A multimillion-taka government project aimed at resolving the drinking water crisis in Bandarban municipality and four upazilas has become a major source of public frustration. Despite being inaugurated four to five years ago, residents of Thanchi and Naikhongchhari have yet to receive a single drop of water from the treatment plants built under the initiative. The project, launched in 2022 with an estimated cost of Tk 44.25 crore, included construction of water treatment plants in several upazilas, but most remain locked and unused.

Investigations revealed that each project initially received around Tk 2.71 crore, but costs ballooned through repeated revisions, with the Naikhongchhari project alone now costing about Tk 9 crore. Locals accused officials and contractors of collusion, budget manipulation, and siphoning public funds. Several contractors and firms were repeatedly linked to major development works in the district.

Officials cited land acquisition issues, material theft, and other complications as reasons for the delay. The Public Health Engineering Department acknowledged that the projects could not be inaugurated due to these problems, leaving the multimillion-taka facilities idle and deteriorating.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) has said that the government’s target to bring inflation down to 7.5 percent in the proposed 2026–27 fiscal year budget is nearly impossible. The observation came at a press conference titled “National Budget 2026–27: CPD’s Review” held at Lakeshore Hotel in Dhaka, where CPD Executive Director Fahmida Khatun presented the analysis. She noted that the budget was announced amid multiple economic challenges, including prolonged high inflation, weak growth, low private investment, employment stagnation, revenue shortfall, and a fragile banking sector.

According to CPD, the proposed budget emphasizes human development, private sector–driven growth, and social protection to ensure economic recovery. It also aligns in several areas with the BNP’s election manifesto, particularly regarding employment generation, private investment, deregulation, and social sector development. CPD stressed that the success of the budget will depend on implementation quality rather than its size.

The organization added that strong and effective institutions are essential for achieving the budget’s goals. It described the budget as a major test for the new government to demonstrate its ability to drive economic recovery, boost investment, and advance structural reforms.

The World Bank has warned that the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran could push global economic growth to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. In its latest Global Economic Prospects report released on Thursday, the Washington-based institution cut its 2026 global growth forecast from 2.9 percent to 2.5 percent, citing rising energy prices, inflation, and high borrowing costs.

The report highlighted that Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, in response to the conflict initiated by the US and Israel, has severely disrupted global energy and supply chains. The Bank expects Brent crude oil to average 94 dollars per barrel this year, 36 percent higher than last year, and fertilizer prices to rise significantly, driving up food costs. Global inflation could reach 4 percent as a result of the strategic waterway’s closure.

If energy supply disruptions persist, the World Bank warned that global growth could fall further to 1.3 percent and inflation rise to 4.4 percent. Developing countries are expected to be the hardest hit, with growth forecasts downgraded for two-thirds of them since January.

Bangladesh’s Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury presented a Tk 9.38 trillion national budget for fiscal year 2026–27 in parliament, setting a revenue target of Tk 6.95 trillion and a deficit of Tk 2.43 trillion. The budget introduces eight major tax and revenue changes, including raising the tax-free income threshold to Tk 390,000 and maintaining corporate tax rates. The government plans to fully automate tax administration to curb evasion and reduce taxpayer harassment.

The budget proposes tax relief on 60 essential goods such as rice, wheat, and edible oil, and removes duties on key spices and baby food imports. It also exempts kidney dialysis filters from advance tax and lowers taxes on gold and jewelry. Freelancers and content creators will receive full VAT exemption, while mobile SIM taxes will be withdrawn. The government extended VAT exemptions for locally produced electronics and technology goods until 2030.

Additional measures include duty waivers for pharmaceutical raw materials and incentives for electric vehicle imports and production. The new system allows taxpayers to file returns year-round, with early submissions rewarded. The government aims to raise the tax-to-GDP ratio to 15 percent by 2035 through expanded coverage and automation.

The BNP-led government, in its first full budget after nearly two decades, has introduced a provision allowing individuals to legalize undisclosed income by investing in land, buildings, or apartments upon payment of a 15% tax. The Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presented the 2026–27 fiscal year budget of Tk 9.38 trillion in the National Parliament. According to the Finance Bill, if the tax is paid, no authority will question the source of the money. However, if undisclosed income is detected before declaration, an additional 20% tax must be paid.

The provision will remain effective from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. Both buyers and sellers of property can use this opportunity to legalize undeclared amounts by paying applicable taxes. Similar opportunities were offered during previous Awami League governments, though economists and business groups have often criticized such measures as unethical and unfair to honest taxpayers.

