Bangladesh’s export earnings rose by 25.91 percent in June 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier, according to a provisional report released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Thursday. The country earned 4.20 billion US dollars from merchandise exports in June, up from 3.33 billion dollars in June 2025. The strong monthly growth was driven mainly by the ready-made garment sector, which earned 3.38 billion dollars, marking a 21.52 percent increase year-on-year.

Within the apparel segment, knitwear exports rose 19.49 percent to 1.84 billion dollars, while woven garments grew 24.2 percent to 1.55 billion dollars. Other sectors also performed strongly: home textiles rose 59.95 percent to 75.1 million dollars, leather and leather goods increased 47.68 percent to 128.8 million dollars, and agricultural products climbed 46.77 percent to 89.6 million dollars.

Despite June’s robust performance, total export earnings for the 2025–26 fiscal year fell 0.58 percent from the previous year to 48.00 billion dollars. EPB data suggest that while the June surge offers optimism for the new fiscal year, exporters face ongoing challenges from global demand uncertainty, geopolitical instability, and rising competition.

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has announced a new reduction in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices for consumers across the country. The price of a 12-kilogram LPG cylinder has been lowered by 357 taka to 1,528 taka, effective from Tuesday evening. The commission also reduced the price of autogas from 86.93 taka to 70.40 taka per liter.

This latest adjustment follows an earlier price cut on June 2, when BERC reduced the price of a 12-kilogram LPG cylinder from 1,940 taka to 1,885 taka and autogas from 89.50 taka to 86.93 taka per liter. The commission periodically revises LPG and autogas prices to reflect changes in market conditions.

The new rates are expected to provide some relief to consumers and transport operators as energy costs continue to fluctuate in the domestic market.

Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC has launched a month-long campaign titled 'Customer Service Month' under the slogan 'Building Tomorrow’s Bangladesh through Welfare-Oriented Banking.' The program was inaugurated on July 1, 2026, at Islami Bank Tower by Acting Managing Director Md. Altaf Hossain as the chief guest. Additional Managing Director Engineer Mohammad Jamal Uddin Majumder attended as special guest, while the event was presided over by Additional Managing Director Dr. M. Kamal Uddin Jasim. Senior executives, including deputy managing directors and zonal heads, joined the event both in person and virtually.

During his remarks, Md. Altaf Hossain stated that all branches, sub-branches, agent outlets, and digital banking services of Islami Bank are operating normally. He noted that remittance customers are receiving uninterrupted services and that many clients who had previously closed their accounts have returned, reflecting renewed trust in the institution. He described Islami Bank as a strong and stable financial organization committed to transparency, accountability, good governance, and professionalism.

The campaign aims to enhance customer engagement and reinforce confidence in the bank’s welfare-based financial services.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) announced that its e-VAT system will remain unavailable until 5 PM on Friday, July 3, due to ongoing system upgrade work. According to a notice issued by the NBR’s e-VAT unit on Thursday, the upgrade process began at 6 AM Thursday and will continue until Friday evening. During this period, users will not be able to upload any data to the system.

The upgrade aims to introduce several key improvements, including enhancements to the Mushak-9.1 form and the addition of a new option in Note 15 for entering ‘reverse charge’ inputs under Section 20(2). The name of BOE data will be changed to “Input Against Bill of Entry,” and the system’s title will shift from iVAT to eVAT. Additionally, the DDO function and master data list function are being improved, incorporating updated VAT office jurisdiction mapping and revised search criteria for issue and expiry dates.

For users submitting returns through APL, the return submission process and BOE data processing within VAT software are also being upgraded to improve performance and accuracy.

Iran has accelerated its oil exports following a temporary easing of US sanctions, gaining a 60‑day window to secure new buyers and generate vital revenue. According to Bloomberg, more than 20 million barrels of Iranian crude have been floating in Asian waters for at least a week, an 18 percent increase from the previous week. Data from Vortexa and Bloomberg show that since the sanctions were lifted last week, Iran’s total seaborne oil volume has reached between 58 and 68 million barrels, including both in‑transit and waiting cargoes.

About 90 percent of these floating cargoes have no confirmed destination, with many ships awaiting orders or listing Singapore as a placeholder port, a tactic often used for ship‑to‑ship transfers near the Malacca Strait. The sanctions relief came as part of an interim peace agreement, with Washington lifting restrictions on Iranian oil and ports in June. Tehran now has until mid‑August to finalize new buyers.

