Bangladesh’s government has announced a new target of March 2026 to launch the long-anticipated direct rail service between Pabna and Dhaka. Sheikh Moinuddin, Special Assistant for Road, Bridge, and Rail Communication to the Chief Adviser, confirmed the revised timeline during a press briefing at the Pakshi West Zone Railway Office in Pabna on December 9. The project, initially expected to begin in late 2025, was delayed due to a shortage of train coaches and related logistical challenges.

Moinuddin explained that the railway department is preparing to resolve the coach shortage soon and begin operations by March 2026. He also mentioned that the underused railway station built for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be reviewed for potential integration into the new service. In addition, the government plans to upgrade Pabna’s main Abdul Hamid Road into a four-lane highway as part of a broader national infrastructure modernization initiative.

The announcement has renewed optimism among Pabna residents, who have long demanded improved connectivity with Dhaka. Officials expect the new service to enhance regional trade, reduce travel time, and support balanced economic growth across western Bangladesh.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) of Bangladesh announced plans to register an additional 100,000 businesses for Value Added Tax (VAT) by the end of December. The initiative, revealed by NBR Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan during a press conference marking VAT Day, aims to expand the country’s tax base and address the low number of VAT-paying enterprises.

Currently, Bangladesh has about 644,000 VAT-registered businesses, which the chairman noted is significantly lower than the total number of active enterprises. The NBR will conduct a month-long special drive through its VAT commissionerates to meet the registration target. Khan acknowledged that a large number of businesses remain unregistered, indicating substantial untapped potential in VAT collection.

Looking ahead, the NBR expects to bring 3–4 million businesses under VAT registration within the next two years. Plans are also underway to introduce a simplified online “one-click” VAT return system for small enterprises. The authority will observe “VAT Week” from December 10 to 15 under the theme “Register on Time, Pay VAT Properly.”

Bangladesh’s mobile and gadget retailers have decided to continue their nationwide shutdown after a second round of talks with regulators failed to resolve disputes over the National Equipment Identity Registrar (NEIR) system. The Mobile Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB) said no positive outcome emerged from Tuesday’s meeting with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and stores will remain closed until further notice.

MBCB President Md. Aslam stated that another meeting is scheduled for Wednesday with representatives from the National Board of Revenue (NBR). He urged members to remain calm but warned of tougher protests if demands remain unmet. The standoff has disrupted business across the country and caused public inconvenience, especially after retailers began their protest outside the BTRC headquarters earlier this week.

A high-level meeting involving government advisers, NBR, the Commerce Ministry, mobile manufacturers, and MBCB representatives is expected on Wednesday to find a resolution. The ongoing impasse raises concerns about market stability and consumer access to mobile devices during the peak sales season.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) of Bangladesh has announced the withdrawal of excise duty on air tickets for next year’s Hajj pilgrims. The directive, issued on December 9, takes immediate effect and will remain valid until June 30, 2025. The exemption means that pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj will not have to pay the usual 5,000 taka excise duty on their flight tickets.

This is not the first time the NBR has introduced such a waiver; similar exemptions have been granted in previous years to ease the financial burden on pilgrims. Typically, the excise duty is collected at the time of ticket purchase and deposited into the national treasury. The measure is expected to reduce travel costs for thousands of Bangladeshi pilgrims preparing for the annual pilgrimage.

According to official estimates, 78,500 Bangladeshi pilgrims will be allowed to perform Hajj in 2025, which is expected to take place around May 26, depending on the lunar calendar.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar have formally signed an agreement to construct a high-speed electric passenger rail line connecting Riyadh and Doha, marking the first major infrastructure collaboration between the two Gulf nations once seen as fierce rivals. The project, announced on December 8 through Saudi state media, will link Riyadh’s King Salman International Airport with Doha’s Hamad International Airport, passing through Al-Hofuf and Dammam.

The train is expected to exceed speeds of 300 km/h, cutting travel time between the capitals to roughly two hours compared to the current 90-minute flight. The six-year project aims to transport 10 million passengers annually and create around 30,000 jobs across both countries. The agreement was signed during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s meeting with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Riyadh.

Analysts view the deal as a symbol of improving Saudi-Qatari relations following years of diplomatic tension. It also aligns with broader Gulf initiatives to enhance regional connectivity and economic diversification under Saudi Vision 2030.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on Monday held a crucial meeting with the Mobile Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB) at its Agargaon headquarters to address disputes surrounding the National Equipment Identity Registrar (NEIR) system. While discussions continued inside, hundreds of mobile traders gathered outside the BTRC building, staging a sit-in to press for reforms to the NEIR policy.

