United News of Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Bank has simplified the process to send money for students studying in language education courses abroad. The Foreign Exchange Policy Department of the central bank issued a directive with immediate effect on Thursday. The students enrolling in language programmes will no longer require prior approval from the Bangladesh Bank to remit foreign education fees. According to the Bangladesh Bank, students admitted to recognised foreign institutions for language courses can now directly send the necessary funds through authorised banks by presenting the required documents. Bangladesh Bank simplifies overseas payments for professional course fees Previously, this facility was limited to Bachelor's or higher degree programmes, but now language education has been brought under the same framework. Experts believe this decision will strengthen Bangladesh's position in the international labour market. Language proficiency offers easier access to jobs and higher education opportunities in countries like Japan, South Korea, and some European nations. This new policy is expected to reduce reliance on recruiting agencies and open up direct avenues for studying abroad.

Highlighting the importance of apparel diplomacy and exit policy, Sammilito Parishad panel leader Md Abul Kalam on Wednesday said they will adopt a two-pronged strategy to maintain long-term competitiveness - apparel diplomacy on the one hand, and a responsible exit policy on the other. "We have crossed a chapter in the garment industry, the next journey is on the way to a 100 billion dollar industry. Therefore, more caution is needed in this journey," he said while sharing his panel's election manifesto at a programme as the BGMEA election is approaching. Kalam said they are facing global policy changes related to business such as increasing production costs, gas-electricity crisis, sustainability, HREDD (Human Rights and Environmental Due Dilligence), CSDDD, Traceability, etc. "If we can successfully face these challenges, we are on the verge of reaching unique heights," he said. For such a time, Kalam said they need leadership composed of experience, youth and courage—who are able to work with workers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and international partners with equal skills. "We have presented a timely panel combining all those skills at your service," he said. The biennial election of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is scheduled for May 31 May and two submitted their nomination papers recently to contest the poll. The two panels are Forum and Sammilito Parishad. Apparel makers urged not to take export orders without justified rate Mahmud Hasan Khan (Babu) submitted his nomination as the panel leader of the Forum. Former BGMEA President Faruque Hassan submitted the nomination paper on behalf of Sammilito Parishad panel leader Abul Kalam. Kalam shared twelve broad areas as manifesto of his panel on Wednesday. These are SME Support Cell & Policy Advocacy; Utility Security & Alternate Incentive Package; Building the Apparel Workforce of Industry 4.0: Upskilling Mid-Level Managers; Access to Finance: Green Funding Desk and Banking Support; Market  and Product Diversification: Expanding Bangladesh’s Reach Beyond Traditional Markets and Beyond Cotton Products; Alternate Incentive Benefit Policy for Post-LDC Competitiveness & Backward Linkage Strengthening; Trade Facilitation & NBR Reform: Bond Access, VAT Simplification, and Regulatory Ease; EPIC – Export Competitiveness, Policy Intelligence Cell & Digital Transformation Center; Social Compliance Enhancement Program – Toward a Unified Code of Conduct; Green Transformation with Business Value: Circularity, Renewable Energy, Decarbonization & Competitive Differentiation; Made in Bangladesh – Premium Edition: Repositioning Bangladesh in the Global Market and Trade Diplomacy & Responsible Exit Policy. Kalam said they will launch the 'Made in Bangladesh – Premium Edition' branding campaign to reposition Bangladesh from a low-cost manufacturer to a modern, sustainable, and value-driven sourcing destination. This initiative, he said, will focus on curated branding assets and storytelling content for premium global buyers, showcasing factories with innovation, ethical practices, and green credentials, supporting members in brand-building—professional photoshoots, catalogs, virtual showrooms, and sustainability profiles, partnering with EPB,  embassies, trade bodies, and major events to carry the Bangladesh premium story to the world and promoting categories like high-end knitwear, outerwear, and circular collections through “design-forward” showcases. To safeguard Bangladesh’s long-term competitiveness in the global apparel market, Kalam said they will pursue a dual approach: proactive trade diplomacy to secure preferential access and expand market reach, and a humane exit policy to support distressed factories in shutting down responsibly, protecting workers, and enabling entrepreneurial recovery. Apparel makers seek Tk 300cr for smooth exit of struggling units He laid emphasis on strategic trade diplomacy to secure GSP/GSP+ extensions, post-LDC trade preferences, and duty-free access in key markets (EU, UK, Canada, Japan). Kalam said they will launch an "Apparel Diplomacy Roadmap" aligned with embassies to promote sourcing, diversification, and foreign investment and establish a buyer accountability mechanism engaging with the Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh Bank, and embassies abroad. Diplomatic channels will be used to issue formal notices through Bangladesh’s embassies and high commissions, ensuring financial and reputational consequences for defaulting/non-paying buyers.

