Business-Economy

Trade deficit widens to $7.5b in Jul-Oct as Ramadan imports rise

TDS Desk: Bangladesh’s trade deficit widened sharply to $7.5 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year, driven by a surge in imports ahead of Ramadan. Bangladesh

Banks asked to ensure smooth service of torn note exchange

Staff Correspondent: Bangladesh Bank (BB) has directed all commercial bank branches to ensure smooth services for exchanging torn, defective and soiled notes, warning of action against those reluctant to comply.

High cost, low profit push farmers away from rice to maize, pulses, exotic fruits

TDS Desk: Rice remains Bangladesh’s staple food crop, cultivated on nearly three-quarters of the country’s arable land. However, the cost of rice production has risen steadily due to high prices

ADP spending at record low of Tk28,044cr in first 5 months of FY26

TDS Desk: Spending under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) stood at Tk28,044 crore in the first five months (July-November) of the current fiscal year 2025-26, marking the lowest ADP expenditure

Most of Chittagong port containers move by road, raising costs and delays

Ctg Correspondent: Chittagong Port handled 3.29 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers in FY 2024–25, with as much as 96 percent transported along the Dhaka–Chittagong highway. Only 3 percent

Bangladesh Bank buys another $141.5m from 13 banks

TDS Desk: Bangladesh Bank purchased $141.50 million from 13 commercial banks today as part of its ongoing intervention in the foreign exchange market. The central bank bought the dollars at