A similar proposal in the interim government’s 2025–26 budget was withdrawn after criticism, but the current administration has reinstated the option, continuing a long-standing debate over the effectiveness and morality of legalizing black money in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s 2026–27 national budget outlines a coordinated approach to macroeconomic stability, investment, production, employment, and inclusive growth. The government aims to reduce inflation to 7.5 percent and raise economic growth to 6.5 percent in the next fiscal year, with a longer-term goal of bringing inflation down to 5 percent by 2030–31. The budget acknowledges pressures from currency depreciation, high exchange rates, import dependence, and rising global energy and fertilizer prices.

Key initiatives include a Tk 60,000 crore stimulus package to boost private sector credit flow, new export processing zones in Patuakhali and Jashore, and economic zones in Kurigram, Nilphamari, Chandpur, and Kushtia. The government also launched the “BanglaBiz” digital platform to ease business operations and introduced an FDI heat map covering 19 promising sectors. Education and social protection allocations have been significantly increased, with special emphasis on women’s empowerment and employment generation.

Despite these measures, the budget faces major tests in controlling inflation, ensuring effective implementation of stimulus funds, and reforming the banking sector, where high non-performing loans remain a key risk to financial stability.

Bangladesh’s Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presented a Tk 9.38 trillion national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year in parliament, marking the first budget of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s government. The proposal, approved by the cabinet earlier in the day, emphasizes fulfilling electoral pledges, boosting investment and employment, and stabilizing the fragile economy. The budget is 18.73 percent larger than the previous year’s and includes record revenue targets and a deficit of Tk 2.43 trillion.

The budget prioritizes education, health, agriculture, and local government while offering extensive incentives for young entrepreneurs and technology-driven sectors. It introduces tax exemptions for content creators, outsourcing professionals, and creative industries, alongside new social safety programs such as family and farmer cards. The government aims to reduce inflation to 7.5 percent and achieve 6.5 percent GDP growth. However, economists have questioned the feasibility of the ambitious revenue goals.

Key challenges identified include inflation control, revenue mobilization, and accelerating project implementation. The government plans to expand the tax net, enhance automation in tax administration, and maintain cautious austerity while seeking domestic and foreign loans to finance the deficit.

Global oil prices declined after the United States announced the suspension of planned airstrikes on Iran. US President Donald Trump stated that he had canceled the scheduled air attack against Iran, following earlier warnings that a very strong response could be launched if necessary. The announcement led to an immediate reaction in the oil market.

Following Trump’s statement, Brent crude prices dropped by 1.21 dollars, or 1.3 percent, to 89.17 dollars per barrel. At the same time, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell by 1.23 dollars, or 1.4 percent, to 86.48 dollars per barrel. Both benchmarks recorded weekly losses, with Brent down 4.2 percent and WTI down 4.4 percent.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, indicates that the market’s response reflects easing geopolitical tensions after the US decision to halt the planned military action against Iran.

US stock markets recorded a sharp rise after President Donald Trump made positive remarks about canceling an attack on Iran. Late Thursday, major Wall Street indices turned upward following his comments suggesting that a deal with Iran was very close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.75 percent, while the technology-focused Nasdaq Composite rose 2.54 percent.

Rick Meckler, a partner at Cherry Lane Investments in New Jersey, said the administration viewed the day as one when the war might be ending, which lifted the markets. However, he expressed some doubt, questioning whether this was another false signal or a genuine end to tensions. Meckler added that the ongoing war and inflation, particularly in the energy sector, had been major pressures on the market, and any real resolution would be a clear positive for investors.

The report cited Al Jazeera as its source, noting that the market reaction reflected optimism about easing geopolitical risks and potential stability in global trade and energy prices.

The government of Bangladesh has announced multiple incentives for businesses in the proposed 2026–27 national budget, aiming to accelerate industrialization, attract foreign investment, and expand employment. The budget emphasizes trade facilitation, export diversification, and support for small entrepreneurs. A unified digital platform named 'BanglaBiz' has been launched to simplify business operations, while a heat map identifying 19 promising sectors has been published to attract foreign investors. New export processing zones are under development in Patuakhali and Jashore, expected to create about 250,000 jobs, alongside plans for new economic zones in Kurigram, Nilphamari, Chandpur, and Kushtia.

The budget also proposes duty-free import facilities for fully export-oriented industries, including agricultural products, light engineering, pharmaceuticals, and electronics. Eight potential export sectors will receive duty-free clearance against bank guarantees. To promote eco-friendly industrialization, policy support has been announced for producing electric buses, trucks, motorcycles, and scooters.

