RELIANCE

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s capital market is set for a potential revival in new company listings after a prolonged period of stagnation, with the securities regulator taking steps to make the initial public offering process more accessible and introduce a framework for direct listing. The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) is working to create an alternative route for established companies to enter the stock market without going through a conventional initial public offering (IPO), while also moving to streamline existing public-offer procedures. The proposed direct-listing framework is aimed at bringing established, financially sound companies to the market and expanding the supply of quality securities available to investors. Market participants say the initiatives could help diversify the stock market, increase its depth and create new investment opportunities. They also argue that a greater presence of fundamentally strong companies could help address some of the confi...

DHAKA: Despite the continued expansion of Bangladesh’s economy and industrial sector, the capital market has yet to emerge as a significant source of long-term financing. Banks are increasingly shouldering the burden of financing industries, infrastructure and large investment projects, while direct capital raising through the stock market remains extremely limited. The growing dependence on bank financing is placing greater pressure on the banking sector and raising questions about the balance and resilience of the country’s overall financial system. Economists and market stakeholders say excessive reliance on banks for long-term financing can increase risks within the banking sector while limiting the development of a more diversified financial system. Wide Financing Gap in Industrial Investment The weakness of the capital market is particularly evident in the country’s failure to attract new companies through initial public offerings (IPOs). According to Bangladesh Bank’s annual re...

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladesh Bank has given the initial go-ahead to four proposed digital banks, marking another step in the country's effort to expand technology-driven banking services and reduce reliance on conventional branch-based operations. The central bank's board decided on Thursday to issue Letters of Intent (LoIs) to four applicants: bKash Digital Bank, Boost Digital Bank backed by Robi Axiata, DK Digital Bank backed by Bhutan's DK Bank, and Nova Digital Bank, a venture involving Banglalink and Square . The meeting was chaired by Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman . An LoI represents an initial regulatory approval rather than a final banking licence. Under Bangladesh Bank's digital-bank guidelines, an applicant receiving an LoI must meet specified conditions and regulatory requirements before it can obtain a full licence and commence operations. 12 applicants in the latest round Bangladesh Bank received applications from 12 entities seeking to e...

DHAKA — Banks across Bangladesh will keep relevant branches open on Friday and Saturday, September 25 and 26 , to facilitate payments for Hajj registration, according to a directive issued by Bangladesh Bank on Wednesday. The central bank issued the instruction following a request from the Ministry of Religious Affairs dated September 20. Under the directive, branches of banks authorised to collect Hajj registration payments must remain open on both days to receive deposits from prospective pilgrims. Bangladesh Bank also instructed the concerned banks to continue accepting payments beyond regular banking hours if a Hajj applicant arrives before the branch closes its service. Banks must ensure adequate security and complete the payment process for applicants who remain at the branch after normal banking hours. The special banking arrangement has been introduced to ensure that prospective pilgrims can complete their registration payments within the stipulated period without disruption. ...

DHAKA — Bangladesh’s growing dependence on imported cotton yarn is putting pressure on the country’s domestic spinning industry, with local manufacturers warning that a substantial portion of their production capacity remains idle despite billions of dollars invested in the sector. Imports of cotton yarn in the 10-to-30-count range have nearly doubled in two years, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce’s Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA). Shipments rose from 350.8 million kilograms in fiscal 2022-23 to 697.1 million kilograms in fiscal 2024-25 . The value of those imports in 2024-25 was approximately Tk 267 billion . Industry representatives say the surge has come at a time when many domestic spinning mills are operating well below capacity, raising concerns about the sustainability of Bangladesh’s textile supply chain and the viability of investments made in local production. Imports surge as local capacity remains underused Total yarn import payments reached nea...

DHAKA — Bangladesh remains heavily dependent on basic garments even as global demand and trade in higher-value and specialised apparel continue to expand, highlighting the need for greater product diversification in the country's export-oriented clothing industry. An analysis of export data from Bangladesh's Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and global trade statistics compiled by the International Trade Centre (ITC) shows that roughly 77% of Bangladesh's garment exports in 2025 came from basic categories such as bottomwear, T-shirts, sweaters, innerwear, children's clothing and small accessories. Globally, those categories accounted for about 61.58% of total apparel exports during the same period. Bangladesh exported garments worth approximately $38.83 billion in 2025, compared with global apparel exports of around $426 billion . Bottomwear dominates Bangladesh's export basket Bottomwear — including trousers, shorts and skirts — was the single largest category in B...

