United News of Bangladesh

Banglalink on Saturday kicked off its annual Safety and Wellness Week 2025 with a vibrant walkathon held simultaneously in Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, and Bogura. More than 560 employees took part in the event, demonstrating a shared commitment to health, safety, and overall well-being, a company media statement said on Sunday. This year’s theme, “Strength in Action, Care in Every Step,” reflects Banglalink’s focus on fostering a people-centered workplace. The theme highlights a culture where mindful habits, daily actions, and genuine care guide how employees engage with their work, support their colleagues, and nurture their personal wellness. Throughout the week, employees will take part in a series of activities designed to promote holistic well-being. These include health screenings, one-on-one consultations, fire safety awareness sessions, live safety drills, mindfulness classes, stress management activities, and a number of interactive wellness engagements. Each initiative has been thoughtfully designed to inspire healthier routines, reinforce essential safety practices, and encourage a balanced and mindful lifestyle. The Walkathon began early in the morning with Dhaka participants starting from Banglalink’s headquarters, Tiger’s Den, while teams from other regions set off from their respective office locations. As employees walked their designated routes, the event served as a powerful reminder that well-being often begins with small and intentional steps. Chief Executive Officer Johan Buse and members of the leadership team formally inaugurated Safety and Wellness Week 2025 at Tiger’s Den. Their presence reaffirmed Banglalink’s commitment to cultivating a safe, caring, and supportive work environment. Ruhul Quader, Chief Human Resources and Administration Officer (Acting) at Banglalink, said, “The walkathon gives this week a purposeful start. It reminds us that safety and wellness are not occasional priorities but everyday habits we build together. When employee feel supported to look after their health, the entire organization becomes stronger. This week strengthens that spirit by encouraging us to care for ourselves, look out for one another, and create a workplace where well-being is a natural part of how we move forward as a team.” The company is also committed to the safety and well-being of its customers. After the recent 5.7 earthquake, Banglalink immediately offered two hours of free calling to help people connect with their loved ones.

Rupali Haque Chowdhury, Managing Director of Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited, has been elected President of the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for the tenure of 2026–2027. The election was announced at FICCI’s 62nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Sunday (December 7, 2025) at a hotel in the capital. Alongside Rupali Haque Chowdhury, Deepal Abeywickrema, Chairman and Managing Director of Nestlé Bangladesh PLC, was elected as the Senior Vice President, and Mohammad Iqbal Chowdhury, CEO of LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC, was elected as the Vice President. Chowdhury will succeed Zaved Akhtar, Chairman of Unilever Bangladesh Ltd., who served as FICCI President for the tenure of 2024–2025. The newly elected 15-member Board of Directors will officially assume charge on January 1, 2026, following the conclusion of the current Board’s tenure on December 31, 2025. After the election in her remarks, FICCI President-elect Rupali Haque Chowdhury expressed gratitude for the trust placed in her by member companies. “I am committed to advancing the Chamber’s mission of strengthening foreign investment and supporting the country’s economic transformation,” she stated.  

The Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners and Vanaspati Manufacturers Association has announced an increase in the retail prices of edible oil, raising the rates of bottled soybean and palm oil with effect from Monday morning. In a media release issued on Sunday evening, the association said a litre of bottled soybean oil will now be sold at Tk 195, up from Tk 189. The price of loose soybean oil has also been increased by Tk 7 per litre, setting the new rate at Tk 176, compared to the previous Tk 169. The price of a five-litre bottle of soybean oil has been fixed at Tk 955, rising by Tk 33 from Tk 922. Palm oil prices have seen a sharper rise, with the rate increasing by Tk 16 per litre to Tk 166, from the earlier price of Tk 150. According to the association, the revised rates have been set in consultation with the commerce ministry, aligning local prices with the international market.  

Trading at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) began on a positive note on Thursday, while the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) opened lower. During the first hour, DSE’s key index, DSEX, gained 7 points. The Shariah-based DSES also edged up by 2 points, while the blue-chip DS30 index remained unchanged. Most participating companies at the DSE saw price appreciation, with 195 advancing, 108 declining, and 73 remaining unchanged. The turnover in the first half exceeded Tk 130 crore. Meanwhile, the CSE continued its downward trend, with its broad index falling by 6 points. A total of 27 issues advanced, 50 declined, and 14 remained unchanged. The turnover at the CSE reached Tk 7 crore during the same period.

The Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) is set to host its annual flagship event, the Annual BIDS Conference on Development (ABCD) 2025, beginning tomorrow (Sunday) in the capital. The two-day conference, running from December 7 to December 8, 2025, at the Conference Hall (2nd Floor) of Parjatan Bhaban, Agargaon, will be held under the theme "Democracy and Development." In an era where the connection between governance and economic progress is becoming increasingly vital, the conference aims to facilitate a rigorous and insightful dialogue on this pivotal relationship, with a specific focus on Bangladesh's context. The comprehensive two-day program is designed to bridge the gap between academic research and policy formulation. Key features include: Research Paper Presentations: Twenty cutting-edge research papers, meticulously selected for their relevance and contribution to Bangladesh's policy domain, will be presented across academic sessions. The Planning Advisor, Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud, will deliver a keynote speech, setting the stage with a strategic vision for development planning within the framework of democratic institutions. The conference will feature a high-level panel discussion session with distinguished speakers from academia, government, and the development sectors. The Finance Advisor, Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, is confirmed to be present during this session. Professor Dr. A. K. Enamul Haque, Director General, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) will chair the programme. BIDS emphasized that the participation of thought leaders and experts will immensely enrich the discussions and contribute valuable insights to the discourse on the national development strategy.

Onion prices have surged by Tk 40–50 per kg within just two days, with the kitchen markets in Dhaka now selling it at Tk 140–150 per kg. A visit to several city markets on Saturday (December 06, 2025) found wholesalers charging Tk 650–680 for a palla (5 kg), pushing retail prices up sharply. Aminul Haque, an onion trader at Uttar Badda, said, “Just on Tuesday, onions were Tk 100 per kg at wholesale. A palla was selling for Tk 485–500, which is now Tk 680.” Read more: After saving one year, onion and ginger imports to halt within three years Another trader, Robiul, said, “Prices have increased by around Tk 50 per kg in two days. The price of each sack has gone up by Tk 850–1,000.” Harunur Rashid, an onion trader from Rampura, said there is no logical reason for the sudden spike. “The early-season 'murikata' onions have started arriving. Prices should have gone down, not up.” Market visits showed that 'murikata' onions are now available in small quantities, but their prices have also increased by Tk 10 per kg. Recently selling at Tk 70–80, they now cost around Tk 90 per kg. Onion imports withheld to protect farmers: Agriculture Adviser Karwan Bazar trader Mominul said the price of old onions has pushed buyers toward murikata, but limited supply has driven prices higher. Consumers expressed frustration over the abrupt hike. “How can onion prices rise by Tk 50 in two days?” said Rabeya Akhter, a shopper at Rampura. Another buyer, Ehsanul Haque, complained about the lack of market monitoring. “Traders are running the market however they want. Without monitoring, consumers will suffer.” Buyers urged strict monitoring to stabilise the market, while experts warned that lack of oversight will make the situation more volatile. Read more: Kitchen Market: Onion prices still high, hilsa out of reach

