United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s economic activities returned to expansion in October after two consecutive months of contraction, with the country’s overall Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rising 3.2 points to 51.8, driven by stronger agricultural performance and a recovery in manufacturing, construction and services. The October reading, released jointly by the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Dhaka and Policy Exchange Bangladesh on Monday, showed expansion across all four key economic sectors, although demand-related indicators remained weak in several sectors and business costs continued to rise. The agriculture sector maintained its expansion for the 14th consecutive month, with its PMI increasing 6 points to 61.2, indicating faster growth. New business, business activity and employment continued to expand, while the order backlogs index also returned to expansion. However, input costs remained on the rise. The manufacturing sector returned to expansion with its PMI climbing 6.1 points to 50.9. Stocks of input purchases, finished goods and imports returned to expansion, while employment and supplier deliveries continued to grow. However, new orders, new export orders and factory output remained in contraction, while the order backlogs index continued to show sharp contraction. Input prices also recorded strong expansion, indicating persistent cost pressures. The construction sector's PMI rose 2.5 points to 51.0, returning to expansion in October. Employment also recovered to expansion after remaining unchanged in September, while order backlogs continued to grow. However, new business and construction activity remained in contraction, while input costs recorded strong expansion. The services sector also returned to expansion, with its PMI increasing 1.3 points to 50.3. Employment recovered, but new business, business activity and order backlogs continued to contract. Input costs in the sector also remained under strong upward pressure. Meanwhile, the Future Business Index recorded expansion across all four sectors, indicating positive expectations about future business conditions. Commenting on the latest PMI reading, Policy Exchange Bangladesh Chairman and CEO M Masrur Reaz described the return to expansion as a small but positive development after two difficult months, supported particularly by stronger agricultural and export performance. However, he cautioned that the recovery remained fragile, as new orders and business activity continued to shrink in manufacturing, construction and services, while input costs remained elevated. "The divergence suggests that the return to expansion has yet to translate into a broad-based strengthening of demand," Masrur said. He stressed that ensuring reliable energy supplies, easing working-capital constraints and containing further increases in business costs would be critical to sustaining the recovery. Positive expectations for future business offer some encouragement, but translating confidence into investment and production requires more predictable operating conditions, the Policy Exchange Bangladesh chairman added. The Bangladesh PMI is a joint initiative of MCCI and Policy Exchange Bangladesh, developed with support from the UK government and technical assistance from the Singapore Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management (SIPMM). The index aims to provide timely insights into the country's economic health to help businesses, investors and policymakers make informed decisions.

The country’s inflation eased marginally to 8.27 percent in October from 8.34 percent in September, as food inflation declined significantly, according to the latest Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data. The point-to-point general inflation rate declined by 0.07 percentage point in October, while food inflation dropped to 6.40 percent from 7.22 percent in the previous month. However, non-food inflation increased to 9.89 percent in October from 9.30 percent in September, indicating continued pressure on household expenditure on essential non-food items and services. The BBS data showed that food inflation declined by 0.82 percentage point in a month, while non-food inflation increased by 0.59 percentage point. The overall inflation rate was 8.17 percent in October last year, meaning inflation remained slightly higher than the level recorded a year ago. The inflation situation varied slightly between rural and urban areas. In rural areas, overall inflation stood at 8.29 percent in October, compared to 8.38 percent in September. Food inflation declined to 6.37 percent from 7.18 percent, while non-food inflation rose to 10.21 percent from 9.57 percent. In urban areas, overall inflation eased to 8.25 percent from 8.26 percent in September. Food inflation declined to 6.42 percent from 7.25 percent, while non-food inflation increased to 9.48 percent from 8.94 percent. The BBS data also showed that the 12-month moving average inflation rate stood at 8.66 percent for November 2025 to October 2026, down from 9.22 percent during the corresponding period a year earlier. Meanwhile, the wage rate index increased by 7.63 percent in October, slightly higher than the 7.60 percent growth recorded in September. However, wage growth remained below the overall inflation rate of 8.27 percent, leaving workers with a 0.64 percentage point gap between wage increases and inflation. The BBS calculates the Consumer Price Index based on 383 items covering 749 varieties of goods and services in rural and urban markets. It collects price information from 154 markets across the country.

