United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh's overall Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) score in April saw a decrease of 8.8 points from March to reach 52.9. Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Dhaka, and Policy Exchange Bangladesh (PEB) released the Bangladesh Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) April report. The PMI is a pioneering initiative that aims to offer timely and accurate insights into the country's economic health to help businesses, investors and policymakers make informed decisions. It was developed by MCCI and Policy Exchange, with support from the UK Government and technical assistance from the Singapore Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management (SIPMM). The April reading of Bangladesh's PMI dropped by 8.8 points from March, indicating a slower expansion at 52.9. This latest PMI reading was attributed to a slower rate of expansion in the manufacturing, construction and services sectors, whereas the agriculture sector posted a faster expansion. The agriculture sector recorded its 7th consecutive month of expansion, with faster growth in the indexes of new business and business activity, while the input costs index showed a slower expansion. The employment index returned to an expansion, and the order backlogs index showed a slower contraction. Foxconn-backed Foxtron to build EVs for Mitsubishi Motors The manufacturing sector posted its 8th month of expansion, though at a slower rate. Most indexes showed expansion, except the order backlogs index, which posted a faster contraction and has now seen nine straight months of decline. The construction sector recorded its 5th consecutive month of expansion, but also at a slower pace. The indexes for new business, employment, and input costs posted slower expansion, while the construction activity index reverted to an expansion. The order backlogs index showed a faster contraction. The services sector marked its 7th month of expansion, though again at a slower rate. Slower growth was seen in new business, employment, and input costs, while business activity reverted to contraction. The order backlogs index posted a faster contraction. For the future business index, faster expansion rates were recorded in the manufacturing and construction sectors, while agriculture saw a slower expansion. The services index reverted to an expansion. “The latest PMI readings indicate continued expansion in all key sectors, but at a slower rate. The April PMI is also the lowest since October 2025, when the expansion track commenced. Long stretches of public holidays leading to business closures, early effects of the Trump tariff on apparel production, and energy supply hurdles are likely causes of the slower dynamism,” said Dr M Masrur Reaz, Chairman and CEO, Policy Exchange Bangladesh.    

A team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is due to arrive in Dhaka on April 25 to discuss the progress in the use of the first tranche of its US$4.7 billion loan programme for Bangladesh and the release of the second installment. The Ministry of Finance sources told UNB on Wednesday that during its April 25 to May 2 visit the mission will hold meetings with the officials of the Ministry of Finance's Finance Division, Financial Institutions Division, Economic Relations Division (ERD), Bangladesh Bank, and National Board of Revenue (NBR). IMF Asia and Pacific Division Head Rahul Anand will lead the team comprising three to four members, the ministry sources said speaking on condition of anonymity. Read More: World Bank spring meeting begins in Washington today, announcement on $50bn allocation to face global crisis likely Bangladesh received the first tranche of US$476.2 million of the $4.7 billion loan approved by the IMF on January 30. The entire amount of the loan will be paid in seven installments in three and a half years until 2026. As such there are six more installments left. A senior official of the ministry said the IMF usually reviews various aspects of compliance before disbursing each tranche. Accordingly, an IMF team will come next September to review the fulfillment of loan conditions before disbursing the second tranche. Read More: Following IMF advice BBS to calculate inflation on a new base year from March Usually before each budget announcement, an IMF mission comes to Dhaka to discuss budget assistance. Now that the loan programme is going on with them, besides the budget assistance, the issues of fulfilling the loan conditions will also come up for discussion, said the sources.

Rumor has it that the COVID-19 epidemic will "go away" in April as most of the coronavirus-affected countries and regions are getting warm.