% to 10% and kept there for nearly two years from October 2024.

"Our earlier assumption was that raising the policy rate would make money expensive, reduce liquidity, and curb inflation," a senior Bangladesh Bank executive said on condition of anonymity. "However, that mechanism failed in our context. Despite keeping the rate high for two years, inflation remained stubborn."

The official added that elevated interest rates instead drove up corporate financing and production costs, which firms passed directly to consumers. "We are now testing a supply-side strategy: lower the policy rate to reduce production and import costs. If supply expands and unit costs fall, prices should moderate."

Easier money risks fueling inflation
Md Ezazul Islam, Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management, argues that lower interest rates are a symptom of economic paralysis. "Economic activity remains constrained by gas and electricity shortages, the lingering aftershocks of recent political instability, and global uncertainty," Islam noted.

While deposit growth has remained steady, banks cannot generate matching credit due to absent loan demand. "Banks naturally redirect excess funds into government Treasury bills and bonds. With heavy government borrowing and intense competition among banks for these safe assets, yields drop. That is basic market dynamics," Islam said, adding that the trend will persist until private credit demand rebounds.

Islam cautioned that monetary easing without productive capacity risks worsening inflation. "Job creation and investment are primarily fiscal responsibilities. If the government wants to stimulate the economy, it must deploy fiscal tools through the budget – such as tax relief, infrastructure spending, and securing energy supplies – rather than over-relying on central bank liquidity."

Structural hurdles mute credit demand
Despite lower borrowing costs, credit demand shows no sign of recovery. City Bank, one of the country's prominent private lenders, recorded just 7%-8% credit growth over the first nine months of the year – half its historical average – despite double-digit deposit growth.

A senior executive at the bank noted that expected credit demand failed to materialise even after post-election political uncertainty subsided. "Even when we offer competitive rates to large corporate clients, many refuse to borrow due to persistent gas shortages," the executive said. Consequently, City Bank redirected surplus liquidity into government debt and deployed over Tk 2,000 crore into the central bank's stimulus fund.

The executive also cast doubt on the official 4.47% private-sector credit growth figure for June. "Real growth is likely negative; much of that figure reflects forced loans and accrued interest on existing facilities."

He noted that the central bank's Tk60,000 crore stimulus package equals roughly 3% of total bank loans. Fully implementing it would only push credit growth to 7%-8% – far below the 15%-16% required to support the government's 6.5% GDP growth target for FY27. "Furthermore, banks will not take the risk of lending to distressed or insolvent businesses simply because money is cheap," he added.

Certainty over cheap money
Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, managing director of BRAC Bank, emphasised that falling rates stem directly from surplus liquidity rather than intentional economic stimulus. "When credit growth halts, money builds up. Lowering rates alone cannot create demand if the wider business environment remains unsupportive."

BRAC Bank has lowered corporate lending rates to 11%-12% (with select prime clients receiving 9%-10%), while SME rates have dropped to 14%-15% and retail rates to 11%-12%. Deposit rates across sound banks have settled around 8%-9%. Distressed banks continue offering 11%-12% on deposits solely to maintain liquidity, rather than to finance new lending.

Abul Kashem Md Shirin, former managing director of Dutch-Bangla Bank, observed that major industrial borrowers are holding back expansion plans due to broader uncertainty. "When liquidity is abundant and credit demand falls, rates drop naturally. Bangladesh Bank spent years trying to force interest rates down through directives, but market forces are finally driving the adjustment automatically – which is precisely how a market economy ought to function."

Some 110,364 registered farmers across Bangladesh will receive Tk2,500 each under the pilot phase of the government's Farmer Card programme, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said today (12 September).

The government plans to eventually bring more than 20 million farmers under the programme within the stipulated timeframe, he said.

The minister disclosed the plan during a press briefing in Fulgazi upazila of Feni, where he inspected preparations for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit and the inauguration of the Farmer Card, Family Card and monthly honorarium allowances for imams, muezzins, khadems, priests and sebayets.

The inauguration programme is scheduled for 17 September, with preparations underway, the minister said.

"On the opening day of the pilot programme, 110,364 registered farmers across the country will receive Tk2,500 each as an incentive. A total of 7,643 farmers in Feni district will receive the card," he said.

The programme will be gradually expanded to every upazila, union and block across the country, he added.

The minister said farmers would be selected without discrimination and that the programme would cover all categories of genuine farmers.

"All genuine farmers - marginal, small, landless, medium and large - will be brought under the programme," he said.

The initiative aims to ensure farmers can obtain fertiliser and seeds at fair prices while receiving fair returns for their agricultural produce.

