Imports of green chillies from India through Dinajpur’s Hili land port have begun affecting domestic prices within two days, the report said on August 4, 2026. Sixteen trucks carrying 104 tonnes entered through the port, increasing supply and cutting retail prices by about Tk130 per kilogram. Chillies that sold for Tk280 per kilogram a few days earlier were selling for Tk150.

Retailer Mobarak Hossain and other traders at Hili market said recent excessive rain and floods damaged chilli fields in several parts of the country, reducing production. They said the resulting supply shortage had driven prices higher, while the start of imports was now increasing availability. The price decline has brought relief to ordinary buyers, according to the report.

Hili land port plant quarantine centre assistant sub-officer Md Ujjwal Hossain said 74 importers had received import permits for a total of 36,000 tonnes of green chillies. Imported chillies were being sold in wholesale markets at Tk110 to Tk120 per kilogram depending on quality and supplied to Dhaka and other regions. Traders said prices could fall further if imports continue.

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) missed its revised revenue collection target in the outgoing 2025-26 fiscal year, according to updated data released on Tuesday. Against a target of Tk 503,000 crore, the agency collected Tk 415,473 crore, leaving a shortfall of Tk 87,527 crore. The collection was 17 percent below the target.

Revenue collection nevertheless rose from Tk 370,875 crore in the previous 2024-25 fiscal year. The increase of Tk 44,598 crore represented growth of more than 12 percent, and NBR crossed the Tk 400,000 crore revenue collection mark for the first time despite missing its target.

The target was initially set at Tk 499,000 crore at the start of the fiscal year, raised to Tk 554,000 crore after five months, and later revised by the government to Tk 503,000 crore. NBR officials had expected collection of Tk 430,000 crore, but actual receipts were Tk 15,000 crore lower. In June, NBR collected Tk 54,523 crore against Tk 60,915 crore, while June revenue was 26.54 percent higher than the same month a year earlier.

Bangladesh Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Aminur Rashid met Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh H. E. Mohammad Shuhada Osman at the Secretariat on Tuesday. They discussed strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in fisheries, livestock and agriculture, including trade, investment, technology transfer and joint initiatives.

The talks emphasized halal meat export prospects, ensuring international standards for animal products, technology and knowledge exchange, research cooperation, skills development and increased investment. Export potential for Bangladesh’s Black Bengal goats to Malaysia received particular attention, alongside possible exports of fish, meat, milk and other animal products.

The two sides exchanged views on animal health certificates, halal certification, quarantine arrangements, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, and stronger cooperation between relevant agencies to expand markets. The minister sought Malaysian experience and technical assistance to improve Bangladesh’s capacity in the international halal meat market. The high commissioner praised Bangladesh’s progress in agriculture and livestock and expressed Malaysia’s interest in expanding trade in promising agricultural and animal products.

Bangladesh signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, with South Korea at the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday. Under the agreement, 97 percent of Bangladeshi products will receive preferential tariff treatment in the South Korean market, while 87 percent of South Korean products exported to Bangladesh will receive the same benefit. Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir announced the details at a news briefing after the CEPA Negotiation Conclusion Ceremony.

Muktadir said this was Bangladesh’s first CEPA agreement within five months of the current government taking office. He said the deal would create new opportunities for duty-free access and other benefits for Bangladeshi exports including ready-made garments, leather and leather goods, jute and jute products. Bangladesh would also benefit when importing agricultural products, plastics and spare parts from South Korea, he said.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade currently totals about $1.39 billion, with Bangladesh running a deficit of about $411 million. South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo cited the need for more diversified trade and said the countries could work together in technology and supply-chain management. He expressed hope that the agreement would encourage Korean companies to invest in Bangladesh in a more accessible and favorable environment.

A coordinated overnight operation has freed the container vessel MV CNC Uranus after it became stranded in the Karnaphuli River navigation channel at Chattogram Port. On Monday, seven tugboats moved the vessel safely to the port’s outer B Anchorage. Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim confirmed the successful recovery on Tuesday afternoon, saying port operations and vessel movements were normal after the ship was anchored safely.

Port sources said the 170-metre, Malta-flagged vessel, built in 2017, became stranded at about 2pm Monday while entering the Karnaphuli channel because of a mechanical fault. Its steering failed, causing it to strike red buoy number 2 and crash into a retaining wall near the river mouth. The vessel had arrived from China’s Shikou port and had a draft of 9.50 metres.

The ship carried 1,282 TEUs of containers and 24 sailors, including its master. APL (Bangladesh) was its local agent. The recovery began immediately under the port authority’s leadership with support from the Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Coast Guard. Four port tugboats, one Navy tugboat, one Coast Guard tugboat and one tunnel tugboat took part.

