Bangladesh

  The ongoing crisis within Bangladesh's National Board of Revenue (NBR) has reached a critical juncture, with a prolonged pen-down strike by tax, VAT, and customs officials severely impacting the nation's economic vital signs. Government revenue collection has slowed to a trickle, and essential business operations, particularly in the import and export sectors, face unprecedented disruption. At the Heart of the Unrest: The root cause of this debilitating standoff lies in a controversial ordinance proposing the dismemberment of the NBR into two distinct entities: the Revenue Policy Division and the Revenue Management Division. While the government champions this structural overhaul as a necessary step to enhance efficiency, mitigate conflicts of interest, and broaden Bangladesh's notoriously narrow tax base, NBR officials stand in staunch opposition. Their primary concern revolves around a contentious clause within the ordinance that would permit officers from the gener...

Sri Lanka is actively pursuing investment from Bangladesh to bolster its domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities. This initiative stems from a significant imbalance between the nation's demand for medicines and its current production capacity, alongside a strategic push to strengthen economic ties within the region. At a recent high-level business forum in Colombo, Sri Lankan officials and industry representatives extended a strong invitation to Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, acknowledging Bangladesh's well-developed and globally competitive pharmaceutical sector.   Sri Lanka presently relies heavily on imported medications, with an estimated 85% of its pharmaceutical requirements fulfilled by international suppliers. In 2021, imports of medical and pharmaceutical products were valued at approximately USD 763 million. This substantial dependence on foreign sources exposes the island to vulnerabilities in global supply chains and currency fluctuations, a challenge acu...

Bangladesh's financial sector is navigating a period of intense pressure, as evidenced by the 91-day treasury bill yield climbing to a historic peak of 12.10% in recent auctions conducted by the nation's central bank. This new high surpasses the 12.02% observed just a fortnight ago and represents a notable ascent from rates around 10% recorded a few months prior (April 2025). This escalating yield reflects considerable liquidity strain within the banking system and an increased reliance by the government on domestic funding.   Several interconnected factors are contributing to this significant rise. Firstly, commercial banks are contending with increasingly stringent liquidity conditions. This situation is partly attributable to a surge in non-performing loans (NPLs), which reached an unprecedented Tk 345,765 crore by the close of 2024. Furthermore, there's a clear trend of depositors shifting funds from financially weaker institutions to more robust banks, intensifying...

  The intricate web of Bangladesh's capital market has once again drawn sharp attention to the actions of Md. Abul Khayer, a Deputy Registrar at the Department of Cooperatives, and his repeated involvement in share manipulation, particularly concerning Crystal Insurance Company Limited. Recent rulings by the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and an ongoing Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) case highlight a pattern of alleged illicit activities that threaten market integrity and investor confidence.   The BSEC's Stance: Fines and Warnings   The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission has consistently taken enforcement actions against Abul Khayer and his associates for their alleged role in share price manipulation across various listed companies, including Crystal Insurance. A recent BSEC ruling, as reported on June 16, 2025, saw Abul Khayer and his associates slapped with fines totaling Tk 24.6 million for manipulating the share price of Cr...

  Recent developments in Bangladesh indicate a slight increase in COVID-19 cases, driven by the emergence of new Omicron subvariants. While health authorities state there is no major cause for immediate alarm, increased vigilance and adherence to health guidelines are being emphasized.   The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) has identified two new SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants, XFG and XFC, within the country. These subvariants are descendants of the highly transmissible JN.1 lineage. They were initially detected at Chattogram Medical College Hospital in April 2025. Data from icddr,b's surveillance sites across nine districts, including Kishoregonj, Rajshahi, and Chattogram, show a rise in positivity rates, reaching approximately 7% of tested patients in May 2025, an increase from near-zero rates earlier in the year.   As of early June 2025, Bangladesh has reported a relatively low number of daily COVID-19 cases. For insta...

An analysis of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) over the last ten trading days reveals a mixed but generally positive performance among its top-tier stocks. The premier bourse of the nation saw its leading shares navigate through fluctuating market sentiments, with some demonstrating robust growth while others maintained stability. Based on a composite evaluation of market capitalization and trading volume, the top five companies currently dominating the DSE are Grameenphone Ltd. (GP), Square Pharmaceuticals PLC. (SQURPHARMA), BRAC Bank PLC. (BRACBANK), British American Tobacco Bangladesh Company Limited (BATBC), and Robi Axiata PLC. (ROBI). Here is a comparative analysis of their performance from May 27, 2025, to June 7, 2025: The Top 5 DSE Shares at a Glance: Grameenphone Ltd. (GP): The telecommunications giant has shown consistent trading activity, with its share price exhibiting minor fluctuations. Over the past ten days, GP's stock has demonstrated resilience, maintaining ...

April 2025 saw the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) in a state of flux, a common occurrence as the financial world braces for the unveiling of the national budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. For much of the month, the main DSEX index showed a downward drift, reflecting a natural caution among investors. Everyone watches closely, trying to predict which sectors might get a boost and which might face new challenges when the government lays out its spending plans. This pre-budget period is often marked by a collective holding of breath.   However, the story didn't end there. As April drew to a close, a sense of recovery seemed to take hold. This late upturn suggests that some investors were starting to see opportunities, perhaps anticipating specific areas that the upcoming budget might favor. It's like reading tea leaves – trying to discern future trends from the current market movements. Looking at how different parts of the market performed gives us further clues. The late stren...