Customers can now make payments simply by tapping their phones on an NFC (Near Field Communication)–enabled QR code through bKash. This new service is designed to make digital payments more seamless, secure, and contactless, according to a media statement on Thursday. With just a tap, customers can complete transactions in seconds—without the need to enter a PIN—enhancing their cashless payment experience and strengthening the country’s digital payment ecosystem. NFC technology makes everyday transactions faster and hassle-free, especially at small and large shops, supermarkets, cafés, and other retail outlets. To pay via NFC using bKash, customers simply tap their phone on an NFC-marked QR code. After logging in, they are taken directly to the payment screen, where they enter the amount and confirm the payment. This eliminates the inconvenience of forgetting or compromising PINs while improving the security of the bKash app. Customers can make NFC payments of up to Tk 1,000 without a PIN. Leveraging technological advancements, bKash continues to introduce innovative, customer-centric services to make daily transactions easier, safer, and hassle-free. In line with this commitment, the company has launched the NFC payment service, enabling customers to enjoy cashless, contactless, and secure transactions. Gradually, this service will be rolled out at merchant points nationwide, the statement said.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur on Thursday said the country’s economic policy is independently formulated and not dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the World Bank. “If we follow their prescriptions blindly, the exchange rate could surge to around Tk 170–180 per US dollar, as has happened in Pakistan and Sri Lanka,” he said. The governor made the remarks while speaking as the special guest at the ‘Investment Dialogue with Local Partners’ held at the multipurpose hall of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) on Thursday. Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan was also present as the chief guest in the programme. Dr Mansur said inflation is expected to fall to 5 percent by the end of the current fiscal year, FY2025-26. Consequently, the policy rate would likely be reduced to 8–9 percent, with lending rates settling between 10 and 11 percent. He cautioned that reducing interest rates without controlling inflation could destabilise the exchange rate and the money market, responding to businesses’ demands for lower lending rates. Citing examples from India and China, the governor noted that their low interest rates—3 percent and zero percent, respectively—reflect their economic conditions, which differ from Bangladesh’s. “We are not currently taking IMF loan installments because some conditions cannot be fulfilled at this time for the sake of our economy. When needed, we will take IMF loans after fully meeting the global lender’s conditions,” he added. About the financial sector, Dr. Mansur said it has now emerged from previous data manipulations that had posed serious risks to the country. For instance, while official figures under the previous regime showed single-digit inflation, actual inflation was around 12–13 percent, with lending rates in single digits, leaving depositors with negative returns. Similarly, defaulted loans were underreported, shown below double digits, though they stood at around 35 percent in September 2025. Current accounts have now been corrected. On the question of recovering defaulted loans through the sale of industry assets, the governor clarified that industries should not be penalized for individual mismanagement. He cited the example of the SS power plant of S. Alam Group, which continues to operate with support from Bangladesh Bank for LC openings. The project involves about US $2.5 billion in investment, 80 percent of which is foreign-owned. Although the plant is running, S. Alam will not retain any profit, as all funds will be used to repay liabilities, he added. Dr Mansur pointed out that Bangladesh Bank has received 1,300 applications for loan restructuring, approving 250 of them. The remaining applications have been forwarded to respective banks for customer- and client-based restructuring. He projected that defaulted loans will decrease by 5 percent by March FY2025-26, but bringing overall non-performing loans to a reasonable level may take 8–10 years. Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Envoy of the Chief Adviser on International Affairs, and Mohammad Abdur Rahman Khan, FCMA, Chairman of NBR, participated in the dialogue, held Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of BEZA and BIDA, in the chair.

Trading at both the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) began on a downward note Thursday, with most listed companies seeing price declines. At the DSE, the benchmark DSEX index dropped by 38 points in the first hour of trading. The Shariah-based DSES index slid 9 points, while the blue-chip DS30 index also fell by 9 points. Market data shows that prices fell for the majority of traded issues, with 284 companies declining against 48 advancing, while 48 remained unchanged. The turnover during the first half exceeded Tk 168 crore. The bearish trend persisted at the CSE as well, where the overall index lost 45 points. Only 20 issues advanced compared to 48 that declined, and 10 remained unchanged. The turnover at the CSE reached Tk 7 crore in the same period.    

The license for the newly established Sommilito Islami Bank PLC was formally handed over by Bangladesh Bank (BB) to representatives of the Ministry of Finance on Monday. The establishment of the new bank was approved by the Bangladesh Bank Board of Directors on Sunday (November 30). The license handover ceremony took place in presence of officials from both the central bank and the Ministry of Finance. Md. Azizuddin Biswas, joint secretary of the Financial Institutions Division (FID) of the ministry, received the license document on behalf of Nazma Mobarek, secretary of the FID. Representing the Bangladesh Bank were Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur, Governor, Dr. Md. Kabir Ahmed, Deputy Governor, Md. Badiul Alam, Executive Director and Head of Banking Regulation and Policy Department, and Bayezid Sarker, Director of the Department of Banking Regulation and Policy, who formally presented the license to the Ministry of Finance representatives. The formation of Sommilito Islami Bank PLC is part of a broader banking sector reform, aiming to consolidate multiple Shariah-based banks.