Trade between Bangladesh and India through the Benapole-Petrapole land port remained suspended on Monday due to Diwali (Kali Puja). However, loading, unloading and clearance of goods at the Benapole port in Bangladesh are continuing as usual. Ruhul Amin, acting director of Benapole Port, confirmed the development, saying that the movement of passengers holding valid passports remained unaffected. He said traders at Petrapole in India suspended import-export activities for the day in observance of Diwali. However, empty trucks that entered Bangladesh carrying imported goods were allowed to return to India, with the cargo section of the port remaining open for the purpose. Import-export activities through the port are scheduled to resume on Tuesday (November 10), he added. Kartik Chakraborty, general secretary of the Petrapole Port Clearing Agent Staff Welfare Association in India, said import-export operations at Petrapole remained suspended on Monday due to a public holiday for Diwali. He said traders at Benapole had been informed of the suspension in advance through an official letter. Saifur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Benapole Immigration Police, said cross-border passenger movement through the port continued as usual despite the suspension of trade activities.

Prices of essential commodities across the country increased by an average of 4.39 percent in October, driven largely by a sharp hike in fish and spice prices, according to findings by the Consumers Forum (CF). Data compiled by the organization across various markets in Dhaka—including Karwan Bazar, Rampura, Meradia, Aftabnagar's Bhuiyan Bazar, Meena Bazar, and Shwapno super shops—showed that prices of 15 key categories of goods rose during the month. Fish prices recorded the highest surge, jumping by an average of 11.72 percent. Prices of spices, including cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin, rose by 10.30 percent, while onions, garlic, and ginger saw a 7.79 percent increase. Other notable price hikes included fuel oil (6.02 percent), sugar (4.93 percent), edible oil and dalda (4.80 percent), flour and maida (3.25 percent), rice (2.62 percent), eggs (1.42 percent), meat (0.38 percent), and tea (0.14 percent). Conversely, prices of seven essential items including salt, dairy products, toothpaste, biscuits, 11 major brands of medicines, and stationery items—remained stable. Meanwhile, prices dropped for two categories: vegetables fell by 3.12 percent and gold and silver by 4.77 percent. Field reports from different parts of the vegetable supply hub including Jashore, Bogura, and Rangpur indicated that winter vegetables have begun arriving in local wholesale markets, though producers are struggling to recover their production costs. While cauliflower and cabbage sold for Tk 6–12, radishes for Tk 6–8, gourds for Tk 8–10, and plantains for Tk 5–8 per hali locally in regions like Bogura and Rangpur, they were retailed at much higher prices in Dhaka, with cauliflowers and cabbages fetching around Tk 50, papayas and radishes Tk 30, gourds Tk 60, and plantains Tk 40–50 per hali. According to the Consumers Forum, essential commodity prices had already risen by 3.13 percent in September, bringing the cumulative two-month increase to 7.52 percent. In a press release issued Sunday by CF General Secretary Emdad Hossain Malek, the organisation emphasized that merely raising wages is insufficient. It called on authorities to keep essential living expenses—including urban house and shop rents, education, and healthcare—within the purchasing power of middle and lower-middle-income groups. The forum urged strict administrative and legal actions to curb excessive profit-seeking by unscrupulous traders and safeguard public welfare.