Trading in the country’s two major bourses – Dhaka and Chattogram – began on a positive note on Wednesday, the fifth working day of the week, with indices gaining and share prices of most companies edging up in the first hour. At the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the key index DSEX rose by 15 points at the start of the session. Of the other two indices, the Shariah-based DSES gained 4 points, while the blue-chip index DS30 advanced by 9 points. During the first hour of trading, share prices increased for the majority of the listed companies. Of the issues traded, the prices rose for 236 companies, declined for 78, and remained unchanged for 62. Market swings amid volatile trading at DSE and CSE The total turnover on the DSE crossed Tk 90 crore in the first hour. Over at the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE), the overall index increased by 8 points. Among the 75 companies that saw trading activity on the CSE during the same period, the prices went up for 37, declined for 19 and remained unchanged for 19. The CSE's turnover in the first hour surpassed Tk 2 crore.

Oxfam and the Fair Pay Foundation (FPF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Oxford, UK which is seen as a step towards transforming the tea industry and uplifting the lives of marginalised workers. This "strategic partnership" aims to build a global movement for fairness, ethical business, equality, and justice in labor-intensive industries—starting with tea plantations in Bangladesh. Policy makers, business personalities, academicians, Bangladeshi diaspora members of the UK joined the MoU signing event on May 19. Signed by Sir Sheikh Aliur Rahman KGOR OBE, Ambassador and Chairman of the Fair Pay Foundation, and Ashish Damle, Country Director of Oxfam in Bangladesh, this MoU sets the foundation for the development of a Model Tea State, Oxfam said on Tuesday.  Gold price increased by Tk 1364 per bhori from Sunday The model will showcase fair remuneration, ethical & responsible business, decent working conditions, climate-smart practices, gender justice, and economic resilience. “The signing of this MoU is more than a ceremonial agreement. It is a commitment to restoring dignity, equality, and opportunity for one of the most exploited labor forces in the world,” said Sir Sheikh Aliur Rahman KGOR OBE, Chairman of the Fair Pay Foundation. As part of the partnership, Oxfam and FPF will collaborate to implement a comprehensive roadmap to operationalize the Model Tea State in Bangladesh. This includes conducting in-depth social architecture and power analyses, assessing market opportunities, promoting eco-tourism, introducing renewable energy solutions, improving housing and health infrastructure, and amplifying the voice and agency of women workers through leadership platforms. Dr Halima Begum, Chief Executive of Oxfam GB, emphasised the transformative potential of this collaboration.  SAFE HVACR & Cold Chain Expo: Haier to present new horizon in indoor climate control technology "Today’s partnership towards Fair Pay as a movement shows that when we say we stand with marginalised communities, we mean it. With our investment in the Model Tea State, we are helping to build a future where workers and owners are partners, with shared ambitions and values.”  

Both the Dhaka and Chattogram stock markets opened higher on the fourth trading day of the week on Tuesday, but the early gains were short-lived as indices fell in the second hour of trading. The majority of listed companies saw a decline in share prices by mid-session. During the first half of the trading session, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) dropped by 7 points. Of the other two indices, the Shariah-based DSES also declined, while the DS30 index — which tracks blue-chip shares — edged down by 2 points. Out of the companies that participated in trading, share prices rose for 129, while 164 experienced a fall, and 89 remained unchanged. Trading value at the DSE crossed Tk 140 crore during the first half of the session. Market swings amid volatile trading at DSE and CSE The scenario was similar at the Chattogram Stock Exchange (CSE), where the overall index shed 4 points. Of the 102 companies traded at the CSE, prices rose for 38, fell for 44 and remained unchanged for 20. During the first half of the session, shares and units worth over Tk 3 crore were traded on the CSE.

