Naser Ezaz Bijoy has resigned from his position as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Standard Chartered Bangladesh. The bank officially informed Bangladesh Bank about his resignation, according to a press release issued on Monday by its Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing Department. Bijoy is stepping down after nearly nine years in the role, subject to regulatory approval, but will continue his over 33-year career with Standard Chartered globally.

The statement added that Enamul Haque, currently the Country Chief Risk Officer and Senior Credit Officer, will assume the role of interim CEO until a new appointment is made. Bijoy had been serving as CEO since November 2017, having previously led the bank’s Global Banking division. Over his long career, he has held key positions in corporate banking, risk, and audit across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Under Bijoy’s leadership, Standard Chartered Bangladesh achieved a record net profit of Tk 3,300 crore in 2024, marking the highest annual profit by any bank in the country’s history.

Bangladesh’s Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury told parliament that the government is working to reopen Malaysia’s labor market for Bangladeshi workers. Responding to a question on Monday, he said the process is expected to be completed soon. From July 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026, about 933,815 workers have been employed abroad, and the government aims to send 1.4 million workers in the next fiscal year.

The minister said diplomatic discussions are ongoing with Malaysia, Oman, the UAE, and Bahrain to reopen or expand labor markets. Bangladesh currently sends workers to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Romania, Seychelles, and Portugal, and has signed memorandums of understanding with 18 countries. The state minister also reported rising fraud through fake demand letters and said stricter embassy monitoring is needed. He added that licenses of three recruiting agencies were suspended for sending workers to Russia who were later forced into war involvement.

The ministry is also focusing on migrant welfare, including hotline services, safe homes for female workers, and plans to expand collateral-free loans for migrants.

Bangladesh’s Power Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud has directed the preparation of a working paper to make the existing power system safer, smarter, and more modern as the country prepares to enter the nuclear electricity era. The instruction came during a review meeting held Monday morning at the ministry with chairmen and managing directors of transmission and distribution agencies. The meeting discussed the nation’s current power transmission and distribution capacity, weaknesses, and the challenges of launching a nuclear power system.

The minister emphasized identifying potential challenges early and taking immediate steps to address them. He highlighted the importance of establishing a National Research Center to ensure safety and technical readiness before nuclear power generation begins. The Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) was tasked with conducting studies and preparing a concept paper, which will later be reviewed by foreign consultants experienced in nuclear power. Based on their advice, necessary upgrades to the transmission and distribution systems will be completed before nuclear power integration.

The minister also noted that unnecessary projects in the power sector have been identified and will be investigated, urging all stakeholders to work together for national development.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that the water treatment plant project under implementation in Narayanganj is progressing rapidly and will be fully completed within one year. Once operational, the project will enable the supply of 5 billion liters of safe water daily to Dhaka city. He made the remarks after visiting the Dhaka Environmentally Sustainable Water Supply Project (DESWSP) site in Gandharbpur, Rupganj, Narayanganj.

According to the minister, about 97 percent of the main treatment plant and related infrastructure has already been completed. The project, costing around Tk 10,000 crore, aims to significantly reduce Dhaka’s dependence on groundwater. He added that after the first phase, another project is planned to supply an additional 5 billion liters of water daily, bringing the total to 10 billion liters of surface water per day.

Project officials stated that approximately 4.3 million people will directly benefit from the initiative, which will also help mitigate pollution risks from the Shitalakkhya River and ensure long-term, environmentally sustainable water management for Dhaka.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has withdrawn the floor prices for Beximco and Islami Bank shares, according to an order signed by BSEC Chairman Masud Khan on Monday. The decision will take effect from Tuesday, and both the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) have been instructed to implement the directive. Following the withdrawal, the share prices of the two companies will now be determined by market forces.

This move comes on the fifth day of Masud Khan’s tenure as BSEC chairman. After his appointment on June 4, he had announced plans to remove floor prices for listed companies and stated that such measures would not be imposed again in the future. Floor prices had previously been used to artificially maintain share values, with Beximco’s floor set at 100.10 taka and Islami Bank’s at 32.60 taka.