Government assistance will also be delivered to genuine farmers in a more organised and transparent manner through the Farmer Card, Amin Ur Rashid said.

Responding to questions about fertiliser shortages, the minister said there was no shortage in the country and warned against attempts to create an artificial crisis.

"Anyone attempting to create an artificial shortage, harass farmers or sell fertiliser at inflated prices will face strict action. The government has a zero-tolerance policy towards irregularities and corruption involving fertiliser," he said.

He said authorities had received reports that fertiliser was being stored outside authorised dealers' premises.

"If fertiliser that is supposed to be with a dealer is found in another warehouse or with an individual, the matter is being investigated," he said.

The Ministry of Agriculture has formed several teams to monitor the situation, he added. The teams are working from 8am to 10pm and will take prompt action when they receive information about fertiliser-related irregularities.

The government is also prioritising agricultural modernisation and increased production in char areas, the minister said.

Plans are being formulated to assess how different chars across the country can be modernised and how agricultural output in those areas can be increased, he added.

The momentum behind the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) should be turned into tangible joint-venture manufacturing and foreign investment, said South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Kim Ji-joon.

He stressed the need to ensure a level playing field for formal investors and introduce a more investment-friendly tariff structure to attract greater Korean investment.

Kim made the remarks as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Navigating the National Budget 2026-2027: Opportunities for Business and Investors” at Sheraton Dhaka in Banani on September 9.

The Korea-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KBCCI) organised the seminar, according to a press release.

The ambassador also called for integrated industrial clusters, predictable incentives for joint ventures, and simpler visa and work-permit procedures for foreign experts.

He urged stronger digital links among customs, ports, banks and tax authorities, along with effective investor aftercare and reliable energy supplies.

Kim reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to being a long-term partner of Bangladesh in investment, technology transfer and manufacturing know-how.

Welcoming the participants, Shahab Uddin Khan, president of KBCCI, said changes in tax, value-added tax (VAT), customs duties and import policies directly affect business costs, investment decisions and future planning.

He reaffirmed KBCCI’s commitment to strengthening Bangladesh-Korea economic ties through greater trade and investment, joint ventures, technology transfer and industrial cooperation.

Snehashish Barua, a chartered accountant and a director of SMAC Advisory Services Ltd, delivered a keynote titled “Finance Act 2026 Unveiled: Analysis of Key Tax, VAT, Customs & Regulatory Changes”.

He provided a practical analysis of major fiscal and regulatory changes and their implications for businesses and investors.

Md Moazzem Hossain, member of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), and Nahian Rahman Rochi, executive member of Invest Bangladesh, attended the event as special guests.

The seminar provided a platform for dialogue between policymakers and the private sector and explored new opportunities for businesses and investors. It also highlighted KBCCI’s role in strengthening the longstanding economic ties between Bangladesh and South Korea.

Do-Kee Park (Harry), chief executive officer of KBCCI, was also present, among others.

The Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) will facilitate the payment of Tk23.03 crore in long-pending insurance claims to 5,868 policyholders today (14 September) under the second phase of its claim settlement programme.

The claims, totalling Tk23,03,56,971, involve five life insurance companies, according to the regulator.

IDRA is arranging the funds from various sources, including assets and security bonds of the concerned insurers, to settle legitimate claims that have remained unpaid for an extended period.

Under the second phase, Padma Islami Life Insurance Company will pay around Tk12 crore to 3,600 policyholders.

Homeland Life Insurance Company will settle Tk4.98 crore for 1,145 policyholders, while Fareast Islami Life Insurance Company will pay Tk5 crore to 580 policyholders.

Sunflower Life Insurance Company will pay Tk55.30 lakh to 300 policyholders, and Sunlife Insurance Company will settle Tk50.18 lakh for 243 policyholders.

The initiative is aimed at expediting the settlement of valid long-pending claims and restoring customer confidence in the insurance sector, IDRA said.

In the first phase, IDRA facilitated the payment of Tk14,51,03,146.58 in insurance claims to 2,549 policyholders of seven life insurance companies on 3 September.

The government has stepped up its oversight of public financial management, issuing a strict directive to all government ministries, divisions, and institutions to revise and update their budget-implementation plans (BIPs), according to the finance ministry.

Under the initiative, the finance ministry has asked various state agencies, including ministries, divisions, and other government entities, to urgently revise their BIPs to align public spending with the government's election manifesto, reform agenda, and priority programmes for the fiscal year 2026-27.

