Customers of five merged banks can now withdraw up to Tk10 lakh for medical treatment and other urgent needs, following a Bangladesh Bank board decision on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Governor Mostakur Rahman chaired the meeting. The decision covers First Security Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Union Bank, Global Islami Bank and EXIM Bank.

Previously, the repayment scheme allowed withdrawals only for a depositor’s own medical treatment. The revised scheme also prioritises treatment needs for parents, children, siblings and spouses, while permitting withdrawals for other emergencies. A Bangladesh Bank official said customers may need money for matters such as a daughter’s wedding or treatment of a family member, which had not been covered under the earlier arrangement.

The interim government merged the five Shariah-based banks last year to form Sammilito Islami Bank. Under payments from the deposit insurance fund, Tk3,887 crore has so far been paid to 822,000 depositors, including Tk1,600 crore to 350,000 First Security Islami Bank customers. At the end of last December, the five banks had Tk170,500 crore in defaulted loans, equal to 87.43 percent of their total loans.

Bangladesh Bank has launched a new bank-intermediated digital payment framework to make foreign digital transactions more modern, secure and accessible. According to a circular issued by the central bank on Wednesday, authorised dealer banks will be able to provide outbound remittance services through partnerships with foreign digital payment service providers. The report was published on July 29, 2026.

The circular collectively describes foreign payment platforms and service providers as Cross-Border Digital Payment Service Providers, or CDPSPs. The framework will introduce Digital Value Accounts, or DVAs, which will function as digital wallets or stored-value accounts. These accounts will operate under a master DVA managed by the relevant bank.

Users will be able to use DVAs for foreign-currency spending related to personal travel, medical treatment, official visits and other travel purposes. Payments will also be allowed for membership fees, information technology services, visa fees, hotel bookings and other approved services, as well as online e-commerce transactions within prescribed limits. Bangladesh Bank said the facility can also be accessed against retention quotas and Resident Foreign Currency Deposit account balances, while banks must obtain prior approval before launching such services.

A protest march and rally demanding the arrest of former president Md Shahabuddin Chuppu was held outside Islami Bank’s head office in Motijheel, Dhaka, on Wednesday afternoon, July 29. The Islami Bank Conscious Customers Forum organized the programme, accusing Chuppu of being an associate of S Alam and of involvement in alleged Islami Bank share manipulation and bank looting.

Speakers at the rally alleged that Chuppu had assisted irregularities, corruption and looting in the banking sector, including at Islami Bank, through the S Alam Group. They called for an impartial investigation into people involved in damaging the banking sector and their associates, and demanded exemplary punishment.

Protesters also sought the arrest of Chuppu, prosecution of those involved in alleged bank-looting incidents, and effective measures to protect depositors’ interests. During the programme, participants chanted slogans and called for the swift trial of people linked to corruption in the banking sector. The march later ended peacefully.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission has decided to seek an explanation from the Dhaka Stock Exchange over the renewal of stock broker and stock dealer registration certificates for Monarch Holdings, owned by former national cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan. The decision was taken at a commission meeting chaired by BSEC Chairman Masud Khan on July 29, according to a notice signed by BSEC spokesperson Abul Kalam.

The notice said DSE had earlier made a positive recommendation for renewal without properly completing required information in prescribed Form “Cha” under the relevant 2000 regulations. BSEC described this as contrary to the rules and a clear failure in DSE’s regulatory responsibilities. After BSEC sought an explanation, DSE submitted the form and necessary information but did not provide a specific regulatory recommendation either for or against renewal.

BSEC also decided to instruct DSE to send a definite recommendation on Monarch Holdings’ renewal within five working days of receiving the letter, along with necessary information, analysis and regulatory assessment. DSE said the earlier omission resulted from unavailable necessary information. The report says Monarch Holdings began operations on October 20, 2020.

Construction on the six-lane upgrade of the Jhenaidah-Jashore highway is moving slowly amid delayed land acquisition and allegations of contractor negligence. The report, published on July 29, says the project’s extended term is due to end in December, but engineer Tuhin Al Mamun, project manager for phases 2 and 3, said completion within this year’s December is not possible. Slow progress has caused severe public inconvenience on the highway.

The project, under Western Economic Corridor, or WeCARE, Phase 1, was approved on November 24, 2020. It planned to acquire about 304 acres across Jashore and Jhenaidah, including 214 acres in Jhenaidah. Land acquisition has been completed for 45 percent in Kaliganj and about 50 percent in Jhenaidah Sadar. Coordination failures among six government departments delayed survey and inspection reports, slowing acquisition.

A revised proposal sent in June 2024 raised the estimated cost from Tk4,187 crore to Tk7,100 crore. Mamun said only 2 percent of work has been completed despite land handovers, and contractors have ignored repeated letters and requests to speed up. World Bank Division Director Jean Pem and Operations Manager Gail Martin expressed strong dissatisfaction during a July 19 site visit. A future World Bank meeting will decide whether the project term is extended.