Bangladesh Bank has introduced a Tk 60,000 crore 'Stimulus Package 2026' to expand private sector credit flow, with allocations for reopening factories, agriculture, CMSMEs, export diversification, and developing the northern region as an agricultural hub.

After the presentation of Bangladesh’s 2026–27 national budget in Parliament, National Citizens Party convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam described the budget as overly ambitious and detached from reality. He said the government planned to spend Tk 9.38 trillion against a revenue target of Tk 6.95 trillion, leaving a deficit of Tk 2.43 trillion. According to him, such revenue collection was impossible under the current administration and tax structure, forcing the government to rely on domestic and foreign borrowing.

Nahid warned that a debt-dependent budget would strain the banking sector and harm private businesses by limiting access to credit and shrinking employment opportunities. He criticized the finance minister for not addressing loan defaulters, economic reforms, or measures to recover laundered money. He also alleged that the government was returning Islami Bank to S. Alam Group, reviving public distrust in the banking system.

He, however, welcomed increased allocations for education, health, and social safety sectors, noting that reduced taxes on essential goods could ease prices if implemented effectively, though he expressed doubt about whether ordinary citizens would truly benefit.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has called on the government to abandon its plan to legalize black money and grant unconditional amnesty for repatriated funds in the upcoming 2026–27 national budget. In a post-budget statement released on Thursday, TIB described the proposal as disappointing and alarming, warning that such measures would normalize corruption and irregularities under state patronage. The organization argued that justifying the move as a way to boost investment or economic growth would be self-destructive for the government.

TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman stated that successive governments since independence have allowed the legalization of undisclosed income, contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. He noted that these initiatives have encouraged tax evasion and discouraged honest taxpayers. He further criticized the current government’s attempt to revive the policy, saying it undermines its anti-corruption commitments and risks public trust.

TIB also cautioned that granting full immunity to black money holders would contradict previous political consensus and anti-corruption reforms, urging the government to prioritize long-term national welfare over vested interests.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has described the proposed 2026–27 fiscal year budget presented in the National Parliament as overly ambitious and detached from reality. Dr. Atik Mujahid MP, head of the NCP’s shadow budget committee, made the remarks in a statement on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

He stated that although the government has projected a deficit of about 2.5 trillion taka, the real figure could approach 4.5 trillion taka. According to him, the proposed revenue target of 6.95 trillion taka is unattainable under current economic conditions, and the shortfall in revenue collection could exceed 2 trillion taka.

The NCP’s criticism highlights concerns about the feasibility of the government’s fiscal projections and the potential for a significantly higher budget deficit than officially acknowledged.

Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) has criticized the proposed 2026–27 national budget, saying it will push the country’s economy into greater risk due to its deficit and debt dependency. In a joint statement issued by Chairman Mojibur Rahman Monju and Secretary General Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, the party said the budget, presented in the National Parliament on Thursday, lacks clear direction to overcome the current economic crisis and uncertainty.

The AB Party leaders described the Tk 9.38 trillion budget with a deficit of about Tk 2.5 trillion as unrealistic and overly ambitious. They argued that the plan relies on increased taxes and borrowing rather than addressing unemployment, poverty, inequality, and corruption. According to the statement, the proposed measures will raise inflation, increase living costs, and discourage private investment, while failing to promote job creation or sustainable growth.

The party urged the government to reconsider the budget by focusing on productive investment, employment generation, anti-corruption measures, expenditure control, and stronger social safety nets to build a sustainable economic foundation.

The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) has welcomed the proposed 2026–27 national budget for emphasizing investment, production, employment, export capacity, and business facilitation. The association said that measures such as protection for local industries, improved competitiveness, tariff restructuring, and incentives for renewable energy send positive signals for the primary textile sector.

According to BTMA, several of its proposals were partially reflected in the budget. These include reducing advance income tax on export cash incentives from 10 to 5 percent, lowering taxes on recycled products and raw materials, cutting source tax on cotton supply, exempting duties on solar power equipment imports, and maintaining benefits for importing chemicals used in effluent treatment plants. The association also viewed legal provisions for free trade zones and initiatives to reopen closed mills as positive steps.

However, BTMA expressed concern over the proposal to withdraw the 30 percent value addition requirement for raw material imports under bank guarantees, warning of potential misuse and harm to domestic industries. It urged for a 15 percent corporate tax rate, stable tax policy, and investment-friendly reforms to address challenges such as high energy costs, supply uncertainty, and volatile raw material prices.