"The ministry also sent the instruction to the cabinet secretary, comptroller and auditor general, chief election commissioner, and secretaries of more than 20 ministries and divisions, including home, planning, finance, economic relations, railways, disaster management, foreign affairs, education, and youth and sports," an official involved in the matter said.

The Finance Division has set September 15 as the deadline for completing the exercise and updating the plans in the iBAS++ BIP module, according to a directive issued on September 7.

The directive comes as the government moves to strengthen monitoring of budget execution and ensure that spending plans are consistent with its newly set policy priorities.

The Finance Division said the FY27 budget was prepared considering the government's election manifesto, reform programmes, and priority areas. It also noted that ministries and divisions had already prepared their annual procurement plans (APPs) in line with the government's priority programmes.

They have, therefore, been instructed to review their existing BIPs and make necessary changes so that the budget implementation plans are consistent with the APPs and government priorities.

The instruction was issued under Section 15 of the Government Financial and Budget Management Act 2009, which provides for regular monitoring of progress in budget implementation.

The Finance Division said the methodology and necessary forms for preparing BIPs were incorporated into Budget Circular-1 issued on April 20 this year. The BIP module has also been developed in the iBAS++ system for ministries, divisions, and other government institutions.

The latest instruction effectively seeks to bring budget execution, procurement, and government priorities under a common implementation framework, allowing the Finance Division to monitor whether spending is progressing according to approved plans.

The ministries and divisions have been asked to complete the revised BIPs and inform the Finance Division by September 15.

The government formulated a Tk 9.38 trillion national budget for FY27, with Tk 3.0 trillion earmarked for the annual development programme (ADP).

When contacted, a senior official of the finance ministry said the move signalled the government's bid to enforce greater financial discipline and closer oversight of budget execution, particularly by linking procurement plans with the policy priorities reflected in the FY27 budget.

A unit of the 1,600-megawatt Adani power plant in India's Jharkhand has shut down following "technical fault" that further tightened Bangladesh's power-supply situation amid ongoing gas, coal and liquid-fuel shortages.

Sources say the shutdown has cut down the plant's generation by more than half.

The plant was generating more than 1,400 megawatts on Thursday night before one of its units went offline around midnight.

By Friday noon, its generation had fallen to 736mw, according to sources at Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB).

At 3:00am on Thursday, grid supply came down to 12,907 megawatts against 15,776 MWs in demand, leaving a 2,869mw shortfall.

Officials familiar with the plant said a technical glitch had developed in the boiler of one of its units. "The boiler may take around 48 hours to cool before repair can begin, meaning it could take several days for generation to return to normal."

The BPDB signed a power-purchase agreement with the plant authority in 2017. The plant has supplied more than 1,500 megawatts at times, based on Bangladesh's demand.

Meanwhile, the country's power generation has come under increasing pressure for worsening energy shortage and technical glitches at some power plants.

According to BPDB sources, the gas shortage has persisted for more than two months, reducing generation from gas-fired power plants by up to 1,500 MWs. Several coal-fired plants are also operating below capacity due to fuel shortages and technical problems.

Latest generation data show that BPDB generates 13,000-14,000 MWs against peak-hour demand exceeding 16,000 MWs, leaving a significant supply deficit. Current production relies primarily on gas-fired plants (5,000 MWs), coal-fired units (4,500 MWs), and liquid-fuel plants (2,000-3,000 MWs).

Generation at the Payra power plant in Patuakhali has also been affected, with one unit remaining offline for several days due to coal shortages and a technical fault. Another power plant in Patuakhali is also facing a coal shortage.

Sources said authorities were trying to offset the shortfall by increasing generation from oil-fired power plants to make do with.

However, the additional generation has not been sufficient to fully ease the pressure on the power-supply system.

Load shedding has also increased as electricity demand rises with higher temperatures even at the fag-end of the outgoing summer.

Despite Friday being a weekly holiday, load shedding exceeded 2,500 MWs in the morning. It later fell to 414 MWs at about 2:00pm as generation increased.

The shutdown of one of Adani's units, along with fuel shortages and technical glitches at other plants, is likely to put additional pressure on the country's power- supply system over the coming days.

Bangladesh received $6.85 billion in remittances from July 1 to September 9 of fiscal year 2026-27, up 15.9 percent year-on-year, according to Bangladesh Bank data released Thursday.

The country received $5.918 billion during the same period of FY26.

Bangladeshi expatriates living in different countries sent home $1.031 billion in remittances in the first nine days of September 2026, up 1.3 percent from $1.018 billion during the corresponding period a year earlier, the central bank data showed.

On September 9 alone, the country received $127 million in remittances.

