The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh has approved a total budget of Tk 12,300 crore 4 lakh for the 2026–27 fiscal year to cover expenses of 58 public universities and the commission itself. Of this, Tk 12,001 crore 82 lakh is allocated for the universities and Tk 298 crore 58 lakh for the UGC. The budget was approved at the 178th full commission meeting chaired by UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed. Dhaka University received the highest revenue allocation of Tk 949 crore 36 lakh for the upcoming fiscal year.

The total allocation for public universities increased by Tk 1,497 crore 83 lakh compared to the revised budget of Tk 10,802 crore 21 lakh in 2025–26. The new budget includes Tk 7,428 crore 43 lakh for operational expenses and Tk 4,573 crore 39 lakh for 43 development projects. The UGC’s main budget also earmarks Tk 238 crore for research and foreign scholarships, up from Tk 229 crore in the previous year.

Following an April 2026 decision to merge overlapping research funds, Tk 200 crore from universities’ research budgets has been integrated into the UGC’s allocation, raising its research fund to Tk 226 crore. The UGC chairman noted that despite limited resources, transparent and prioritized spending could significantly benefit higher education.

The proposed national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year allocates Tk 2,188 crore for the Law and Justice Division under the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, and Tk 291 crore for the Supreme Court. The revised allocation for the Supreme Court in the previous budget was Tk 270 crore, while the outgoing 2025–26 fiscal year had Tk 2,075 crore for the Law and Justice Division.

The finance minister announced plans to establish fast-track courts to expedite commercial and capital market-related cases. He said the government is reviewing a specialized dispute resolution mechanism for capital market conflicts, which may include a tribunal or fast-track court with legal authority to enforce decisions. The minister also proposed expanding bilateral investment treaties and updating double taxation avoidance agreements to improve the business environment and strengthen investor protection.

Additionally, the minister said the scope of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in income tax disputes will be expanded to allow easier settlements without formal appeals, and pre-litigation mediation will be encouraged to recover defaulted loans more efficiently.

The government of Bangladesh has announced plans to transform the airports in Rajshahi, Cox’s Bazar, Jashore, and Saidpur into international gateways and to launch an integrated digital logistics platform. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury made the announcement in Parliament while presenting the 2026–27 national budget, outlining a broader strategy to establish a national aviation connectivity grid and convert Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet into integrated passenger and logistics hubs.

According to the minister, the initiatives aim to strengthen Bangladesh’s position in global trade and transport networks and to turn the country into a modern regional aviation center. The government is implementing several infrastructure projects, including terminal expansions at Jashore and Saidpur airports, full operation of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, and runway capacity upgrades in Sylhet and Chattogram. Development work at Cox’s Bazar Airport is also nearing completion.

The plan includes improving passenger services, cargo management, and aviation safety standards while promoting renewable energy use and workforce development. The government expects these measures to boost private investment, create jobs, and raise tourism’s contribution to GDP from six to seven percent.

Bangladesh’s Finance Minister announced the establishment of a fast-track court to expedite the resolution of capital market-related cases. The declaration came during the presentation of the national budget in parliament on Thursday. The minister said the government is reviewing a specialized dispute resolution mechanism for capital market conflicts, which may include a tribunal or fast-track court with legal authority to enforce decisions.

He also stated that the scope of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in income tax disputes will be expanded to allow easier settlements without formal appeals. To reduce lengthy legal processes and improve recovery efficiency, the government will encourage pre-litigation mediation for defaulted loan recovery.

The proposed budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year allocates 2,188 crore taka for the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and 291 crore taka for the Supreme Court, compared to 2,075 crore and 270 crore taka respectively in the previous year’s revised budget.

The government of Bangladesh has announced plans to construct a second Jamuna Bridge and a Dhaka-Chattogram elevated expressway as part of the proposed 2026–27 fiscal year budget. Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury presented the budget proposal in the National Parliament on Thursday afternoon, highlighting initiatives to modernize the country’s road and transport systems.

According to the budget speech, the government aims to strengthen large-scale bridge and expressway construction under the Bridges Division to make transportation safer, more efficient, and technology-driven. The plan also includes expanding electronic toll collection, introducing smart traffic management, and promoting environmentally friendly technologies. Smart axle load control and new monitoring stations are also part of the initiative.

The budget further mentions ongoing surveys to identify potential corridors for a 3,000-kilometer national expressway grid and plans to develop an integrated multimodal transport system combining road, rail, water, and air networks. These projects are expected to reduce travel time and costs while boosting trade and overall economic activity.