The BSEC stated that the decision aims to support capital market development and protect investor interests. It also reaffirmed that all listed securities will now follow the circuit breaker limits set by the June 17, 2021 directive, allowing daily price movements of up to 10 percent.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostakur Rahman has emphasized the need to keep the country’s banking sector free from political influence. Speaking on Monday at the central bank’s headquarters during a courtesy meeting with editors of national newspapers, he said that ensuring professionalism, accountability, and good governance in bank management and loan distribution is the main goal of current reform efforts. Deputy governors of Bangladesh Bank were also present at the meeting.

During the discussion, the central bank presented its ongoing initiatives to reduce non-performing loans, strengthen weak banks, advance digital transformation, and maintain financial stability. The governor stated that the restructuring and merger process of weak banks is underway, with administrative and managerial changes already implemented. He added that the process will accelerate once improvements to core banking systems are completed.

Rahman further noted that amendments to the Money Loan Court Act are being pursued to expedite loan default cases, and a new law is being drafted to manage uncollectible loans. He also mentioned that assets worth 25 million dollars have been seized in the United Kingdom and efforts are ongoing to repatriate the funds.

Independent Member of Parliament Rumin Farhana alleged that around 8 billion US dollars are being laundered abroad each year under the guise of import and export transactions. She made the allegation on Monday during a supplementary question to the Commerce Minister in the National Parliament session, asking what steps the ministry could take to prevent such illicit transfers and whether any government initiatives were underway.

In response, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said that identifying specific products involved in money laundering within Bangladesh’s approximately 130 billion dollar trade economy is a complex matter. He described the alleged 8 billion dollar figure as a perceived amount and noted that many imports are subject to tariffs and pre-shipment inspection clauses. The minister emphasized that any weaknesses allowing excessive laundering would require detailed study and research.

He added that the government remains aware of the issue and is conducting studies. If any concrete evidence of laundering emerges, the ministry will take appropriate action.

Bangladesh and Mauritius have agreed to reopen the Mauritian labor market for Bangladeshi workers, which had been closed for some time. The two countries reached this understanding to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on manpower export soon. According to a press release issued on Monday by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, a draft of the MoU will be sent to the Bangladesh government shortly.

The decision came after a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh’s Minister of Labour and Employment and Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, and Mauritius’s Minister of Labour, Muhammad Reza Kassam Utim. The meeting took place at the United Nations office in Geneva on the sidelines of the 114th International Labour Conference 2026. Discussions covered the current status of Bangladeshi workers in Mauritius, reopening of the market, and future cooperation.

During the meeting, Bangladesh highlighted its capacity to supply skilled professionals across various sectors, while Mauritius expressed strong interest in hiring Bangladeshi workers, particularly for its one-stop textile industry.

The Bangladesh Shop Owners Association has formally requested permission from the Prime Minister to keep all shops, markets, and shopping malls open until 10 p.m. nationwide. The association submitted its appeal on Sunday, citing that the current operating hours are negatively affecting retail trade, employment, and overall economic activity. Association president Nazmul Hasan Mahmud confirmed the submission of the appeal.

According to the association, the retail sector is a vital part of the national economy, supporting around seven million shop owners, employees, and their families. Rising costs for rent, electricity, bank loan repayments, and wages have increased financial pressure on entrepreneurs. Many customers prefer shopping in the evening due to work schedules, but early closing hours are reducing potential sales.

The association argued that extending business hours until 10 p.m. would boost sales, protect jobs, and enhance economic momentum, potentially increasing government revenue. The government had earlier reinstated a 7 p.m. closing time from June 1 to conserve electricity, with a temporary extension during Eid-ul-Azha. No final government decision on the new request has yet been announced.

The Bangladesh Steel Manufacturers Association (BSMA) has warned that the recent electricity price hike has severely increased production costs, putting the domestic steel industry at risk. At a press conference held on Monday at the National Press Club in Dhaka, BSMA President Mohammad Jahangir Alam said the new tariff will add about Tk 1,785 per metric ton to production costs, which could rise to Tk 3,560 when other expenses such as VAT, fuel, and transport are included. The association demanded immediate withdrawal of the increased tariff.

BSMA leaders said the industry was already struggling due to low demand in the construction sector, high interest rates, currency depreciation, dollar shortages, and gas supply constraints. The sector comprises around 40 modern steel mills and over 150 re-rolling mills with a combined annual capacity of 12.2 million metric tons, though national demand is only about 5 million tons. They argued that the higher electricity cost will also raise expenses for government infrastructure projects, as about 60 percent of domestic steel is used in public development works.