Bangladesh received $35.34 billion in remittances through formal banking channels in FY26.

The government may revert to monthly value-added tax (VAT) returns and payments from the current quarterly system launched this July amid concerns over monitoring difficulties, operational complications and increased collection risks arising from the new arrangement.

Following adverse feedback from field-level offices, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has requested the finance ministry to take steps to reverse the provision, according to officials familiar with the matter.

“We have completed preparations on our side. The decision now awaits Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s approval,” said an NBR official, seeking anonymity.

The development comes as VAT collection, which accounts for nearly 38 percent of the NBR’s total revenue, fell by about 21 percent year-on-year in the first two months of FY2026-27, according to provisional data.

The revenue board collected Tk 9,302 crore in VAT in July, down from Tk 11,547 crore a year earlier. Collection fell further in August to Tk 8,362 crore, compared with Tk 11,081 crore in the same month last year.

As a result, VAT collection during July-August stood at Tk 17,663 crore, down from Tk 22,628 crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.

The NBR, however, does not yet have sufficient data to determine whether the new system has affected overall VAT collection, officials said. Businesses have until the end of September to submit their returns for the first quarter under the new arrangement.

WHAT THE NEW SYSTEM OFFERS

Officials explained that the previous system allowed taxpayers to retain the VAT money for up to 30 days and pay it by the 15th of the following month.

Under the new quarterly system, businesses can now retain the VAT collected from consumers for up to three months before making the payment.

“Now that the period has been extended to three months, large businesses can keep the VAT collected from consumers and earn interest on it or use it in other ways,” an official of the Dhaka Commissionerate said, seeking anonymity.

The official said the three-month payment window gives businesses an opportunity to earn interest on VAT they have already collected from consumers but have yet to remit to the government.

“Suppose you have Tk 200 crore in one month and another Tk 200 crore in the next -- Tk 400 crore in total. If you put that money into Treasury bonds, DPS or FDRs, you can earn interest from it,” he said.

“But this is actually government money. You have already collected it from consumers against each invoice,” he added.

Another official, also seeking anonymity, said the government could not afford to let public funds remain with businesses for an extended period, particularly as it has to pay interest on its own borrowings.

FIELD OFFICES SEEK RETURN TO MONTHLY SYSTEM

According to the Dhaka Commissionerate official, the NBR does not yet have all the systems and monitoring tools in place that are needed to properly manage the quarterly VAT mechanism.

“We are facing problems both in monitoring and in terms of risk,” he said. “We used to track revenue collection monthly by circle, division and unit. That monitoring tool is no longer available to us.”

“One weakness of our department is that we have not yet established a system to deposit VAT into the treasury immediately against each invoice. This is a systemic weakness on our part,” he added.

“We demand that the return should also be submitted monthly. Both the return and payment should be monthly,” the official said.

Another official of the Rangpur Commissionerate also called for a return to the monthly system.

When asked why the NBR had not addressed the monitoring and collection issues before launching the new system, NBR Acting Chairman Ahsan Habib declined to comment.

BUSINESSES OPPOSE RETURN TO MONTHLY PAYMENTS

Businesses, meanwhile, have warned that restoring monthly VAT payments would run counter to the government's efforts to reduce compliance burdens and improve the ease of doing business.

Mohammed Amirul Haque, managing director of Premier Cement Mills, also criticised the NBR’s potential move to reverse the quarterly VAT payment system without adequate consultation with businesses.

“Their (NBR) main issue is consultation with businesses. If there is a problem, (they should) sit down with us. Ask us, ‘What is the modus operandi? How can we do it?’” he said.

He questioned the rationale for reverting to monthly payments after introducing the quarterly system in the name of ease of doing business.

“They introduced the quarterly system in the name of ease of doing business. Now, if they suddenly say everything has to be done every month, what is the justification? They did not consult us in the first place,” he said.

Amirul said compliant businesses should not be penalised because some non-compliant companies might misuse the system.

“If a non-compliant company takes advantage of the quarterly system to evade taxes, you cannot punish the compliant companies for that,” he said.

He also questioned the NBR's argument that quarterly payments create monitoring difficulties.

“If receiving government revenue every three months creates a monitoring problem, then why have you been holding advance income tax for years? Does that not create monitoring difficulties?” he said.

Some NBR officials have suggested a compromise: businesses could continue filing VAT returns every three months but would have to pay the VAT they collect into the government treasury every month.

Responding to a question from reporters on Tuesday, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the government would discuss the complications arising from the quarterly VAT return system and take a decision soon.

