Jagaran Chakma

As the United States moves to impose reciprocal tariffs, concerns are mounting among Bangladeshi exporters, particularly in the footwear and pharmaceutical sectors, over potential implications for the country’s trade prospects.

Restoring confidence in Dhaka-Delhi ties will be the key objective of the meeting between Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok today, diplomatic sources said.

Rural people have emerged as key consumers of home appliances ahead of this year’s Eid festival, as surging remittance inflows and good prices for agricultural produce, particularly rice, have boosted their purchasing power, according to electronics manufacturers and sellers.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) from China in Bangladesh has risen to $2.67 billion as of September 2024, according to official data, cementing China’s position as the country’s second-largest investor.

After a challenging year, Japanese companies in Bangladesh are eyeing 2025 with cautious optimism, as 50 percent anticipate a rise in operating profits despite persistent hurdles.

"This downtrend will lead to severe consequences if it is not reversed"

The government has launched an initiative to modernise and revive six shuttered sugar mills, aiming to transform them into profitable enterprises through public-private partnerships and advanced technology.

The electronics and home appliance sector in Bangladesh is facing one of its most challenging periods in recent years due to inflation, currency devaluation and declining consumer spending on non-essential items.

Mongla port, the second largest seaport in Bangladesh, witnessed a sharp  decline in container handling throughout the first seven months of the  current fiscal year (FY), with growing economic constraints eroding  business activities in the country.

If the macroeconomic stress does not ease soon, these small ventures, which contribute 32 percent of the country's GDP and employ 85 percent of the industrial workforce, face closure.

The business world often thrives on boldness, but in Syed Manzur Elahi, Bangladesh found something more: a quiet fortitude, a moral compass, and an entrepreneurial mind that always seeks to build.

Syed Manzur Elahi was one of Bangladesh’s most distinguished industrialists and entrepreneurs.

Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical exports posted steady growth in the first eight months of the current fiscal year, buoyed by rising demand from developed markets, though a sharp decline in February raised concerns, industry experts said.

Bangladesh requires around 100,000 new apartments every year. Despite having the capacity to meet this demand, realtors can only supply 8 percent of the required units, leaving a substantial gap.

Shipments go up 21.25% in first eight months of FY25

Bangladesh’s exports have shown resilience, displaying steady growth in key sectors such as garments, plastics and seafood in the first eight months of fiscal year (FY) 2024-25, somewhat defying global economic headwinds and domestic concerns like high inflation and political uncertainty.

The government’s borrowing from domestic sources surged in the first half of FY25, primarily driven by a substantial increase in the issuance of special bonds, particularly those issued to clear arrears to electricity and fertiliser producers, as well as treasury bills (T-bills) and bonds targeting institutional and individual investors.

Although the interim government is focusing on reforms and new measures, corruption remains a major concern for businesses. Instead of waning, demands for undue payments by public officials have increased in some cases, said a top industrialist.

The industry currently has a market size of around Tk 6,250 crore

Singer Bangladesh has started the commercial production of home appliances at its new plant, becoming the first company to operate in the Bangladesh Special Economic Zone (BSEZ) in Araihazar of Narayanganj.