A virtual policy dialogue titled “Budget Review for Sylhet’s Development: Prospects, Challenges and Way Forward” was held on Saturday, organized by the Sylhet Sustainable Development Research Firm (SSDRAF). The discussion focused on the national budget’s role in promoting sustainable development, infrastructure improvement, human resource growth, and economic progress in Sylhet. Key speakers included Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar, Vice-Chancellor of BRAC University, Dr. A. K. Enamul Haque, Director General of BIDS, and Dr. Shah Md. Atiqul Haque, Professor of Sociology at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST).

Organizers stated that the event aimed to generate evidence-based discussions and policy recommendations to ensure inclusive and sustainable development in Sylhet through effective resource allocation and long-term planning. Speakers emphasized prioritizing local realities, climate risks, regional disparities, and long-term strategies in development planning. They also highlighted the importance of education, innovation, agriculture, environmental conservation, tourism, and the commercial use of local resources.

During the question session, participants raised issues about innovation capacity, trade policy, and the potential of Sylhet’s natural products in international markets. The event was moderated by SUST professors Dr. Munshi Naser Ibn Afzal and Dr. Tasmina Chowdhury Tania.

Switzerland has expressed strong interest in working with Bangladesh to develop a skilled and internationally competitive workforce. The announcement came after a courtesy meeting between Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury and Swiss Ambassador Reto Renggli at the ministry on Sunday. The ambassador also assured continued cooperation in Bangladesh’s overall development and safe migration management.

During the meeting, Minister Chowdhury voiced concern over the ongoing instability in the Middle East, which has forced many Bangladeshi workers to return home. He emphasized the urgent need to ensure rehabilitation, employment, and social protection for these returnees. The minister highlighted that the Overseas Employment Platform has made migration management more modern and transparent, and he sought Swiss technical assistance to further enhance it through manpower demand management, medical center integration, job portal development, and a dedicated mobile app.

Chowdhury added that the government prioritizes safe workplaces, labor welfare, and skill development. He noted that Bangladeshi workers could contribute significantly to Swiss sectors such as healthcare, caregiving, IT, engineering, hospitality, and construction, and requested more scholarship opportunities for Bangladeshi students and researchers.

Pakistan is considering purchasing oil and gas from Iran at lower prices following the end of the Iran–United States conflict and the lifting of sanctions on Tehran. Energy Minister Ali Parvez Malik announced the plan on Sunday, noting that the government aims to take advantage of the new trade opportunities with Iran.

Speaking in Lahore, Malik recalled that during the peak of the Iran–US conflict in April, petroleum prices had reached 460 rupees per liter, but global prices have since declined significantly. On June 17, Washington and Tehran signed the ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’ in Switzerland, mediated by Pakistan, under which the United States committed to lifting restrictions on Iran’s crude oil and petroleum exports, including related banking, insurance, and transport services.

Malik added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already passed on the benefits of lower energy costs to the public by reducing fuel prices.

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku announced that one of the government’s key goals is to export livestock products after meeting domestic demand. He said this during a ceremony at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s Cargo Village on Sunday, marking Bangladesh’s first-ever export of hatching eggs to Nigeria. The minister emphasized that such exports will strengthen the national economy and accelerate overall development.

He noted that under the Prime Minister’s vision, every sector is being developed with an export-oriented approach, and the fisheries and livestock sector is gradually becoming a strong contributor to export diversification. The minister described the export as a milestone reflecting Bangladesh’s growing capacity and international recognition in livestock production.

According to the Department of Livestock Services, private company Kazi Farms Limited exported 10,440 Ross 308 Broiler parent hatching eggs worth 18,729 US dollars to Nigeria. Officials from the ministry, the department, and Kazi Farms attended the event, where it was stated that the department continues working to build an internationally competitive livestock sector.

Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Dr. Md. Ziauddin visited the Karnaphuli Paper Mills Limited (KPM) in Kaptai, Rangamati on Sunday, June 28, 2026. During the visit, he inspected the aging and deteriorated facilities of the mill and sought suggestions from the mill authorities on how the large industrial complex could be reactivated and restored to operation. The commissioner toured various production units and offered key recommendations for improvement.

At the KPM guest house, the mill’s Managing Director, Shahid Ullah, presented an overview of the mill’s past and current conditions through a projector presentation. The visit was attended by Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Nazma Ashrafi, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and ICT) Md. Alomgir Hossain, Kaptai Upazila Nirbahi Officer Raihanul Islam, and several senior KPM officials and local representatives.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Ziauddin was welcomed with flowers by local department heads upon his arrival in Kaptai and later visited the Raikhali Headman Office.