Around Tk 50,000 crore could become entangled in lawsuits and legal complications over the next two to three years if the government fails to regulate the unregulated share-based housing business, Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) warned on Sunday. REHAB president Ali Afzal made the warning at a press conference at the CIRDAP Auditorium in the capital, saying around 40,000 citizens have already been affected by this business model. REHAB said various individuals and organisations are running share-based housing businesses without ensuring transparency in land ownership, project approval, construction capacity and the use of collected funds, exposing buyers to fraud, financial losses and legal risks. Citing a recently published investigative report, REHAB said 9,823 cases over fraud allegations in land share-based housing projects are pending in courts as of September 30, 2026. The cases involve around 40,000 buyers and nearly Tk 12,000 crore, it said. The REHAB president said under this model, a portion or share of land is sold with a promise to build and hand over a flat of a specific size in the future. In many cases, however, buyers are not given clear information about actual land ownership, approved design, legal right to construct, use of funds and the exact location of the flat. As a result, even after investing money, buyers have no assurance of getting the flat on time, receiving lawful ownership or getting refunds, he added. The association said buying a land share does not guarantee legal ownership of a specific flat. There are also allegations that shares of the same land or building are sold to multiple people. In many cases, funds are collected without securing required project approvals, approved designs and the legal right to build, it said. The lack of skilled engineers, architects and professional supervision is also putting structural safety and construction quality at risk, it added. Afzal also said accounts of land prices, share sales, fund collection and construction costs in such projects are often not transparent, raising questions over whether income tax, value-added tax (VAT), registration fees and other government revenues are being properly collected. Meanwhile, law-abiding housing firms have to meet various obligations, including land purchase, project approvals, construction quality, safety, tax and VAT. He claimed that these legitimate companies are facing unfair competition from those collecting money by promising cheaper flats without following the rules. Afzal said that if 100 buildings under-construction under this model were inspected, almost every one would be found to have some kind of irregularity or violation. There are also allegations of discrepancies between approved designs and actual construction, and of violations of conditions related to approved use and construction of buildings. The association noted that disputes among land co-owners in share-based ownership can leave construction, flat allocation, possession, deed registration and building maintenance uncertain. Complications may also arise in future sales of land or flats, mortgaging with banks and distribution of property among heirs. Such disputes could lead to prolonged litigation, financial crises, family conflicts and social unrest, it said. At the press conference, REHAB placed a six-point set of demands to the government. It urged the government to stop the unregulated business model of selling land shares with promises of specific flats, or bring it under strict regulation, and to bar fund collection without verifying land ownership, registration, liabilities, approved design and legal right to construct. It also called for independent technical and legal audits of existing share-based projects, and for investigation into allegations of multiple sales of the same land, forged deeds, fake approvals, embezzlement and fraud, with action against those responsible. The association further demanded transparent and auditable accounts of land purchase, fund collection, construction costs and progress for every project, and the recruitment of qualified architects, engineers and professionals to supervise quality and safety at every stage of construction. He urged that new sales and fund collection be suspended until legal review is completed for projects lacking assured ownership, construction liability, investment security and final handover. REHAB said the housing sector is a major source of economic activity, investment, employment and revenue in Bangladesh, with more than 300 backward and forward linkage industries. The entire construction sector accounts for around 15-16 percent of the country's GDP and provides employment to nearly 5 million people. The association said the problem of unregulated share-based housing is not merely a concern for a business body but a matter of national interest, as it involves people's lifelong savings, housing security, government revenue and the country's investment climate. Failure to act in time could leave the state to bear the financial, social and legal costs, it warned.      

