Jagaran Chakma

Bangladesh’s footwear sector is at a turning point, offering lucrative investment opportunities in both the leather and non-leather segments. However, challenges in sustaining growth and enhancing competitiveness remain, the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) highlighted in a newsletter released yesterday.

In search of a better future, Md Selim and Hasanuzzaman Hassan migrated to the US roughly over three decades ago. The brothers eventually found success in construction business there but could not ignore the urge for contributing to their homeland. 

Bangladesh’s investment-to-GDP ratio declined by 0.25 percentage points to 30.70 percent in the fiscal year (FY) 2023-24, according to official data, signalling a potential slowdown in future economic growth.

Foreign participants at the 16th Asia Pharma Expo foresee a bright future for Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry, given its continuous product development and expanding global footprint.

The government has declared furniture as the “Product of the Year” following a rebound in exports during the first seven months of the current fiscal year.

The intersection of profession, passion and academic background can be complicated.

Local air conditioner (AC) manufacturers in Bangladesh are pushing for “fair” government procurement policies, arguing that existing rules favour foreign brands despite local companies meeting global standards.

Over the last several years, Ahsan, a rickshaw puller in his 50s, has been eagerly waiting for relief from the high prices of food and other essentials. Days and months have passed, but his pursuit of a better living by escaping the curse of elevated inflation has remained a distant dream. 

Steel factories are often seen as some of the biggest culprits of environmental pollution due to their massive energy consumption, heavy water use and harmful emissions. 

Even amid a business slowdown, sales of heavy-duty trucks and covered vans showed a year-on-year increase last year, according to company and vehicle registration data, as commercial vehicle distributors attribute this rise to pent-up demand since the pandemic.

The inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Bangladesh is facing critical challenges as a plethora of factors have caused it to stagnate to a mere 0.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in recent years.

Clay bricks cost Tk 12 per piece. A hollow block, which is four times larger than a clay brick, is priced at Tk 50.

The flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bangladesh fell to $104.33 million in the July-September quarter of fiscal year 2024-25, the lowest in at least six years, as foreign investors stayed away from Bangladesh amid deadly political unrest, labour agitation, and a persistent economic crisis.

Cement sales in Bangladesh plunged in 2024 due to political instability, rising production costs, and the deferment of the implementation of government infrastructure projects, leaving the industry operating at less than half its capacity.

Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by young talent and innovation, according to pharmaceutical professionals. 

Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by young talent and innovation, according to pharmaceutical professionals. .The industry is shifting from chemical-based medicines to biomedicines, offering fresh graduates unique opportunities to shap

Non-cotton garments are particularly lucrative, fetching higher prices than traditional cottonwear for having better flexibility, durability

Interestingly, the premium motorcycle segment bucked the trend, showing significant growth in 2024.

Although Bangladesh became the first country in the world to announce a complete ban on the use of polythene bags in 2002, strict enforcement of the much-lauded initiative has only started taking shape recently.

The local paint industry is reeling from increased supplementary duties (SD), which threaten both revenue and the survival of manufacturers amid rising production costs and shrinking consumer demand, according to industry insiders.