The country is not short of money for development projects. Instead, it is suffering from weak project planning, poor coordination and a culture that values expenditure over outcomes, according to AK Enamul Haque, director general (DG) of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

In an interview, Sayema Haque Bidisha, a professor at the economics department and also a former pro-vice-chancellor of Dhaka University,

Ahead of the fiscal year 2026-27 (FY27) national budget, the government faces mounting fiscal pressure amid high inflation and low investment at a time when the global geopolitical situation remains volatile, said Prof Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

Bangladesh offers a competitive cost structure that enables Chinese firms to maintain global price dominance while relocating production, said Mohammad A Hafiz, vice president of the Bangladesh China Club Limited.

Bangladesh plans to position itself among the world’s top 20 countries in telecom and technology services within the next five years through a holistic digital economy strategy focused on connectivity, affordable access, startup growth, electronics manufacturing and skilled human resources.

The economic and planning adviser to the prime minister attends a pre-budget shadow parliament

The leading chamber launched Economic Position Index (EPI)

The following is a recap of those major stories as covered by Star Business

Investors, processors and farmers in the country’s cashew sector are under growing pressure as cheaper imported cashew nuts continue to undercut locally processed products.

The government wants to end hasty spending on development projects in June every year, which Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, finance and planning adviser to the prime minister, termed the “June syndrome”.

Jiji, a Nigerian classifieds marketplace, has acquired Bikroy.com, expanding into Bangladesh’s digital commerce sector just over a year after entering the local market.

Bangladesh has moved to build its first public-private partnership (PPP)-based solar power project in a special economic zone, as the government seeks to ease pressure from costly fuel imports and attract private investment into renewable energy.

The government is planning to ease the tax burden on lower- and middle-income taxpayers in the 2026-27 budget by gradually raising the tax-free income limit and introducing multi-year tax declarations to provide greater certainty for individuals.

Net FDI inflows stood at $1.27 billion in 2024

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has temporarily loosened the rules so commercial banks can lend more to big borrowers, treat trade guarantees more lightly, and adjust large loan limits based on how healthy their loan books are.

Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has directed factory owners to pay Eid bonuses to workers by May 21 and ensure monthly wages are cleared within the stipulated timeframe ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

Chinese investment, technology transfer, and innovation-driven collaboration are crucial to transforming Bangladesh’s textile and apparel sector into a more sustainable, eco-friendly, and technology-oriented industry, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said yesterday.

Sustainable financing in Bangladesh reached Tk 8,375 crore during the October-December quarter of 2025, accounting for 35.87 percent of total disbursed loans, reflecting growing momentum in the country’s sustainable finance sector, experts said.

The government has raised Tk 42,400 crore through sukuk, a shariah-compliant investment instrument akin to bonds, since its launch in December 2020.

In Bangladesh, we have a beautiful management tradition. When an employee is stressed, we first advise him to “take pressure positively.”