International Desk: Gold prices fell sharply in global markets on Wednesday as a stronger U.S. dollar and expectations of a tighter monetary policy stance from the Federal Reserve weighed on investor sentiment. Spot gold was down 0.9% at $4,316.78 an ounce at around 2:47 p.m. Bangladesh time. U.S. gold futures for December delivery fell 0.5% to $4,354 an ounce. The decline came as investors assessed the outlook for U.S. interest rates and the broader implications for the dollar and bond yields. Higher interest rates generally reduce the appeal of gold, which does not generate interest or other regular income. Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, said gold was currently trading within a range of about $4,300 to $4,400 an ounce. He said comments from Federal Reserve officials, U.S. interest rates, bond yields and their impact on the dollar, along with movements in oil prices, were playing an important role in short-term investment decisions. Fed policy remains in focus T...

DHAKA: Nearly 97% of investors affected by alleged fund embezzlement at five Bangladeshi brokerage firms will receive compensation, with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) set to distribute about Tk 720 million among 17,332 investors. The compensation payments will begin on Sept. 28 and are expected to be completed within two months, officials said Tuesday. The announcement was made at a press conference organised by the DSE at its headquarters in Nikunja, Dhaka. DSE Chairman Mominul Islam, Managing Director Nuzhat Anwar and Investor Protection Fund (ITF) Chairman Nasrin Begum attended the briefing. Compensation capped at Tk 500,000 per investor Under the DSE Investor Protection Fund Rules, eligible investors can receive compensation of up to Tk 500,000 each, Nasrin Begum said. She said the claims had been assessed through a verification process before the list of eligible investors was finalised. The initiative is intended not only to return funds to affected investors but also to...

DHAKA: Bus fares across Bangladesh, including long-distance and urban routes, will rise by 17 paisa per kilometre following an increase in fuel prices, according to a decision reached at a meeting of the Road Transport Ministry on Tuesday. The increase is lower than the rates proposed by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), which had recommended a 20-paisa-per-kilometre increase for intercity buses and 18 paisa for urban services. Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, a member of parliament from Pabna-5 and chief coordinator of the central committee of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, said the government’s calculation supported a 20-paisa increase. However, officials decided to reduce the adjustment by 3 paisa per kilometre in consideration of passengers. New fares to apply nationwide Biswas said bus operators would meet with the BRTA to formalise the revised fares. The 3-paisa reduction from the proposed rate will apply to routes in metropolitan areas as well as distri...

DHAKA, August 29: Gold prices have fallen in Bangladesh after the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) reduced the prices of gold across several grades, citing a decline in the price of locally traded bullion. The association also announced lower prices for silver. The revised rates came into effect at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 29 . The new prices were approved at a meeting of BAJUS’s Standing Committee on Pricing and Price Monitoring , following a review of movements in the local bullion and silver markets. 22-carat gold price cut by Tk 7,109 Under the revised pricing structure, the price of 22-carat gold has been set at Tk 240,636 per bhori , down from the previous price of Tk 247,745. The reduction amounts to Tk 7,109 per bhori . The new prices per gram are: 22-carat gold: Tk 20,630 21-carat gold: Tk 19,700 18-carat gold: Tk 16,920 Traditional-method gold: Tk 13,820 On a per-bhori basis, the price of 21-carat gold is approximately Tk 229,891 , while 18-carat gold will ...

DHAKA, Aug. 18 — Bangladesh’s central bank has granted a limited banking facility to SS Power-1 Ltd, a power-generation company linked to the S Alam Group, allowing it to open letters of credit (LCs) for importing raw materials despite restrictions triggered by the group’s loan-default status. Under the special arrangement, SS Power-1 will be permitted to open LCs solely for raw-material imports by depositing 100% cash margin through state-owned Rupali Bank, according to a Bangladesh Bank directive issued on Sunday. The exemption will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2027, the directive said. Bangladesh Bank said provisions under Section 27(Kha)(3) of the Bank Company Act would not apply to SS Power-1 during the specified period, allowing the company to maintain limited import operations despite the restrictions normally imposed on companies belonging to a loan-defaulting business group. The central bank stressed, however, that the arrangement does not amount to a government guarantee ...

DHAKA, Aug 18 — Bangladesh has moved to procure five cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through an international quotation process as the government seeks to meet rising domestic gas demand and maintain supplies to power plants and industries. The proposed purchases, covering deliveries in late August and early September, are expected to cost the government about 11 billion taka ($90 million), according to a proposal placed before the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division has proposed buying the cargoes for delivery during five separate windows: Aug. 23-24, Aug. 26-27, Aug. 29-30, Sept. 1-2 and Sept. 4-5. Blackcube International Ltd of Britain and Oman-based Maxwell International SPC have been identified as the lowest bidders for the proposed supplies, according to the procurement proposal. The LNG prices were assessed against the Japan Korea Marker (JKM), a widely used benchmark for spot LNG deliveries in Asia. For the cargo scheduled...