Gold prices in Bangladesh have surged by Tk 8,806 per bhori in two consecutive hikes over two days, with the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) setting the price of 22-carat gold at Tk 229,664 per bhori. BAJUS raised the price on Thursday of 22-carat gold by Tk 5,482 per bhori, following a Tk 3,324 increase on Wednesday. The latest price came into effect from Thursday morning, according to a BAJUS press release. The association said the price adjustment was made considering the overall market situation, following an increase in the price of pure gold (tejabi gold) in the local market. Under the latest price structure, a bhori (11.664 grams) of 22-carat gold costs Tk 229,664, including VAT. The price of 21-carat gold has been set at Tk 219,342 per bhori, while 18-carat gold will cost Tk 188,374. The price of traditional-method gold has been fixed at Tk 153,848 per bhori. On Wednesday, 22-carat gold was priced at Tk 224,182 per bhori, while the price stood at Tk 220,858 on November 3. This means gold prices have increased by Tk 8,806 per bhori in just two days. Global gold prices also surge Meanwhile, gold prices have also recorded a sharp rise in the international market. The rally came as the US dollar weakened and Treasury yields declined following a major victory by Democrats in the US midterm elections. Spot gold rose 1.9 percent to $4,134.83 per ounce on Thursday, reaching its highest level since October 22. The precious metal had also gained 3.4 percent on Wednesday, marking its biggest single-day increase since August 19. US-based multinational banking group Citi has forecast that gold prices could reach $4,500 per ounce in the international market within the next one to three months. The bank's projection is based partly on expectations that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen by the end of the year and tensions in the Yemen-Saudi conflict will ease. Despite the rise in gold prices, silver rates in the domestic market remain unchanged. The price of 22-carat silver stands at Tk 3,499 per bhori, including VAT. Meanwhile, 21-carat silver costs Tk 3,383, 18-carat Tk 2,916 and traditional-method silver Tk 2,216 per bhori.    

Mobile network operators in Bangladesh have urged the government to further rationalise spectrum renewal costs and related charges, saying high prices could undermine investment in network expansion, service quality and nationwide connectivity. At a press meet at the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) office in Banani on Wednesday, industry leaders said the proposed spectrum valuation remained significantly higher than international and Asia-Pacific market norms when measured against sector revenues and market realities. They said they appreciated the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission's (BTRC) engagement with stakeholders and the efforts made during the renewal process, but stressed that the current proposed valuation should not be considered the prevailing benchmark for spectrum renewal. Taimur Rahman, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer of Banglalink, Tanveer Mohammad, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Grameenphone, and Shahed Alam, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer of Robi Axiata PLC, spoke at the event moderated by Lt Col Mohammad Zulfikar (retd). The speakers said spectrum policy should support broader national goals, including digital inclusion, network expansion, innovation and affordable connectivity, while maintaining a balance between government revenue and the long-term sustainability of the telecom sector. They noted that spectrum-related costs in Bangladesh account for a significantly higher share of operators' revenues than the Asia-Pacific and global averages, putting pressure on an industry facing stagnant revenues, low average revenue per user (ARPU) growth, rising operating costs and continued investment requirements. Mobile operators have already made substantial investments in spectrum acquisition and network expansion and will need to invest further to meet growing data consumption and future technology requirements, they said. Excessive spectrum costs could limit their capacity to expand coverage, improve service quality, strengthen network resilience and enhance customer experience, the speakers added. They also said future spectrum requirements would increasingly depend on data traffic growth and network capacity rather than simply the amount of spectrum assigned, calling for valuation frameworks that reflect capacity needs, network efficiency, digital demand and socio-economic benefits. The proposed extension of spectrum licence tenure was a positive step towards providing certainty for long-term investment planning, they said, adding that its benefits would depend on an investment-friendly commercial framework aligned with international best practices. Taimur Rahman said spectrum was essential for ensuring service quality, network capacity and nationwide coverage, while demand was growing rapidly as Bangladesh shifted from voice to data services. "Spectrum pricing must therefore reflect today's realities, with significantly lower unit prices to enable continued investment in spectrum acquisition, network expansion and service quality," he said. He urged the government to take a holistic view of spectrum pricing, looking beyond immediate revenue and recognising its role in digital transformation, economic growth and long-term national development. Tanveer Mohammad thanked BTRC for adopting a structured approach to the renewal process and holding constructive discussions with operators. However, he said the proposed fees for a 20-year spectrum licence appeared to have been calculated by scaling up the value of a standard renewal period. "A 20-year spectrum license should not simply be priced by proportionately scaling the value of a 15-year license," he said, arguing that the economic value of additional years declines due to technological changes, shifting market and demand conditions, and investment risks. He called for a more rational renewal price based on an appropriate valuation methodology, along with flexible payment terms. Shahed Alam said spectrum affordability should be assessed in light of industry revenues, investment capacity and the need for continued network expansion. He said a balanced and investment-friendly framework would help operators improve service quality, expand connectivity and accelerate digital inclusion as the country's digital economy grows. The speakers said a pragmatic approach to spectrum pricing and licence tenure would benefit consumers, the government and the telecom industry by supporting connectivity, innovation and the country's digital economy goals.  