The auction for the 6th government investment Sukuk (Islamic bond) of Bangladesh was held at the Debt Management Department of Bangladesh Bank’s Head Office on Monday. This Sukuk has been issued to fund the "Widening and Strengthening of Important Upazila and Union Roads in Rajshahi Division Project" and is a seven-year Ijara Sukuk (lease-based Islamic bond) with an annual rental yield of 10.50 percent. The total issue size was Tk 2,000 crore. Investors submitted bids totaling Tk 8,347.609 crore, more than 4.17 times the announced amount, resulting in allocating to investors on a pro-rata basis. This marks the sixth Sukuk issuance by the government. Over the past few years, the government has raised a total of Tk 22,000 crore through five earlier Sukuk issues. These instruments allow the government to tap into Shariah-compliant liquidity held by Islamic banks and financial institutions for development projects. Bangladesh Bank to issue Tk 3,000 crore ‘Sukuk’ bond The Sukuk programme has not only offered an Islamic investment alternative to institutions, but also opened up Shariah-compliant investment opportunities for individual investors in a Muslim-majority country like Bangladesh. Banks and financial institutions can use their acquired Sukuk as Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) instruments. Moreover, Islamic banks and Islamic windows of conventional banks may use them as collateral to obtain Islamic Liquidity Support (ILS) from Bangladesh Bank. Although the primary auction was limited to Islamic banks or financial institutions, Islamic branches or windows of conventional banks, individuals, and provident funds, these Sukuk will be tradable in the secondary market, making them accessible to all scheduled banks, financial institutions, insurance companies, individuals, and other institutional investors. Unprecedented Retail Participation Notably, the sixth Sukuk saw unprecedented participation from individual and provident fund investors, with 139 successful applications totaling around Tk 350 crore, accounting for 17.50 percent of the issued amount. By comparison, the total participation from this category in all previous five Sukuk issues was only Tk 307.28 crore across 77 applications, representing just 1.40 percent of the total Tk 22,000 crore issued earlier. BSEC forms committee to probe into Beximco’s sukuk bonds Meanwhile, Islamic branches or windows of conventional banks submitted bids nearly 18 times their allocated quota, indicating a strong appetite for Shariah-compliant investments. This sixth Sovereign Sukuk issuance is expected to play a positive role in improving the socio-economic conditions of the project areas in Rajshahi Division.

The Bangladesh Jewellers Association (Bajus) has increased the gold price again, this time by Tk 1364  per bhori, effective from Sunday (May 18). The Bajus have fixed the price of a bhori of 22-carat gold at Tk 1,67,098, which was sold at Tk 1,65,734 per bhori on Saturday. The Bajus notification said that the price of pure gold (acid gold) has increased in the local market. As a result, the new price of gold has been determined considering the overall situation. The price hike notification was issued on Saturday night, and the new prices will come into effect from Sunday. According to the new prices, the price of 22-carat gold per bhori (11.664 grams) has been fixed at Tk 1,67,098; 21-carat gold at Tk 1,59,505; 18-carat gold at Tk 1,36,714; and the price of traditional gold at Tk 1,12,978. On Saturday, the price of gold was: 22-carat per bhori at Tk 165,734; 21-carat at Tk 1,58,199; 18-carat at Tk 1,35,606; and traditional gold at Tk 1,12,033. Although the price of gold has increased, the price of silver has remained unchanged.

Bangladesh should not be overly concerned about potential reciprocal tariffs from the United States, said Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), on Saturday. Speaking at a seminar titled “U.S. Reciprocal Tariff and Way Forward for Bangladesh”, Dr. Bhattacharya asserted, “I say this with responsibility. The impact of the tariffs is also affecting our competitor countries. As a result, we are not losing too much in comparative competition.” The seminar was jointly organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD), and held at DCCI’s Motijheel headquarters. Dr. Debapriya presented the keynote paper. Describing the US counter-tariff regime as a “toxic tariff treatment,” he said the measures under the new US administration appear more politically motivated than economically sound. He questioned the effectiveness of President Trump’s counter-tariff policy, expressing doubt that it would deliver on its intended goals, or be readily accepted by the market. According to Debapriya, the policy is flawed in its reliance on goods trade deficits as the basis for imposing duties, overlooking the rapid expansion of the global service sector. He also noted the instability caused by annual tariff adjustments, which he said discourages investment. Policy Research Institute launches Monthly Macroeconomic Insights Debapriya urged policymakers to treat this challenge as an opportunity to implement long-overdue trade and policy reforms. Commerce Secretary Md Mahbubur Rahman said Bangladesh is now prioritising bilateral discussions with the US rather than relying solely on multilateral forums. Bangladesh believes it is currently on the right diplomatic and trade path, which is why it has not tabled any formal proposal at the World Trade Organization (WTO), he added. Mahbub revealed that talks are ongoing with the US on 100 specific Bangladeshi products, including a review of how US imports from third countries are accounted for in trade figures. He warned that if the US does not accept Bangladesh's position, the country may revise its import policies—possibly banning imports from those third countries. Such a policy already applies to certain automotive imports. He also pointed to recent steps to reduce trade barriers, including the scrapping of unnecessary radioactivity tests. Special guests at the seminar included Mahbubur Rahman, President of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Bangladesh, and Moinul Khan, Chairman of the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission.