Pulao rice prices have risen sharply in Bangladesh despite what the report describes as adequate supply. By July 29, 2026, prices had increased by about Tk70 per kilogram over three months and by roughly Tk40 in one week. Packaged pulao rice was selling for as much as Tk230 per kilogram, depending on brand, while a 50-kilogram wholesale sack reached Tk10,200. Price increases were observed in Dhaka’s Babubazar, Nayabazar, Badamtali and Karwan Bazar markets.

Retailers and buyers alleged that mill owners and major corporate firms created an artificial shortage, arguing that higher fuel, gas and electricity costs did not justify the scale of the increase. Aminul Islam Swapan, managing director of Nabil Group, rejected manipulation claims. He cited lower aromatic paddy production, higher fuel costs, exports and increased demand from weddings and social events, and suggested a temporary halt to pulao rice exports.

Complaints of adulteration and counterfeit packaging have also increased. Authorities fined a trader Tk200,000 in Old Dhaka for mixing atap rice into pulao rice, while another trader was fined in Jashore over allegedly selling chinigura rice in fake packaging. Samples have been sent for testing over alleged artificial fragrance use, and the consumer rights directorate said regular drives and legal action are continuing.

Construction on the six-lane upgrade of the Jhenaidah-Jashore highway is moving slowly amid delayed land acquisition and allegations of contractor negligence. The report, published on July 29, says the project’s extended term is due to end in December, but engineer Tuhin Al Mamun, project manager for phases 2 and 3, said completion within this year’s December is not possible. Slow progress has caused severe public inconvenience on the highway.

The project, under Western Economic Corridor, or WeCARE, Phase 1, was approved on November 24, 2020. It planned to acquire about 304 acres across Jashore and Jhenaidah, including 214 acres in Jhenaidah. Land acquisition has been completed for 45 percent in Kaliganj and about 50 percent in Jhenaidah Sadar. Coordination failures among six government departments delayed survey and inspection reports, slowing acquisition.

A revised proposal sent in June 2024 raised the estimated cost from Tk4,187 crore to Tk7,100 crore. Mamun said only 2 percent of work has been completed despite land handovers, and contractors have ignored repeated letters and requests to speed up. World Bank Division Director Jean Pem and Operations Manager Gail Martin expressed strong dissatisfaction during a July 19 site visit. A future World Bank meeting will decide whether the project term is extended.

Bangladesh’s government has sought Malaysian technical assistance after a technical fault shut gas supplies from the Maheshkhali floating LNG terminal to the national grid on July 21. The outage has cut about 450 million cubic feet of gas daily, worsening shortages for households, factories, power plants, CNG stations and other users. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit outlined the government’s response at a Secretariat press conference on July 29.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman sent a letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and later spoke with him by phone, requesting help to address the energy crisis. Education Adviser Mahdi Amin delivered the letter in Kuala Lumpur. Amit said Anwar had pledged to consult his team and relevant ministries quickly and inform Bangladesh’s prime minister. The government has also discussed possible LNG imports from Malaysia and using Malaysian experience and advice.

The energy division expects daily supplies of 280 to 300 million cubic feet to resume early next week, with the FSRU expected to be fully operational by the end of the following week. Residents of Mohammadpur and Adabor have announced a Friday protest over severe household shortages, low pressure and prolonged service problems.

Russia has offered to supply Bangladesh with urea fertiliser at $10 less per metric tonne than the sources from which Bangladesh currently imports it. The Russian side also expressed interest in supplying about 280,000 metric tonnes of urea to the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation through a government-to-government arrangement. The proposal was discussed at a meeting at the Secretariat with Commerce, Industry, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and a Russian delegation led by acting Ambassador Vyacheslav Sentyurin.

The meeting focused on food security, agricultural cooperation, fertiliser supplies and expanding government-to-government trade. Muktadir praised Russia’s support in regularly supplying wheat and muriate of potash fertiliser, describing Russia as a trusted friend and expressing hope for broader future trade and economic cooperation.

Russia also indicated interest in supplying sunflower oil, yellow peas, chickpeas, red lentils and green lentils in line with Bangladesh’s market needs. The discussions covered increasing cooperation under an existing memorandum of understanding between the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh and JSC FEC Prodintorg. Both sides agreed to maintain regular contact to expand bilateral trade, investment and economic partnership.

A United States Department of Agriculture delegation visited a Farmers Mini Cold Storage facility run by Bangladesh’s Department of Agricultural Extension in Savar, near Dhaka, on Tuesday. The visitors praised the technology used to preserve agricultural products and said small-scale modern storage at farm level could reduce waste and support market management. The delegation expressed interest in the potential of such technology and in working with Bangladesh on the issue.

The group included Dr Catherine Fiedler, director of USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services for South Asia; Erin Covert, agricultural attaché at the US Embassy in Dhaka; and USDA agricultural specialist Md Tanvir Ahmed. They inspected mangoes, gourds, papayas, green chilies and other produce stored in plastic crates, asking about storage dates, duration and temperature control. Project officials said most fruits and vegetables can remain fresh for one week to one month.