Iran reported that since the US naval blockade was lifted, it has shipped over 40 million barrels of oil to various countries, potentially strengthening its economic position and leverage in ongoing talks with Washington.

Bangladesh Bank has approved the introduction of forward rate contracts to mitigate interest rate fluctuation risks in import trade. The facility will apply to usance imports under suppliers’ and buyers’ credit arrangements. A circular issued on Thursday stated that authorized dealer banks may enter into forward rate contracts with importers borrowing in foreign currency to protect them from international benchmark rate volatility, particularly the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR).

According to the circular, the contracts must be used solely for risk management and linked to genuine import transactions, prohibiting speculation or uncovered positions. Banks must fully offset any exposure through same-day reverse transactions, ensuring no market risk on their own accounts. The central bank capped banks’ pricing margin at 10 basis points and limited total forward rate contracts to 25 percent of the average monthly foreign currency inflow over the past 12 months.

The directive also requires adherence to international contract standards, daily mark-to-market valuation, effective internal risk management, and proper documentation. Industry participants believe the measure will help importers manage interest rate uncertainty and foster the development of a regulated financial derivatives market in Bangladesh.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reduced Israel’s projected economic growth for 2026 to 3.5 percent, down from its earlier forecast of 4.8 percent. The revision, published on Wednesday, attributes the downgrade to ongoing tensions and geopolitical uncertainty across the Middle East. The IMF report highlights that wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran are exerting negative pressure on Israel’s economy, though it has shown resilience so far.

According to the IMF, persistent regional instability and long-standing structural issues are expected to weigh on Israel’s growth in the near term. The report warns that renewed escalation of regional tensions could pose significant risks to the economy. It also notes that rising energy prices and supply constraints may push inflation higher, even as the Israeli shekel has reached its strongest level against the U.S. dollar in over three decades.

The IMF projects that Israel’s growth could rebound to 4.4 percent in 2027, with inflation stabilizing around 2 percent in both 2026 and 2027. The forecast is based on data available up to June 10.

Turkey’s defense and aerospace exports rose sharply between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026, reaching 10.9 billion dollars, a 47.1 percent increase compared to the previous year’s 7.4 billion dollars. The growth was driven largely by higher demand from NATO member countries, where exports totaled 6.2 billion dollars, accounting for 57.3 percent of Turkey’s total defense and aerospace exports.

During this period, Turkey exported defense and aerospace products to 178 countries. The top three destinations were NATO allies, reflecting Turkey’s expanding defense industry cooperation within the alliance. The increase was attributed to international outreach, bilateral meetings, and defense industry diplomacy coordinated by Turkey’s Defense Industry Secretariat.

Turkey has strengthened its position not only as a supplier of defense products but also as a developer of technology, a promoter of joint production models, and a long-term partner to its allies, according to the report.

Bangladesh Bank has directed 37 banks not to classify City Group as a loan defaulter until September 30, 2026, following requests from the company and the Association of Bankers Bangladesh (ABB). The decision aims to provide temporary relief to one of the country’s largest industrial conglomerates, which owes over Tk 24,000 crore to 47 domestic and foreign banks and financial institutions. City Group cited severe financial pressure caused by global and domestic crises, currency depreciation, and rising interest rates as reasons for seeking policy support.

In its appeal, City Group stated that it has never defaulted in its 50-year history but is now struggling due to increased production costs, foreign exchange losses, and delayed gas connections at its Hosendi Economic Zone factories. The group requested seven forms of policy assistance, including loan reclassification suspension, extended working capital, and relaxed single borrower limits. ABB supported the request, warning that disruption to City Group’s operations could affect national food supply.

Senior bankers and Bangladesh Bank officials noted that the relief is temporary and that sustainable recovery will depend on restoring production and restructuring loans. A committee of lending banks is currently working on a recovery plan.

Russia has started importing petrol from India by sea to ease a worsening fuel shortage triggered by ongoing Ukrainian attacks on its energy infrastructure. Two industry sources confirmed the move on Wednesday, noting that at least 60,000 metric tons of petrol have already been shipped in two tankers carrying 30,000 to 40,000 tons each. Fuel rationing, long queues, and record-high prices have been reported across Russia’s 11 time zones.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia is in talks with several countries to secure fuel imports at acceptable prices, though neither the Russian Energy Ministry nor India’s Oil Ministry commented. A third source indicated Russia plans to import about 400,000 tons of petrol monthly from multiple countries, including Belarus, which has already increased its rail shipments. President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries have caused regional shortages but insisted the situation is under control.