Currently, Bangladesh has more than 8 lakh businesses registered for VAT and holding Business Identification Numbers, according to the NBR.

US-Bangla Airlines plans to place another major order for leased aircraft worth $4-5 billion within the next 60 days, Managing Director Abdullah Al Mamin said today (12 September).

"We will order more leased aircraft worth $4-5 billion within the next 60 days," he said at a policy conclave titled "World-class aviation for Bangladesh's economic progress", organised by The Daily Bonik Barta at the United Convention Centre in Kurmitola, Dhaka.

However, Al Mamin did not disclose how many aircraft would be leased under the planned deal.

Asked about the aircraft manufacturer, Al Mamin told The Business Standard that the airline could not disclose at this stage whether the aircraft would be supplied by Boeing or Airbus.

Earlier, US-Bangla announced plans to acquire 21 Boeing aircraft through a $1.5 billion leasing deal as part of a major fleet expansion programme.

US-Bangla unveils $1.5b leasing deal to add 21 Boeing aircraft
The announcement was made on 29 July at the airline's "Beyond with Boeing" event in Dhaka.

The deal includes 15 Boeing 737-8 aircraft and six Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with all 21 aircraft scheduled for delivery by the end of 2027.

US-Bangla currently operates 25 aircraft, making it the largest fleet among Bangladesh's local airlines.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashiduzzaman Millat attended the event as the chief guest, while State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir was the special guest.

Former Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Air Vice Marshal (retd) Mahmud Hussain also attended the event.

Bonik Barta Editor Dewan Hainf Mahmud delivered the welcome speech.

The conclave was supported by AirAsia, United Group and US-Bangla Airlines.

Foreign investors accelerated their sell-off in the capital market in August, cutting holdings in several fundamental and large-cap stocks despite recent regulatory measures aimed at easing foreign investment.

According to Dhaka Stock Exchange data, City Bank saw the sharpest decline, with foreign ownership falling 1.72 percentage points to 8.26%, involving a Tk90 crore sell-off. BRAC Bank followed with a 0.57-point drop to 32.39% and a Tk80 crore exit.

Prime Bank's foreign holding fell 0.35 points to 5.36% (Tk12.30 crore), while Uttara Bank declined 0.17 points to 0.45% (Tk4 crore).

Foreign investors also reduced exposure to major blue-chip and multinational stocks. Grameenphone saw holdings fall 0.08 points to 0.17% (Tk26 crore), while Square Pharma declined 0.04 points to 14.33% (Tk7.5 crore).

Other sell-offs were recorded in Olympic Industries (Tk5 crore), BAT Bangladesh (Tk2.5 crore), Walton (Tk1.2 crore), LafargeHolcim Bangladesh (Tk1.20 crore), Summit Alliance Port (Tk0.71 crore), Shasha Denims (Tk0.55 crore), Envoy Textile (Tk0.47 crore), IDLC Finance (Tk0.40 crore) and Reckitt Benckiser (Tk0.15 crore).

Foreign buying remained muted, with small purchases in Acme Laboratories (Tk0.16 crore), LankaBangla Finance (Tk0.08 crore), Orion Pharma (Tk0.05 crore) and Ring Shine Textile.

The continued outflow comes despite recent policy measures to attract overseas capital. Bangladesh Bank removed the requirement for an auditor's certificate for every non-resident trade, allowing authorised dealer banks to process tax withholding directly into Non-Resident Investor Taka Accounts (NITA).

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission also relaxed dividend remittance deadlines for foreign shareholders, linking compliance to the issuance of Double Taxation Avoidance certificates. Meanwhile, MSCI will resume regular index reviews for Bangladesh from November 2026, ending its three-year "special treatment" following the 2022 floor price regime.

Market experts said foreign sentiment has nevertheless been weakened by recent regulatory decisions. They cited concerns over policy consistency following the removal of former Governor Ahsan H Mansur, as well as Bangladesh Bank's requirement for banks to have at least Tk2,000 crore in paid-up capital to declare dividends and its 4% cap on interest-rate spreads.

Analysts said such administrative interventions risk pushing the financial system towards a command-style economy, weakening market-based decision-making and encouraging global investors to shift funds elsewhere.

The government built 39 high-tech and software technology parks at a huge cost, but the facilities have failed to deliver the expected investment, jobs and technology growth, according to stakeholders.

They blamed a shortage of skilled workers, weak industry-academia links, poor maintenance, high operating costs and inadequate institutional support for the failure.

Speaking at a virtual discussion titled “Hi-Tech Parks: What is the Mission? What is the Reality?” yesterday, they said the government does not necessarily need to abandon the parks now. Instead, it should focus on making them useful, improving governance and providing the support businesses need.