Jamuna Fertilizer Company Limited in Jamalpur has remained without urea production for about two and a half years, with operations halted since early 2024 because of a gas supply shortage. The plant, once a key producer and supplier for farmers in 19 districts, is now storing and distributing imported urea and fertilizer produced at other domestic factories. The report was published on August 4, 2026.

General Manager for Operations Fazlul Haque said production has been stopped because of the gas crisis and he could not confirm when the factory would receive a gas connection again. Commercial General Manager Abdul Hamim said fertilizer imports are necessary because production is suspended. He said BCIC supplies fertilizer to buffer warehouses and consignments arriving at the Jamuna plant identify it as a buffer warehouse.

Registered dealer Chan Mia Chanu called for gas supplies to be restored quickly so the plant can resume production. Local businesspeople and concerned residents warned that a prolonged shutdown could affect equipment effectiveness, skilled personnel and technical capacity. Attempts to reach Managing Director Afaz Uddin by phone for comment were unsuccessful.

The 24-Hour CNG Gas Supply Implementation Unity Council has issued five demands, including keeping all CNG filling stations open around the clock and ensuring uninterrupted gas supply. The demands were announced at a Tuesday press conference at the National Press Club, where the group also called for an end to illegal gas supply to covered vans and trucks carrying cascade cylinders.

Member secretary Md Golam Faruk said official Energy and Mineral Resources Division data show daily gas demand of 3,800 million cubic feet against supply of 2,700 to 2,800 million cubic feet. He said damage to the Maheshkhali LNG terminal has worsened the shortage, affecting CNG-powered transport. He also said the sector faces about Tk125 crore in daily economic losses and nearly 90 million wasted work hours.

The council sought dedicated gas lines for filling stations, supply of vehicle-allocated gas only to legal CNG vehicles, and regular monitoring and mobile courts to prevent irregularities. It plans a roundtable at Dhaka Reporters Unity on August 16, followed by a gathering outside the National Press Club and submission of a memorandum to the ministry on August 24.

Corporate clients of Islami Bank Bangladesh have alleged that major business decisions are slowing because the bank lacks a full board, chairman and regular managing director. After its board was dissolved, Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Mohammad Zahir Hossain was assigned responsibility for the bank’s board. The August 4 report said delays have affected import letters of credit, loan renewals and working-capital approvals for businesses.

The bank still handles salary payments for workers at several hundred garment factories and other industrial companies. One industrial entrepreneur said four of his garment factories, employing more than 4,000 workers, use Islami Bank for salary payments and letters of credit but have recently not received needed support. Corporate clients said approvals for large loans, letters of credit and important financial decisions have become more complicated without full leadership.

Hossain rejected the complaints, saying necessary and important decisions are being taken and reasonable applications are approved. Bank officials said routine banking operations continue under the one-member board, although central-bank liquidity support cannot be used for new investment or working capital. Bangladesh Bank said work to form a new board is at a final stage, pending screening and selection of qualified, acceptable individuals.

Bangladesh is facing a severe gas shortfall that is disrupting industrial production and cutting output from gas-fired power plants to less than half of capacity, according to a report published on August 4, 2026. Petrobangla sources said daily demand exceeds 3.8 billion cubic feet, while combined domestic production and imports can supply no more than 2.65 billion cubic feet, leaving a daily deficit of 1.15 billion cubic feet.

Titas officials said technical faults at the Maheshkhali LNG terminal have reduced gas delivery to the national grid by about 450 million cubic feet a day. Supply from two floating LNG terminals has fallen by around half since a mechanical problem emerged on July 21. BGMEA leaders said garment factories' production capacity has declined by an average of 25 to 30 percent, while factory owners reported shutdowns for more than half the day and pressure to lay off workers.

The government is discussing LNG imports from Malaysia and pipeline gas imports from Myanmar as alternatives. State Minister Anindya Islam Amit said efforts to raise domestic gas production may take another three to four years to yield results. The Power Development Board said gas-based plants capable of producing 8,000 to 10,000 megawatts generated 3,500 megawatts the previous day.

Bangladesh has retained its position as the world’s second-largest apparel exporter for a fifth consecutive year, according to the WTO’s World Trade Statistical Review 2025. The report, published on August 4, 2026, said China remained the leading exporter despite a slight decline in global apparel exports. Vietnam ranked third, followed by India in fourth and Turkey in fifth place.

Bangladesh exported $38.82 billion in ready-made garments last year, about $2 billion more than nearest competitor Vietnam. Vietnam had overtaken Bangladesh for second place during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but Bangladesh regained the position in 2021. Vietnam remained third in apparel exports in 2024 and held the same ranking in 2025.