Russia’s parliament recently approved tax amendments to subsidize fuel imports in line with Indian supply costs. Meanwhile, data from LSEG and Kpler showed India’s crude oil imports from Russia hit record highs in June.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the country will use its frozen funds held in Qatar to purchase essential goods. The move follows an agreement between Iran and the United States aimed at halting hostilities, under which Washington has agreed to allow Tehran access to its previously seized or restricted assets. This step is described as part of the broader implementation of that understanding.

In an interview with Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Gharibabadi explained that discussions were held with Qatari officials, including the central bank, on how to spend an initial portion of six billion dollars. He stated that the funds will be used to buy goods according to Iran’s domestic needs, which will then be delivered to the country.

However, the exact mechanism and timeline for releasing and utilizing the funds remain unclear, as no details have been provided on when the process will take effect.

A community-based safe water supply project under the Department of Public Health Engineering in Madhupur, Tangail, remains incomplete after four years, amid allegations of corruption and irregularities. The project, launched in the 2021–22 fiscal year to install submersible pumps, deep tube wells, and pipelines across nine unions and one municipality, received an allocation of about 14.8 million taka. Despite this, contractors were paid 60 percent of the bill before completing the work and have since gone missing.

Field visits revealed that only partial work was done, with many deep tube wells lying unused and several pumps and tanks either broken or never installed. In some areas, water connections were diverted to mosques and shrines instead of households. Locals reported paying money and submitting documents years ago but still lack access to clean water. Officials admitted that political influence and contractor negligence hindered progress, though letters were sent urging completion.

The project’s stagnation has left residents frustrated and raised concerns about the misuse of nearly 15 million taka in public funds.

Bangladesh is prioritizing Malaysia’s experience to expand its halal industry and tap into the global halal market. During Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent visit to Malaysia, and earlier by interim government adviser Muhammad Yunus, bilateral cooperation on halal industry development was a key topic. Experts estimate the global halal market at around 3 trillion dollars, but Bangladesh faces major challenges due to the absence of international-standard laboratories and unified certification.

Malaysia is considered a global model in halal certification, having built a transparent and internationally recognized system since the 1970s. Its halal market is projected to reach 113 billion dollars by 2030, with food and beverages accounting for 85 billion. Malaysia’s JAKIM agency oversees certification, while the Halal Development Council works to strengthen the sector.

Bangladesh currently exports about 850 million dollars in halal products, mostly agricultural goods. Officials and business groups believe that improving certification and laboratory capacity, and establishing a dedicated halal economic zone, could enable Bangladesh to expand exports significantly. The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority has begun working with Malaysia’s HDC to address these issues.

Global oil prices fell to their lowest level in four months as positive comments from US leaders about relations with Iran eased market concerns. According to Reuters, the international benchmark Brent crude dropped by $1.38, or 1.89 percent, to $71.57 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined by $0.92, or 1.32 percent, to $68.58 per barrel. Both benchmarks closed at their lowest levels since March.

Market analysts attributed the decline to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who described ongoing discussions between Washington and Tehran as progressing well. Their statements signaled a reduction in geopolitical tensions between the two countries, which directly influenced global oil trading.

The easing of supply concerns among investors following these diplomatic signals led to a rapid downward shift in oil prices, reflecting renewed optimism about stability in the global energy market.

Bangladesh Bank has given three months to four non-bank financial institutions to recover from their financial distress. The institutions—Prime Finance and Investment Limited, GSP Finance Company (Bangladesh) Limited, Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company Limited, and Premier Leasing and Finance Limited—must raise new capital, ensure liquidity, and make visible progress in repaying depositors within this period. Failure to meet these conditions will trigger resolution or liquidation proceedings under the Bank Resolution Act, 2026.

According to a central bank press release, the decision was made under Section 15 of the Bank Resolution Act, 2026, based on the board’s commitment to take corrective measures. The institutions are required to sell assets, recover overdue loans, and restructure classified loans to reduce default rates. Bangladesh Bank emphasized that depositors’ interests must be prioritized throughout the restructuring process.

The central bank has also approved a coordinated action plan for nine distressed financial institutions, dividing them into two groups. The most troubled five will enter the resolution process, and a special fund will be created to repay depositors after mandatory forensic audits identify irregularities and responsible individuals.