From 2009 to 2023, the Awami League government built the parks, expecting the infrastructure to drive investment and create a technology boom.

“But results so far clearly show that the assumption was not the right one,” said M Rokonuzzaman, professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at North South University.

He cited Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore as examples of countries where technology ecosystems grew through stronger links between industry, skills, research and government support.

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, former special assistant to the chief adviser, blamed the failure partly on establishing the parks in economically weak areas instead of integrating them with existing commercial hubs.

He said many of the parks were built without considering whether a viable economy already existed around them.

Faiz also questioned the credibility and effectiveness of the training ecosystem, saying the training facilities alongside the parks did not guarantee a steady supply of industry-ready workers.

Rafel Kabir, managing director of DNS Software Ltd, said the parks should have focused on producing core technologies, such as motherboards and chips fabrication.

At the programme organised by the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), entrepreneurs from different parks also spoke about the obstacles they face.

Mohammad Mohidul Islam, managing director of software firm Ongsho at Jashore High-Tech Park, said around 40 companies are trying to stay afloat independently there without effective ecosystem support.

Jashore High-Tech Park was established in December 2017.

Mohidul said the authority treats them as tenants rather than entrepreneurs.

Md Ashafuddoza Shishir, co-founder and chief operating officer of Netro Systems Ltd and Telzen, said ventures from Rajshahi Hi-Tech Park have managed to develop global footprints.

But the direct benefits of operating in the park are limited, he said. “The tangible benefit for companies in Rajshahi park is confined to tax exemptions, as direct authority support for startups is largely absent.”

Farhana A Rahman, chairperson and CEO of UY Systems Ltd, said similar problems are visible at Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park, where companies were offered plots without the wider services needed to build a functioning business ecosystem.

“We remain trapped in a loop of grandiose promises about high-tech parks, yet despite the building of so many facilities across the country, real progress on the ground is absent,” she said.

“The Kaliakor Hi-tech Park offered land plots but no supportive services. So, many later surrendered their allocations,” Farhana added.

Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of PPRC and moderator of the discussion, said Bangladesh does not need to abandon the high-tech park model altogether.

He said that the country should rebuild it on firmer foundations, with reliable utilities, accountable governance and support systems that treat companies as partners rather than tenants left to fend for themselves.

“Long-term success requires shifting focus from building physical real estate to cultivating soft infrastructure, skilled human capital, and industry-driven training,” he added.

Indonesian state-run company -- PT Pertamina -- is all set to bag the operation and management (O&M) contract of Bangladesh's maiden single-point mooring (SPM) for carrying fuel from vessels in outer anchorage to onshore storage tanks.

The state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) recently completed the evaluation for selecting the O&M contractor to initiate the operation of the country's much-needed oil carrying infrastructure two years after its installation, a senior official of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) told The Financial Express on Thursday.

A total of 11 companies had purchased tender documents to compete in the bidding, and three of them submitted bids in February this year to carry out the job.

After inking the deal, the Indonesian company will carry out the operation and management job for five years.

The Indonesian company has been selected as the O&M contractor following re-tendering.

Pertamina was the lone bidder in the initial tender, which was cancelled due to higher than expected price quotes.

During the BPC's previous tender, the Indonesian company had quoted $117 million, which was around 33 per cent above the BPC's budget of $88 million, resulting in the cancellation, said sources.

The SPM has already been kept idle for two years, and the BPC is counting extra money while using lighter vessels to carry fuel from mother vessels to tanks onshore as a consequence.

Chinese firm China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co Ltd (CPPEC) completed the construction of the SPM with a double-pipeline project and handed over the infrastructure to the BPC in August 2024.

The guarantee period to resolve faults in operations of the SPM, however, expired in February this year, much ahead of its commencement of commercial operation, it has been alleged.

The delay in starting operations of the SPM system is allegedly benefiting private operators, who are earning hefty profits by carrying fuel from outer anchorage to onshore storage through lighter vessels, at the expense of public money, industry insiders said.

Allegations are rife that a vested interest group, working in collusion with private sector beneficiaries, was playing a key role in delaying the SPM and its associated fuel pipelines and infrastructure.

The SPM system is used for piping petroleum from vessels far offshore and onshore storage tanks, thus slashing both time and cost of oil imports.

CPPEC built the SPM system after being selected as a contractor "unsolicitedly" under the currently repealed Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provision) Act 2010.

The project cost escalated by 60 per cent to Tk 80 billion from the initial target of Tk 50 billion.