Residents of Madarganj upazila in Jamalpur are facing severe disruptions to daily life due to prolonged power outages amid intense heat. For several weeks, electricity has been unavailable for 16 to 18 hours a day, affecting both urban and rural areas. The shortage has disrupted normal routines, business operations, and students’ studies, with children, the elderly, and the sick suffering the most.

According to the Madarganj zonal office of Palli Bidyut, the upazila’s current electricity demand stands at 18 megawatts, but only 7 megawatts are being supplied—about 39 percent of total demand. The shortfall has forced authorities to impose long hours of load-shedding. Residents report frequent power cuts lasting two to three hours at a time, with electricity returning only briefly before going out again.

Local businesses are incurring financial losses, and students preparing for exams are struggling to study by candlelight. The deputy general manager of the Madarganj zonal office said the situation would improve once power supply from the national grid increases.

Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon told the National Parliament on June 28, 2026, that around 67,000 applications for retirement benefits from private educational institution teachers and employees remain unresolved. Each applicant is entitled to an average of 1.3 million taka in retirement benefits. To settle all pending applications, about 8,710 crore taka is required, but the retirement fund currently holds only 1,300 crore taka, leaving a shortfall of roughly 7,410 crore taka.

The minister also said that the Private Educational Institution Teachers and Employees Welfare Trust has about 45,000 pending applications from August 2023 to June 21, 2026, requiring a one-time allocation of 3,150 crore taka. He stated that the government is committed to ensuring timely disbursement of retirement and welfare benefits and has initiated measures to address the financial crisis.

To speed up processing, the government has taken steps including reactivating software systems, increasing manpower, expanding online operations, and enabling direct fund transfers to teachers’ and employees’ bank accounts through the iBAS++ system.

Government party lawmaker Mahbub Uddin Khokon, representing Noakhali-1, stated in the Bangladesh Parliament on Sunday that the country does not need so many banks. Speaking during the national budget discussion, he said that public money is being used to cover bank deficits and criticized the practice of politicians seeking to establish banks or leasing companies. He suggested reducing the number of banks and proposed canceling 500 and 1,000 taka notes to encourage people to deposit money and legalize undeclared funds through taxation.

Mahbub Uddin also highlighted money laundering as a persistent problem since independence, noting that despite publishing white papers, no laundered funds have returned to the country. He argued that Bangladesh’s financial system must change so that people feel their money is safe domestically. He cited examples of other countries where money flows despite limited legal restrictions and urged reforms to make domestic investment more secure.

He further described the proposed budget as a vision for one year’s development, emphasizing social protection, training, and employment initiatives, while identifying law and order deterioration and unemployment as key challenges to implementation.

Iran’s annual inflation rate has soared to nearly 89 percent, marking the highest level since the end of World War II. The sharp rise is attributed to the ongoing war with the United States and Israel, compounded by international sanctions and a steep depreciation of the Iranian rial. According to Iran’s Statistical Center, inflation reached 88.6 percent in June, driven by severe economic disruptions linked to the conflict.

The report notes that food prices have more than doubled compared to the same period last year. Bread and grains rose by 138.8 percent, eggs and dairy products by 151.9 percent, and red meat and poultry by 178.2 percent. The rapid price increases have drastically reduced purchasing power, making basic goods unaffordable for many citizens.

The war has also caused widespread job losses, with millions forced out of work. A US naval blockade and restrictions on oil exports have further strained Iran’s economy, putting additional pressure on the national currency.

Bangladesh’s rapid urbanization, once seen as a sign of progress, is now creating complex social, economic, and environmental challenges, according to Professor Md. Mujibur Rahman. He identifies unplanned internal migration from rural to urban areas as a key driver of this crisis, placing severe pressure on city infrastructure. Housing, transport, education, water supply, sanitation, and healthcare systems are all under strain, with Dhaka facing severe traffic congestion and rising environmental risks such as waterlogging and groundwater depletion.

The article explains that rural economic decline, lack of local employment, natural disasters, and climate change are pushing people toward cities. However, inadequate urban planning and poor coordination among development agencies have worsened the situation. The author argues that internal migration itself is not the problem but its unregulated nature.

To address the crisis, he calls for stronger rural development, decentralized industrial and educational opportunities, improved public transport, and long-term urban planning. Without such measures, he warns, Bangladesh’s cities risk becoming increasingly uninhabitable.