The participation of Haier in the SAFE HVACR & Cold Chain expo is introducing a new dimension to commercial and residential climate control technology. SAFE HVACR & Cold Chain is the one and only dedicated exhibition on heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, air-filtration, purification, refrigeration systems, cold chain management system, solutions and services in Bangladesh.  The 10th Edition which began on May 15 at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) will end tomorrow. At this expo, Haier showcased its cutting-edge products through live demonstrations, featuring the MRV5 series VRF air conditioners, Light Commercial AC units, and Room Air Conditioners. Zamiruddin, frequent visitor shared his experience who is planning to buy latest model. He said he visited different stall to experience. "As part of the visit, I have also entered the Haer stall which have introduced the latest technology and briefed about the difference.This will help me buy the best one," he also said. Sellers informed that single modules from 8 to 42 HP with the ability to connect units up to a maximum of 126 HP (100.2 tons) will be ensured while it utilizes advanced DC inverter scroll compressors and fan motors to ensure energy savings and uninterrupted performance  They also informed that they use Four-Way Heat Exchanger where this new technology increases heat transfer efficiency by up to 30% and providing extended pipe connections which is flexible solutions for large buildings with connection lengths up to 1000 meters. Smart Link Wi-Fi Technology enables wireless communication between units while it maintains performance at heating mode down to -26°C and cooling mode up to 54°C. The company is also exhibiting  Light Commercial AC, Room Air Conditioner (RAC).  Inverter technology units ideal for restaurants, banks, clinics, retail shops, and other medium-sized commercial spaces, offering easy installation and energy efficiency while Haier’s room air conditioner range for personal and residential use features powerful cooling, inverter technology, fast cooling, and smart control systems. "By participating in this exhibition, we aimed not only to share product information but also to provide visitors with direct experience and confidence in the technology. Our objective was to present Haier’s high-quality products directly to customers and business partners," one of the seller at the stalls said.

The Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh (PRI) launched its inaugural edition of the Monthly Macroeconomic Insights (MMI) on Thursday. The MMI is a new initiative developed by PRI’s Center for Macroeconomic Analysis (CMEA) with support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), said a press release. The event was chaired by PRI Chairman Dr. Zaidi Sattar, with Dr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Special Assistant to the Ministry of Finance, attending as the Chief Guest. Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman, Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank, joined as the guest of honour. Clinton Pobke, Deputy Head of Mission, and Mr. Joshua Gacutan, Second Secretary, from the Australian High Commission in Bangladesh, participated as Special Guests. Dr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury said global economic history shows that nations achieve sustained development when policy coherence is paired with strong social capital. Bangladesh must prioritize both. The government is committed to aligning its policies around clear objectives. "While challenges are inevitable, LDC graduation offers a valuable opportunity to reassess our trajectory, learn from past missteps, and move forward with renewed strategic clarity and resolve,” he added. Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman said, “Exchange rate liberalization will benefit Bangladesh on multiple fronts. Notably, the exchange rate has remained stable even after the move to a floating regime. Considering the current reserve levels, improvements in the current account, and overall balance of payments, we are well-positioned to manage any potential exchange rate overshooting. I remain optimistic about the trajectory of economic recovery.” Mr. Clinton Pobke commended the initiative, “We are proud to support efforts that enhance evidence-based policy dialogue and contribute to more effective, timely policymaking. I commend PRI for bringing together macroeconomic data, rigorous analysis, and impactful presentation in a way that can meaningfully inform and influence policy decisions.” The March edition of the MMI highlighted key developments, including a modest rebound in GDP growth in Q2 FY25, persistent inflationary pressures, and progress in the external sector driven by robust export performance and strong remittance inflows. However, it also underscored persistent revenue collection challenges and limited fiscal headroom for counter-cyclical spending. PRI will host monthly discussions based on the MMI, bringing together stakeholders from government, development partners, industry, and academia. Designed to offer timely, data-driven insights, the MMI aims to support evidence-based policymaking and informed business decisions while fostering dialogue on Bangladesh’s evolving macroeconomic landscape.