The installation of the SPM with the double pipeline project was implemented with Chinese concessional loans of around $554 million.

Of the total, China provided around $467.84 million as preferential buyers' credit and the remaining $82.5 million was available as soft loan.

The Exim Bank of China provided the money, to be repaid within 20 years at an interest rate of 2.0 per cent per annum with five years' grace period.

As part of the project, a 220-kilometre pipeline has been installed, with most of it laid in the waters of the Bay of Bengal.

Six storage tanks have also been constructed.

The tanks have a combined capacity of 240,000 tonnes of petroleum products, with 150,000 tonnes designated for crude oil and 90,000 tonnes for gas oil.

Once it is fully executed, the BPC will be able to unload petroleum products from a 100,000-deadweight tonnage tanker within 48 hours, which now takes 11 days.

No lighter vessels would be required to carry fuel from mother vessel, which is now moored at the outer quay, after implementation of the project.

The BPC is currently paying around $5.50 per tonne to lighterage or small vessels, owned mainly by the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) to ferry petroleum to its onshore tanks from larger mother vessels.

Once operational, the SPM will save the cost of the BPC in unloading fuel significantly.

The government will be able to save around Tk 8.0 billion alone by reducing transport costs of petro-products from outer anchorage to onshore fuel tankers, market insiders said.

Bangladesh has set a target to generate at least 20% of its total electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and 30% by 2040 to curb dependence on imported fuels and prioritise renewable energy to meet growing demand, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told parliament today (9 September).

Under the government's National Renewable Energy Development Strategy for 2026-2030, he said, the country aims to generate 5,500 megawatts of electricity from rooftop solar systems and 4,500MW from ground-mounted solar projects by 2030.

Another 450MW to 550MW is targeted from wind, waste-to-energy, hydropower, floating solar, and agrivoltaics, among other technologies, he added.

The prime minister disclosed the targets in a written response to a question from Meherpur-1 MP Md Tajuddin Khan during the question-answer session of the third session of the 13th parliament.

"Considering the country's growing electricity demand, the government has identified renewable energy as a priority sector to reduce dependence on imported fuel," said the prime minister.

The prime minister also said the government has also introduced incentives to encourage electricity generation from renewable sources, including conditional exemptions from various duties and taxes on solar panels, inverters, batteries and supporting structures used for solar installations.

He said the maximum generation cost for rooftop solar systems with batteries was set at Tk8 per unit on 1 September 2026.

As part of a special incentive package, the government has fixed the purchase price of electricity supplied to the national grid at Tk10.50 per unit, taking into account a 20% profit margin on generation cost and an 11.25% premium.

Under the notification, consumers who install rooftop solar systems by 28 February 2027 in accordance with the Net Metering Guideline 2025 and supply surplus electricity to the national grid after meeting their own consumption needs will receive Tk10.50 per unit for the following three years, until 28 February 2030.

The prime minister also told parliament that the government has formulated several policies and guidelines to expand renewable energy.

These include the "Guideline for Development of Renewable Energy Projects on Land Owned by Government Agencies under the PPP Model, 2026," the "Policy for Increasing Private Participation in Renewable Energy-Based Power Generation, 2025," the "Renewable Energy Policy, 2025," the "Net Metering Guideline, 2025" and the "National Rooftop Solar Programme, 2025."

He said guidelines have also been formulated on business models for waste-to-energy generation, onshore wind development and carbon credit processing.

The government will import 18 cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from France-based energy company TotalEnergies over the next nine months, with two cargoes scheduled each month from October this year to June next year.

The government may also purchase additional LNG cargoes from the company if needed, subject to mutual agreement between the two sides.

The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase approved the LNG procurement proposal at a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury today (9 September).

The LNG will be procured through the direct purchase method for international procurement.

Each LNG cargo from TotalEnergies will be priced at the Japan Korea Marker (JKM) plus $0.06 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), according to the government.

The rate is slightly lower than the price agreed with US-based Gunvor for 14 LNG cargoes to be imported between 2026 and 2028. Under that arrangement, the price was set at JKM plus $0.0875 per MMBtu.

The TotalEnergies procurement received policy approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs to meet urgent gas demand amid heightened geopolitical instability stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, according to the Ministry of Finance's Public Relations Department.

Bangladesh has long-term LNG supply agreements with Qatar and Oman. However, supplies under the contracts have been disrupted amid the Iran conflict, contributing to the country's ongoing gas shortage.

Against this backdrop, the government has been buying LNG from the spot market at relatively high prices while seeking alternative sources to bolster supplies.