Gold prices have gone up again in the domestic market, with the price of 22-carat gold, the highest quality, rising by Tk 3,324 per bhori. The Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) said the new rates took effect from 1:45 pm Wednesday. With VAT, a bhori of 22-carat gold will now sell for Tk 2,24,182. BAJUS said it decided to adjust the prices of gold ornaments following a rise in the price of pure gold (tejabi gold) in the local market. According to the new price list, the price of 21-carat gold has been raised by Tk 3,150 to Tk 2,14,093 per bhori, while 18-carat gold has risen by Tk 2,683 to Tk 1,83,883 per bhori. The price of gold of the traditional method has gone up by Tk 2,216 to Tk 1,50,232 per bhori. On November 2, the price of 22-carat gold was raised by Tk 3,266 per bhori to Tk 2,20,858. With today's hike, the price has increased by Tk 6,590 per bhori in just two days. Meanwhile, silver prices remain unchanged. With VAT, 22-carat silver will sell at Tk 3,499 per bhori, 21-carat at Tk 3,383, 18-carat at Tk 2,916, and traditional-method silver at Tk 2,216.  

The Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) has initiated a joint special audit involving four regulatory bodies to ensure transparency and accountability in the insurance sector. To implement this, a draft Terms of Reference (ToR) has been formulated through the coordination of IDRA, Bangladesh Bank, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), and the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC). Under this initiative, various financial activities of insurance companies—including financial statements, bank accounts, investments, premium collections, claim settlements, and tax- and VAT-related information—will be scrutinized simultaneously. The proposal initially covers data from the last five fiscal years, with provisions to extend or shorten the audit timeframe if necessary. According to concerned stakeholders, various aspects of insurance companies' financial activities fall under multiple regulatory jurisdictions. Consequently, conducting separate audits often makes it difficult to obtain a complete picture. Through a coordinated audit, detecting financial irregularities, data inconsistencies, misappropriation of funds, and potential fraud will become much easier. Reports indicate that at least a dozen insurance companies have been attempting to bypass regulatory bodies to conceal financial irregularities, data discrepancies, fund misappropriation, and fraudulent activities. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a top IDRA MEMBER told UNB that it will become easier to penalize companies trying to cover up their financial irregularities and those with data inconsistencies. He added that the special audit coordinated by the four regulatory bodies will help prevent attempts by these companies to cover up various fraudulent incidents.  

Bangladesh has ushered in a new era in its digital payment ecosystem with the official launch of the Bangla QR-based Person-to-Person (P2P) transaction service on November 1, 2026. The new service lets individuals transfer funds easily, quickly, and securely by scanning another person's QR code, according to Bangladesh Bank (BB). A key feature of the P2P Bangla QR system is that users no longer need to type out recipient mobile numbers or account numbers manually. By scanning the recipient's QR code and verifying the necessary details, transactions can be completed seamlessly, making peer-to-peer digital money transfers significantly more convenient. Financial sector stakeholders noted that the P2P Bangla QR service will play a crucial role in reducing reliance on physical cash for daily transactions and boosting the adoption of digital payments. This initiative is expected to make the country's payment system more inclusive while accelerating the nationwide expansion of a cashless economy.