Project director Talha Zubair Mashrur said the storage system helps farmers avoid losses from rapidly perishable produce and sell at more favorable times. The delegation said it would meet the Agriculture Ministry after the field visit. Funded by the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund, the project has built 147 mini cold storage facilities in districts across the country.

Dirai Municipality in Sunamganj has announced its proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27, estimating total allocations of Tk 15 crore 4 lakh 90 thousand 819 and 37 paisa for overall municipal development. The budget was formally presented at a modest event at the municipal premises at 12 noon on Tuesday by Dirai Assistant Commissioner (Land) and municipal administrator Md Ziaul Hasan Saurav. It gives the highest priority to infrastructure development to strengthen urban transport and physical facilities.

The proposed revenue income for the next fiscal year is Tk 3 crore 66 lakh 40 thousand, against revenue expenditure of Tk 2 crore 58 lakh 60 thousand. This would leave a revenue surplus of Tk 1 crore 7 lakh 80 thousand. Development-sector allocations are estimated at Tk 12 crore 46 lakh 30 thousand 819 and 37 paisa, while expenditure in that sector is set at Tk 12 crore 39 lakh.

After accounting for income and expenditure in both revenue and development sectors, the overall budget surplus is projected at Tk 7 lakh 30 thousand 819 and 37 paisa. The proposal earmarks the largest allocation, Tk 11 crore 18 lakh, for infrastructure construction. Speakers at a post-budget discussion called for improved citizen services, planned drainage to address monsoon waterlogging, reduced traffic congestion and sustainable development.

Global oil prices resumed their decline on Tuesday as tensions in the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran eased. Both countries have refrained from launching new attacks, according to the report. Benchmark Brent crude fell 2.2 percent to $84.03 a barrel in international trading.

US crude, West Texas Intermediate, also declined, falling 1.7 percent to trade at $81.20 a barrel. Before the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel began in late February, Brent crude had been priced at about $72 a barrel.

Currency markets also showed movement on Tuesday. The Japanese yen weakened against the US dollar at the start of the day, with the dollar rising to 163.82 yen, while the euro also weakened somewhat. Regional Middle East officials said on Monday that mediators had made major progress and were seeking to bring the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table after attacks had been suspended for several days.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sought assistance from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to address the country’s ongoing gas crisis. The two leaders spoke by telephone at 2pm Bangladesh time on Tuesday, according to State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit, who briefed reporters at the Secretariat.

Amit said Bangladesh is unable to supply gas in line with demand and that the request for Malaysian support aims to narrow the gap between demand and supply. He said the government was working intensively to resolve the problem because of its responsibility to the public, even though the floating LNG terminal used to regasify imported LNG is a privately managed facility.

The prime minister had written to Anwar Ibrahim on Monday about the issue, and Education Adviser Mahdi Amin, who is visiting Malaysia, handed over the letter in Kuala Lumpur. Anwar said he would quickly consult his team and relevant ministries on possible assistance and inform Rahman. Amit said the energy ministry, Petrobangla and RPGCL were working around the clock, while Rahman remained in contact over developments.

Turkey’s leading textile company Sanko has expressed interest in investing about $300 million in Bangladesh’s textile and jute sectors through an integrated textile production facility in the Mirsarai industrial zone. The company disclosed the plan at a Tuesday meeting at the Secretariat with Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, minister in charge of the commerce, industries, and textiles and jute ministries. State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Alam also attended.

Sanko said the proposed project would produce fabrics, process fabric, and manufacture value-added textile goods. It cited Bangladesh’s promising market, skilled workforce, export capacity, existing business ties and demand from international buyers as reasons for seeking to expand local production. The company currently supplies textile products from Turkey. Its representatives said a local facility could bring new international buyers to Bangladesh and help existing textile factories through technology, skills and market expansion.

The company said it has selected possible sites and discussed the project with partners. It sought support for energy facilities, gas connections, electricity and faster government approvals, while emphasizing coal-free, environmentally friendly energy and sustainable production. If approvals and infrastructure are secured, Sanko plans to begin subsequent work within months and target operations 12 to 18 months after construction begins. The minister pledged necessary support.

The government borrowed a net Tk9,209 crore from the banking sector in the first 13 days of the current fiscal year, as expenditure exceeded revenue income, according to a report published on July 28. The government’s outstanding borrowing from banks now stands at Tk6,94,684 crore.

Of the new borrowing, Tk5,414 crore came from Bangladesh Bank and Tk3,795 crore from commercial banks. During the same period of the previous fiscal year, the government’s borrowing position with the central bank was negative Tk4,608 crore, while it had borrowed Tk6,112 crore from commercial banks. Its outstanding borrowing is now Tk99,467 crore at the central bank and Tk5,95,219 crore at commercial banks.

Former Bangladesh Bank chief economist Dr Mustafa K Mujeri said budget expenditure is set against revenue targets, but actual collection often falls well short, requiring additional bank borrowing. In the previous fiscal year, the government borrowed Tk1,34,571 crore from banks, above its revised target of Tk1,18,000 crore. The current fiscal year’s budget sets a Tk1,12,000 crore bank-borrowing target.