Traders argue that the NEIR’s implementation could harm thousands of small retailers and benefit only select groups, while also driving up handset prices for consumers due to increased taxes and regulatory costs. MBCB leaders emphasized their preference for a peaceful, negotiated resolution. In contrast, BTRC officials defended the NEIR as essential for curbing illegal handset imports, ensuring consumer safety, and improving transparency in device tracking.

A high-level joint meeting is scheduled for Tuesday to resolve the impasse, involving the Prime Minister’s economic adviser, the NBR chairman, the commerce secretary, and representatives from mobile manufacturers and traders. The outcome could determine the future of Bangladesh’s mobile phone retail market and regulatory environment.

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has canceled around 2,000 flights nationwide, disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers. The cancellations, caused by pilot shortages and failure to comply with new duty-time regulations, have led to chaos at airports and significant delays. With a 65% share of India’s domestic market, IndiGo’s operational breakdown has had a cascading effect across the country’s aviation network.

The crisis comes as rival Air India, holding 27% of the market, faces scrutiny over poor service and recent safety incidents. The government has temporarily eased pilot fatigue management rules to stabilize operations. Industry experts warn that IndiGo’s dominance—along with Air India’s presence—creates a near-duopoly, leaving the entire sector vulnerable to disruptions. Refund losses have already reached $68 million, and on-time performance has dropped to just 3.7%.

Analysts say the episode highlights structural weaknesses in India’s civil aviation system, where overreliance on a single carrier poses systemic risks. The government may face pressure to diversify competition and strengthen regulatory oversight.

The diamond polishing hub of Surat, India, is facing an unprecedented crisis as new US tariffs and global demand slumps cripple the industry. Once a symbol of upward mobility for rural migrants, the city’s diamond sector has seen massive layoffs, with nearly 400,000 workers affected by job losses, pay cuts, or reduced hours. Families like that of Alpesh Bhai, who once afforded private schooling for their children, are now struggling to cover basic needs after losing stable incomes.

The crisis deepened after the United States imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian diamond exports, compounding earlier disruptions from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and weakened demand in China and the US. Government data show hundreds of children have dropped out or shifted from private to public schools, where education quality remains poor. The Gujarat government’s relief package, covering one year of school fees for unemployed diamond workers’ children, has reached only a fraction of applicants, leaving many excluded.

Union leaders warn of growing mental health distress, with more than 70 suicides among diamond workers reported in 2024. The industry’s recovery remains uncertain, as families continue to bear the social and educational costs of a collapsing export market.

Bangladesh Bank has released a new report estimating the total assets of the country’s financial sector at Tk 42.42 trillion as of June 2025. The figure includes banks, non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs), insurance companies, and capital market entities. About 96% of these assets are held by the banking sector, while insurance and capital market institutions account for less than 3%. However, economists warn that the reported figure represents gross assets and may not reflect the true financial health of the sector.

Experts, including former Bangladesh Bank chief economist Dr. Mustafa K. Mujeri, have questioned the reliability of the data, citing massive loan defaults and corruption across financial institutions. Non-performing loans now exceed Tk 6.4 trillion, with over one-third of NBFI loans in default. Mujeri and others argue that only forensic audits can reveal the real asset value, but such efforts remain limited. The central bank says it plans to expand data coverage in future surveys to improve accuracy.

The findings highlight deep structural weaknesses in Bangladesh’s financial governance. Analysts urge the interim government and regulators to strengthen oversight, enforce transparency, and restore public confidence before further instability spreads across the sector.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs on rice imports from India and fertilizer from Canada, citing stalled trade negotiations with both countries. Speaking at a White House meeting on Monday, Trump said his administration could act soon if talks fail to progress. He also announced a $12 billion agricultural relief package aimed at supporting American farmers struggling with inflation and low commodity prices.

According to Indian media reports, Trump criticized agricultural imports from Asia, arguing that foreign products were harming U.S. producers. He accused India of dumping rice in the American market and suggested tariffs would quickly resolve the issue. A Louisiana rice producer described Indian rice imports as “devastating” for southern farmers, while Trump emphasized tariffs as his main tool to protect domestic agriculture.

The move comes amid growing U.S.–India agricultural trade, which includes rice, spices, and seafood exports from India and nut, cotton, and pulse imports from the U.S. Analysts warn that new tariffs could strain bilateral trade and complicate ongoing WTO disputes over subsidies and market access.