Bangladesh’s share of the global apparel export market fell to 6.76 percent in 2025 from 7 percent a year earlier, marking a second consecutive annual decline. Its share was 6.68 percent in 2023 and reached a high of 7.91 percent in 2022. Vietnam’s share rose to 6.53 percent in 2025, from 6.17 percent in 2024 and 5.81 percent in 2023.

Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman urged citizens to submit detailed written complaints to relevant authorities rather than make broad allegations over excessive electricity and fuel bills. He made the appeal at a weekly briefing held Tuesday afternoon at the Department of Information conference room in the Secretariat. He said people with concerns about overbilling should first notify the nearest relevant authority in writing.

Rahman said complainants should also report specifically if an authority refuses to accept their submission or if they do not receive redress. He said similar complaints had been received previously, verified, and followed by necessary action. He stressed that citizens should clearly identify where a problem occurred and what type of problem they experienced.

The adviser said he had discussed the issue with the energy minister and that the Energy Ministry was interested in examining overbilling complaints seriously. He added that people may inform the authorities if they fail to lodge a complaint or if the relevant office declines to receive it. Rahman expressed hope that specific complaints would be verified and addressed through necessary measures.

Saudi Arabia’s state oil company Saudi Aramco reported a 44% rise in profit in the second quarter of the year despite instability in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab. In the three months from April to June, Aramco recorded net profit of $32.69 billion, according to information published on August 4. Higher prices for crude oil, refined fuels and chemical products played a major role in the profit increase.

Saudi Arabia’s oil-sector activity, however, declined during the same period. Official statistics showed the country’s oil-sector activity fell 24.7% in the second quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. As a result, Saudi Arabia’s real gross domestic product declined 4.8% in the second quarter.

The profit disclosure came as oil production and transport were being disrupted after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz and energy infrastructure in the Gulf region was attacked. Yemen’s Houthi group also declared a blockade against Saudi Arabia in Bab al-Mandab, creating limits on use of the Saudi east-west pipeline extending to the Red Sea. Instability along both waterways has added pressure to global energy supplies.

Severe electricity load-shedding is disrupting rural life and industrial production across Bangladesh, according to a report published on August 4, 2026. Residents in Rajbari, Baraigram in Natore, Rupsa in Khulna, Kathalia in Jhalakathi and Chitalmari in Bagerhat reported frequent and prolonged outages amid intense heat. The disruptions have affected routine household activities, education, commerce and public office operations.

In Rajbari, businesses, courts and offices, and students’ studies have been badly affected, while small industries, shops and irrigation-dependent farming face losses. Baraigram residents alleged 15 to 16 hours of outages over a day and night, affecting poultry operators, fish farmers, vehicle drivers and factory owners. In Rupsa, customers said power is cut four to five times during the day and for long periods at night.

Kathalia electricity officials said national-grid shortages prevent supply from meeting demand: local demand is about 3.8 megawatts while allocation is 1.5 to 2 megawatts. In Chitalmari, the local zonal office said around 43,000 customers require 10 megawatts, but receive five to six megawatts over 24 hours. Residents have called for prompt action to ensure uninterrupted supply.

Oil prices rose again on Tuesday as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran reduced hopes for a swift diplomatic resolution. Brent crude futures gained 62 cents, or 0.7 percent, to reach $84.39 a barrel. The report said the worsening tensions were contributing to uncertainty in the oil market.

US West Texas Intermediate crude also increased, rising 61 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $80.95 a barrel. The market response was linked to the lower prospect of a rapid diplomatic settlement between Washington and Tehran.

Before the rebound, Brent had fallen 7 percent and reached its lowest level in three weeks. WTI had dropped more than 5 percent in the previous session, falling to its lowest level in nearly a week. The report identified continued US-Iran tensions and diminished expectations of a quick diplomatic outcome as factors affecting oil market conditions.

Bangladesh Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muqtadir said the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, with South Korea could take bilateral economic relations to a new level. Speaking at a dinner in Dhaka’s Hotel Sonargaon on 3 August in honor of South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, he said the proposed deal would serve not only as a bilateral trade agreement but also as a strong foundation for a long-term economic alliance.

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun and ERD Secretary Mohammad Shahriar Kader Siddiky attended the event, while Commerce Ministry Secretary Md Ataur Rahman Khan delivered welcome remarks. Muqtadir praised South Korea’s economic progress and expressed hope for a lasting trade and investment partnership. He said ties that began with development cooperation have expanded into trade, investment, industrialization, innovation and shared prosperity.

Yeo said Bangladesh’s economy, industrial base and large market offer significant potential for expanded trade and investment. Citing his work experience in Chattogram, he said he had prioritized concluding negotiations quickly. He said the agreement would create a stable, predictable legal framework. Muqtadir said he expects formal signing after remaining legal and procedural steps are completed.