Sonali Bank PLC has inaugurated a new sub-branch named 'Metro Rail Building Sub-branch' at the ground floor of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited’s (DMTCL) administrative building in Uttara. The inauguration ceremony took place on Thursday, led by Sonali Bank’s Managing Director and CEO Md. Shawkat Ali Khan and DMTCL’s Managing Director Md. Shaukatul Alam.

The new sub-branch will operate under the supervision of Sonali Bank’s Uttara Janapath Branch as a city sub-branch. It aims to provide modern banking services to DMTCL officials, metro rail-related institutions, and general customers. The opening ceremony was held at DMTCL’s conference room, attended by senior officials from both organizations, including Sonali Bank’s General Manager (In-charge) Md. Mahfuzur Rahman and DMTCL’s Project Director (Additional Charge) Abdul Matin Chowdhury.

Speakers at the event highlighted that the new sub-branch will facilitate faster and easier banking for metro rail employees and stakeholders while supporting the expansion of digital and customer-friendly banking services. Participants also praised the role of state-owned banks in promoting economic development and financial inclusion.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced in Parliament on June 11, 2026, that the government has proposed several tax and VAT exemptions in the health sector to reduce treatment costs for citizens. The proposal includes the withdrawal of a 10% VAT at the supplier level on imported heart stents, which could lower the price of each stent by up to 20,000 taka. VAT and advance tax on dialysis filters and intraocular lenses have also been lifted, potentially reducing dialysis costs by 800 taka per patient and lens prices by 5,000 taka.

The minister said the move aims to make healthcare more affordable, as out-of-pocket expenses in Bangladesh remain high compared to other countries. He outlined broader health policy goals, including universal and equitable healthcare, expansion of rural services, and strengthening of maternal, child, and nutrition programs. The government plans to gradually raise public health investment to 5% of GDP.

Future initiatives include establishing modern primary healthcare units in every union and urban ward, creating a national ambulance network, and developing a sustainable national drug and vaccine supply system.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has proposed extending the existing VAT exemption on metro rail travel for another two years. The proposal was made on Thursday during the presentation of the 2026–27 national budget in the Jatiya Sangsad. If approved, the exemption will remain in effect until June 30, 2028.

Under current VAT law, tickets for any air-conditioned rail service are subject to a 15 percent VAT. However, since the launch of the fully air-conditioned metro rail in December 2022, the tax has not been imposed. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) attempted to implement VAT in July 2024 but withdrew the plan following public opposition and government intervention. The NBR later issued notifications extending the exemption, most recently until June 30, 2026.

In addition to the VAT extension, citizens aged 65 and above will receive a 25 percent fare discount on metro rail travel and free rides on regular trains. The government also plans to build a modern public transport network integrating six metro rail lines and a monorail-based feeder system.

The proposed national budget for the 2026 fiscal year has reduced the allocation for Bangladesh’s Ministry of Shipping to Tk 9,080 crore, down from Tk 10,279 crore in the 2025–26 proposal. This marks a decrease of Tk 1,217 crore. The budget speech outlined ongoing efforts to expand dredging and excavation activities to maintain navigability on key waterways, particularly before the monsoon season. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is conducting emergency dredging to keep internal routes operational.

The speech further emphasized accelerating development at Payra and Mongla ports, expanding land ports, modernizing river ports and launch terminals, and strengthening safety on waterways to improve overall connectivity. It also highlighted plans to modernize vessel registration, enhance sailor training, create employment, and expand digital services to boost institutional capacity.

Major projects such as the Matarbari Deep Sea Port, Chattogram Bay Terminal, Patenga Container Terminal, and Laldia Container Terminal will continue to advance. The government aims to strengthen international trade and integrated water transport through increased port capacity, enhanced dredging, and expanded digital and automation systems.

Bangladesh’s proposed national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year has reduced the allocation for the transport infrastructure sector to Tk 60,730 crore, down from Tk 69,196 crore in the 2025–26 fiscal year. Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced the figures during his budget speech in the National Parliament on Thursday.

According to the proposal, the Roads Division will receive Tk 36,918 crore, compared to Tk 38,496 crore in the previous year, marking a reduction of Tk 1,578 crore. The Bridges Division’s allocation has been set at Tk 2,908 crore, down from Tk 6,022 crore, a decrease of Tk 3,114 crore. The Railway sector will get Tk 9,940 crore, compared to Tk 11,944 crore last year, a reduction of Tk 2,004 crore. Other transport infrastructure sectors have been allocated Tk 10,964 crore, down from Tk 12,734 crore, a decrease of Tk 1,770 crore.