At a seminar in Manikganj, the Director General of the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate, Faruk Ahmed, highlighted widespread irregularities in the market and the challenges faced by regulators with limited manpower. He remarked that nearly every product category shows problems, emphasizing that the agency’s goal is not punishment but correction and awareness.

Ahmed announced that the Directorate has proposed amendments to the Consumer Rights Protection Act of 2009, citing existing legal barriers that hinder effective enforcement. He urged both consumers and businesses to act responsibly—consumers by becoming more aware, and businesses by maintaining honesty and integrity. The seminar, organized by the district administration and the Directorate’s local office, was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Nazmun Ara Sultana and attended by officials, business leaders, and journalists.

The proposed legal reforms aim to strengthen consumer protection mechanisms and ensure a fairer marketplace. Officials indicated that awareness campaigns and stakeholder consultations will continue as part of the Directorate’s broader reform agenda.

Residents of several neighborhoods in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area blocked the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway on Monday, demanding restoration of household gas supply. The protest, which began around noon and lasted over three hours, brought traffic to a standstill across major routes including Mayor Hanif Flyover and Gulistan. Demonstrators carried placards calling for an end to alleged syndicate manipulation and urged authorities to resolve the gas crisis immediately.

The blockade caused heavy congestion stretching up to nine kilometers, severely disrupting city and long-distance travel. Ambulances faced delays, and one patient reportedly died en route to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Residents said they had been without gas for nearly three months, forcing families to cook with firewood or rely on restaurant food. Despite repeated complaints to Titas Gas, no improvement was seen. Police officials negotiated with gas authorities, who promised to restore supply, prompting protesters to withdraw.

The incident underscores Dhaka’s recurring utility supply challenges and highlights growing public frustration over service inefficiencies. Authorities have pledged to investigate the cause of the prolonged disruption.

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman has warned that the country is already caught in a debt trap, stressing that acknowledging this reality is essential for moving forward. Speaking at a seminar in Dhaka’s NEC conference hall, he highlighted the sharp decline in the tax-to-GDP ratio—from over 10 percent a few years ago to around 7 percent now—and called for identifying the structural weaknesses behind this fall.

The seminar, organized by the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission, also unveiled the ‘Bangladesh State of the Economy 2025’ and the ‘SDG Progress Report 2025’. Policy experts, including CPD’s Mustafizur Rahman and former World Bank economist Zahid Hossain, expressed concern that rising debt servicing costs are crowding out spending on vital sectors such as agriculture and education. Rahman noted that interest payments have now become one of the largest budgetary expenditures.

Analysts warned that unless revenue mobilization improves, Bangladesh may face increasing pressure to borrow to repay existing loans, risking long-term fiscal sustainability and development priorities.

The Bangladesh government has reaffirmed its plan to activate the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) system on December 16 to curb the use of unregistered, stolen, or illegally imported mobile phones. The initiative aims to enhance network security, reduce digital crimes, and increase state revenue. Ahead of the rollout, mobile retailers reported a surge in customer demand as buyers rushed to purchase devices before the new registration rules take effect.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) agreed to review aspects of the NEIR system following a day-long protest by mobile phone traders under the Mobile Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB). Demonstrators demanded reforms to the system, the abolition of import syndicates, and lower taxes, arguing that the new policy could harm small traders and raise handset prices beyond consumers’ reach. Officials, however, maintain that 73% of digital fraud involves illegal smartphones, justifying the government’s firm stance.

A joint meeting involving the BTRC, National Board of Revenue, Commerce Ministry, and industry representatives is scheduled to address technical and regulatory concerns before the launch.

The number of bank accounts in Bangladesh holding deposits of at least one crore taka has continued to rise, surpassing 128,000 as of September 2025, according to Bangladesh Bank’s latest data. This marks an increase of 734 such accounts over the previous quarter, even as the total amount of deposits in these accounts fell by over 59,000 crore taka during the same period.

Banking analysts attribute this trend to widening income inequality. While rising prices have forced lower- and middle-income families to draw down savings, wealthier individuals and large businesses have continued to accumulate assets. Central bank officials clarified that not all crore-level accounts belong to individuals; many are held by corporations and government entities, and a single entity may maintain multiple accounts.

The data also show that the total number of bank accounts in the country reached 174.6 million by September, up by 5.6 million in three months. Economists warn that the growing concentration of wealth in fewer hands could deepen economic disparities if inflationary pressures persist.