Bangladesh Bank has discontinued the CAMELS rating system used to assess banks’ financial health and introduced a new Composite Risk Rating (CRR) framework effective from January 2026. The CRR system is part of the central bank’s Risk-Based Supervision structure and aims to evaluate banks’ overall risk and management capacity. The decision was confirmed by internal sources of Bangladesh Bank.

Previously, CAMELS ratings were based on six indicators—capital adequacy, asset quality, management, earnings, liquidity, and market sensitivity—and were kept confidential. Officials noted that the CAMELS system was backward-looking, relying on past financial data, and failed to detect emerging risks. The new CRR approach is forward-looking, assessing both current conditions and potential future vulnerabilities.

According to internal documents, the change was made to eliminate duplication and improve supervisory efficiency. Bangladesh Bank has reorganized its internal structure, forming 17 new supervision departments. The shift aligns with international practices in countries such as India, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Singapore. Analysts believe the success of the CRR will depend on the central bank’s commitment to impartial enforcement.

During Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent visit to China, a memorandum of understanding was signed to enable the export of jackfruit from Bangladesh to China. The agreement is part of 17 MoUs covering areas such as infrastructure, disaster management, and the digital economy. Officials said the deal marks a formal step toward approving jackfruit exports, reflecting China’s continued interest since it began importing raw mangoes from Bangladesh in May 2025.

Experts noted that Bangladesh, despite being a major jackfruit producer, has a minimal share in the global market. China, the world’s largest jackfruit importer, currently sources most of its supply from Vietnam and Thailand. Economists believe access to the Chinese market could boost Bangladesh’s agricultural exports and create new opportunities for processed jackfruit products. However, challenges remain in maintaining product quality, processing, and packaging standards.

Agricultural economists emphasized that government investment and technical collaboration with China could help overcome logistical and preservation challenges. They also cautioned that local demand and nutritional needs should be balanced alongside export ambitions.

Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said that if Bangladesh joins the China-Myanmar corridor, Bangladeshi goods could reach China within 24 hours, significantly accelerating bilateral trade and boosting investment. He made the remarks on Saturday while speaking to journalists after attending the Sylhet Lawyers Association’s reception for new members.

The minister explained that China has already granted duty-free access to all Bangladeshi products, and the government is now focusing on attracting more Chinese investment as a key strategy to expand exports. He mentioned that the cabinet recently approved the establishment of an 800-acre Chinese industrial park in Chattogram. Referring to the Prime Minister’s recent visit to China, he expressed optimism that substantial Chinese investment would soon flow into Bangladesh, helping to reduce the trade deficit.

At the same event, Muktadir emphasized the vital role of lawyers in upholding the rule of law, justice, and social order, and called for building a modern training system to enhance professional skills within the Sylhet District Lawyers Association.

Beximco Pharmaceuticals has resumed trading of its Global Depository Receipts (GDRs) on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) from June 26, following the withdrawal of a trading suspension. The Dhaka Stock Exchange Brokers’ Association (DBA) confirmed the development on June 27. The company had faced a suspension since January 2 due to delays in publishing audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and subsequent reports.

According to the source, the suspension stemmed from a dispute over the company’s board composition after the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) was restructured under the interim government formed following political changes in 2024. The reconstituted BSEC appointed nine independent directors to Beximco Pharma’s board, a move the company challenged in court. This deadlock delayed financial approvals, triggering the LSE suspension.

After investor appeals and coordination among BSEC, DBA, and company management, Beximco Pharma held a special board meeting on June 23 to approve pending financial statements. The LSE then lifted the suspension, a move the DBA said would strengthen Bangladesh’s international market reputation and investor confidence.

Opposition lawmaker Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan from Sirajganj-4 has described Bangladesh’s proposed 2026–27 national budget as anti-poor and not people-friendly. Speaking in parliament on Saturday, he said the budget increases the cost of living through higher prices of essentials and added taxes on daily goods. He cited price hikes in LPG, diesel, kerosene, and petrol, arguing that the poor are disproportionately burdened. The session was chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal.

Khan criticized the government’s economic targets, saying the projected 6.5 percent GDP growth and 7.5 percent inflation goals are unrealistic given current inflation above 9 percent. He noted that only about 48 percent of the Annual Development Programme had been implemented in eleven months, warning that last-minute spending could fuel corruption. He also highlighted rising non-performing loans, now totaling about Tk 5.88 trillion, and warned of growing foreign debt repayment pressures.

The MP further alleged deterioration in law and order, citing killings and drug abuse, and called for reforms, anti-corruption measures, and fair treatment of officials. He demanded budget allocations for Qawmi madrasa students, religious leaders, and victims of political violence.