As part of that effort, the government has also approved a proposal to sign a long-term LNG import agreement with US-based Gunvor through 2038.

Under the approved arrangement, Bangladesh will import 14 LNG cargoes from Gunvor between 2026 and 2028 at JKM plus $0.0875 per MMBtu.

Ten banks accounted for more than 72 percent of the banking sector’s total non-performing loans, according to the central bank, showing that the country’s 61 commercial lenders are not equally responsible for the sector’s financial distress.

As of June this year, bad loans in the banking sector stood at a whopping Tk 6,06,555 crore, according to the latest data from the Bangladesh Bank (BB). Of this, the 10 distressed lenders held Tk 4,39,527 crore in NPLs.

The lenders are Islami Bank Bangladesh, Janata Bank, Agrani Bank, IFIC Bank, National Bank, AB Bank, First Security Islami Bank, EXIM Bank, Social Islami Bank and Union Bank.

In terms of volume, Islami Bank Bangladesh has the highest level of bad loans in the banking sector. Until June this year, its NPLs stood at around Tk 98,914 crore, or 52.15 percent of its disbursed loans.

The bank was taken over by S Alam Group in 2017. The controversial conglomerate later extended around 80 percent of the bank’s total loans to its own companies and associated firms, violating banking rules and regulations.

After the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024 in an uprising, the bank was freed from the group’s control and is now operating under the supervision of the BB.

At the end of December last year, Islami Bank’s bad loans stood at Tk 92,115 crore, or 49 percent of its disbursed loans. In the six months to June, its bad loans increased by Tk 6,799 crore, according to BB data.

Contacted, Md Altaf Hossain, acting managing director of Islami Bank, said that a large share of its defaulted loans is linked to the S Alam Group, with recovery remaining minimal.

He said that the bank is trying to recover loans from other borrowers, but progress has been limited.

“We are trying to recover the loans through cash payments and rescheduling. When we find no other way, we ultimately resort to filing cases against the customers,” Altaf told The Daily Star.

The acting managing director said the bank regularised Tk 5,885 crore this year through rescheduling, while it recovered Tk 749 crore from classified loans.

Scam-hit Janata Bank ranked second in terms of bad loan volume. Its NPLs stood at Tk 75,729 crore, or 75 percent of its disbursed loans.

Seeking anonymity, Janata Bank officials told The Daily Star that a major portion of the bank’s bad loans is concentrated among a small number of powerful business groups.

They said that about 80 percent of its bad loans are stuck with its top 20 defaulters, including Beximco, S Alam and AnonTex.

Beximco Group alone accounted for about Tk 25,000 crore of the bank’s exposure. Other major defaulters include Crescent Group and Thermex Group.

Agrani Bank, another state-run lender, also struggles with a heavy NPL burden. Its NPLs stood at Tk 32,133 crore, or 43.98 percent of its disbursed loans, show BB data.

At EXIM Bank, bad loans stood at Tk 38,052.53 crore, nearly 71 percent of its total disbursed loans, according to central bank data.

The bank was largely influenced by Nazrul Islam Mazumder, chairman of Nassa Group and former chairman of the Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB). Lending irregularities and weak corporate governance have pushed the lender towards a merger with four other troubled banks.

Among lenders linked to the S Alam Group, First Security Islami Bank reported NPLs of Tk 60,645 crore, or 97 percent of its total disbursed loans.

Social Islami Bank’s bad loans stood at Tk 29,799 crore, or 78 percent of its disbursed loans, while Union Bank’s NPLs stood at Tk 27,134 crore, or 96 percent of its disbursed loans.

The boards of the two lenders were also largely dominated by the S Alam Group.

AB Bank’s NPLs stood at Tk 20,325 crore, or 56.04 percent, while National Bank reported Tk 28,276 crore, or 65.46 percent, according to BB data.

Bad loans at IFIC Bank stood at Tk 28,520 crore, or 63.38 percent of its disbursed loans. The bank was dominated by Salman F Rahman, vice-chairman of Beximco Group and an influential adviser to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Md Ezazul Islam, director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM), said the country’s NPL situation shows that the problem is concentrated in a handful of Islamic and state-owned banks.

“The main reason for the rise in NPLs is that loans have become concentrated among a small number of corporate borrowers. The banking sector needs to move away from this excessive loan concentration,” he told The Daily Star.

Ezazul, a former official of the central bank, said that around 10 percentage points of the banking sector’s NPL ratio, which has now reached 30 percent, can be attributed to economic factors, while the remaining 20 percentage points are the result of willful default, irregularities and corruption.