The association urged the government and the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission to reconsider the decision and restore the previous tariff to protect investment, employment, and industrial growth.

Bangladesh’s Food Minister Md. Abdul Bari informed the National Parliament that the country wastes about 3.5 million tons of food each year, citing data from the United Nations Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index 2024. He said this figure reflects the overall national food waste situation. The minister made the statement on Monday during the second day of the second session of the 13th National Parliament.

Bari explained that food grains collected and stored under the Food Ministry’s management experience some losses during distribution, but the amount has been reduced through improved storage and transport systems. He highlighted that modern silos and warehouses have been built and awareness among stakeholders has increased, leading to a gradual reduction in waste.

According to the minister, food grain losses in government management dropped from 21,329.88 metric tons (0.316%) in fiscal year 2023–24 to 18,887.347 metric tons (0.28%) in 2024–25. He added that the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority is working to ensure food security and raise public awareness to prevent waste.

In Sirajganj, construction of a dockyard by a local Awami League leader has reportedly put the town protection embankment at risk. The accused, Abdus Sattar, president of the party’s Ward No. 10 unit and a sand trader, is alleged to have built the 'Chhoayamani Dockyard' on government land near the Jamuna River. Locals claim he has been extracting sand and constructing permanent structures on the site, which lies adjacent to the embankment’s hard point.

Residents allege that Sattar forcibly occupied land that had re-emerged after river erosion decades ago, using it for sand trading and dockyard operations. A Water Development Board engineer confirmed the site falls under government ownership and warned that the construction could obstruct water flow and damage the embankment during monsoon. Sattar, however, insists he legally purchased the land and obtained environmental clearance.

The Sirajganj Upazila administration has initiated an investigation into the matter. Officials stated that illegal structures will be removed if found to be unauthorized.

A sudden appearance of a black bear in Utsunomiya, a city about 100 kilometers north of Tokyo, has caused widespread alarm. Authorities closed 94 primary and secondary schools after the bear was first seen near a park on Saturday. The animal was later captured on CCTV early Sunday running through the city center, and sightings continued into Monday morning near an industrial area. Officials urged residents to keep doors and windows shut, avoid approaching the bear, and seek shelter indoors. Police and local hunters have launched a joint search operation.

Reports indicate that Japan has recorded around 50,000 bear sightings this year, an unusually high number. Although bears are rarely seen so close to Tokyo, recent months have seen several attacks and encounters in nearby regions, including Okutama, Hachioji, and Fukushima. The incidents reflect a broader rise in bear encounters across Japan’s main island, Honshu, where an estimated 12,000 to 42,000 Asian black bears live.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation as search efforts in Utsunomiya remain underway.

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Philippines early Monday, killing at least 15 people and injuring 129 others. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the quake’s epicenter was located about eight miles southwest of General Santos City in Mindanao, at a depth of 6.2 miles. The tremor occurred at 7:37 a.m. local time and caused significant structural damage across affected areas.

Rodrigo Sosmenia, director of the local civil defense office, reported that 12 of the victims were residents of the Soccsksargen region, while three others died in Davao Occidental province. Police officer Robert Dagn said many buildings were damaged and rescue operations were underway. Authorities have warned residents not to enter damaged homes or structures due to the risk of aftershocks.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned of possible waves up to 10 feet along parts of the Philippine coast and up to one meter in Indonesia and Malaysia, but later confirmed there was no tsunami threat.

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Monday morning, killing at least three people and injuring five others. The quake hit Mindanao Island at 7:40 a.m. local time, according to the United States Geological Survey. At least 37 buildings, mostly commercial structures, were damaged. Following the initial tremor, 138 aftershocks were recorded, ranging in magnitude from 1.3 to 6.7.

Tsunami warnings were issued across the region, including in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported tsunami waves in six areas of Mindanao and confirmed that the tsunami alert remained in effect. Philippine President Marcos urged residents to move to higher ground immediately after the quake, while Japanese Prime Minister Sanade Takachio called on citizens to follow tsunami advisories.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation as aftershocks persist and coastal areas remain under alert for potential tsunami impacts.