The proposed reductions indicate a broad contraction across all major transport infrastructure divisions in the upcoming fiscal year.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has presented Bangladesh’s largest-ever national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year in the second session of the 13th National Parliament. The budget session, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, marks the first budget of the BNP-led government following its victory in the February 12 election.

A key proposal offers relief to the country’s garment industry, as the source tax on cash incentives from export earnings may be reduced from 10 percent to 5 percent. The move is expected to increase liquidity in the export sector, though the government anticipates a revenue loss of around Tk 500 crore. Currently, about 43 sectors, including ready-made garments, receive export incentives ranging from 0.30 percent to 10 percent, while the source tax on export income remains at 1 percent.

The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) has welcomed the positive aspects of the budget but has called for additional policy support to strengthen the sector further.

Bangladesh’s Finance Ministry has set a target to increase the country’s foreign exchange reserves to 41.01 billion dollars by the 2026–27 fiscal year. The goal is outlined in the ministry’s Medium-Term Budget Framework (MTBF) for the upcoming fiscal year. According to the document, reserves stood at 46.39 billion dollars in 2020–21 but declined to 26.90 billion in 2023–24 before stabilizing at 31.17 billion dollars by the end of 2024–25.

The MTBF projects further growth in reserves over the medium term, forecasting 50.62 billion dollars in 2027–28 and 62.64 billion dollars in 2028–29. The document notes that by 2026–27, the reserves would be sufficient to cover about 5.4 months of import expenses, approaching the internationally accepted adequacy level of six months.

These projections are based on expectations of strong remittance inflows, export growth, and prudent management of external borrowing, according to the Finance Ministry’s framework.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has proposed an allocation of Tk 69,409 crore for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the 2026–27 fiscal year. The proposal, presented in the national parliament on June 11, 2026, represents an increase of Tk 34,000 crore from the previous year’s revised budget, nearly doubling the allocation. The proposed amount equals 1.01 percent of GDP, compared to 0.58 percent in 2025–26.

The minister said that during the previous authoritarian period, unplanned infrastructure projects and equipment purchases in the health sector led to widespread corruption, preventing improvements in healthcare quality. As a result, hospitals are now overwhelmed with patients, citizens are deprived of quality treatment, and many seek medical care abroad, causing foreign currency outflow.

He added that the government aims to gradually raise public health investment to 5 percent of GDP. Plans include establishing modern primary healthcare units in every union and urban ward, launching a national nutrition program, building a sustainable medicine and vaccine supply network, and recruiting 5,000 MBBS doctors to fill long-vacant posts.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced that Bangladesh has begun developing sector-based courses and curricula aligned with global demand. Speaking during the budget session on Thursday, he said the government is strengthening market-oriented training, curriculum development, certification, accreditation, and quality control. He confirmed that the new government will continue the 2.5 percent incentive on remittances to encourage expatriate workers to send money through legal channels.

The minister stated that in the month following the new government’s assumption of office, monthly remittances reached 3.75 billion dollars, the highest in the country’s history. He emphasized that this reflects expatriates’ confidence in the democratic government. The government is also implementing plans to expand employment opportunities across sectors, establish employment exchanges at district and upazila levels, and enforce the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Act, 2026 to strengthen workers’ legal protection.

Highlighting priorities for expatriates, he said a special expatriate card will be introduced to link welfare, insurance, banking, and emergency services. Bangladesh is pursuing bilateral agreements with several countries to expand labor markets and reopening previously closed destinations such as Malaysia, Oman, the UAE, and Kuwait.

The Bangladesh government has announced that the existing 2.5 percent cash incentive for remittances sent through legal channels will continue in the 2026–27 fiscal year. Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury made the announcement on June 11 while presenting the proposed national budget in parliament. He said the measure aims to sustain the growth of remittance inflows, which reached a record monthly high of 3.75 billion US dollars after the current government took office.

In his budget speech, the finance minister emphasized the government’s focus on employment creation, labor protection, and overseas workforce welfare. He highlighted plans to introduce a special expatriate card linked to welfare, insurance, banking, and emergency services. The government is also pursuing bilateral agreements with countries such as Russia, Portugal, Romania, Brazil, Greece, Serbia, and North Macedonia to expand labor markets, while reopening opportunities in Malaysia, Oman, the UAE, and Kuwait.

The budget further outlines initiatives to enhance occupational skills through market-based training and certification programs, aiming to align workforce development with domestic and international labor market demands.