Bangladesh Bank’s board has given preliminary approval to close or liquidate five non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) starting in July 2026. The decision was taken at a board meeting chaired by Governor Mostakur Rahman. The institutions affected are FAS Finance, Fareast Finance, Aviva Finance, Peoples Leasing, and International Leasing, all of which have default loan ratios between 93 and nearly 100 percent. The central bank cited their failure to recover defaulted loans and repay depositors as the reason for the move.

According to a central bank official, the closures will proceed under the Bank Resolution Act, with administrators and additional officers appointed to oversee the process. The government has pledged to allocate about Tk 5,000 crore in the upcoming budget to repay individual depositors. The law outlines how troubled institutions may be merged, restructured, or closed, and how their assets will be sold to repay creditors.

The decision follows earlier notices to 20 NBFIs with high default rates. After several reviews, the list was narrowed to five institutions now slated for closure.

The Planning Ministry of Bangladesh has finalized preparations to present 16 development projects worth about Tk 24,855 crore at the second meeting of the new government’s Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Wednesday. Among these, the long-anticipated Padma Barrage project will be tabled for approval under the chairmanship of Prime Minister and ECNEC Chair Tareq Rahman. The Water Resources Ministry proposed the first phase of the Padma Barrage project, estimated at Tk 50,443.64 crore, to be implemented by the Bangladesh Water Development Board by June 2033, with full funding from the government.

Officials said the project aims to mitigate dry-season water shortages caused by the Farakka Barrage. The first phase includes constructing a 2.1-kilometer barrage at Pangsha in Rajbari with 78 spillways, 18 sluice gates, two fish passes, and a navigation lock. It will store about 2,900 million cubic meters of water to revive five rivers and support irrigation, fisheries, and hydropower generation. The project is expected to benefit 19 districts across four divisions and create nearly 928,000 permanent jobs.

The Padma Barrage concept dates back over two decades, with multiple feasibility studies conducted since the 1960s, culminating in a detailed assessment completed in 2013.

A 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck Iran’s capital, Tehran, on Tuesday night, according to the country’s Seismological Center cited by state media. The quake occurred at 8:16 p.m. local time, with its epicenter located 10 kilometers below the surface. The tremor was felt in areas near the border between Tehran and Mazandaran provinces.

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported that no casualties or significant damage were recorded following the quake. The event caused brief tremors but did not lead to any major disruptions in the affected areas.

Authorities have not issued any further warnings, and normal activities reportedly continued in Tehran after the quake.

The popular speedboat service on the Sitakunda-Sandwip route in Chattogram is at risk of permanent closure as operators consider halting operations due to financial losses under new government fare regulations. On Tuesday, without prior notice, speedboat movement was suspended at the Kumira-Guptachhara terminal, leaving thousands of passengers stranded on both sides.

Operators, including R K Enterprise, said it is impossible to sustain business at the government-fixed fare of 260 taka per trip, which was only a 10-taka increase from the previous 250 taka. They cited rising fuel prices, maintenance costs, and terminal lease fees as key reasons for the losses. In comparison, fares on similar routes such as Noakhali-Hatia exceed 300 taka, which owners claim highlights an unfair disparity.

The speedboat service is the fastest transport link between Sandwip and the mainland, vital for medical, educational, and administrative needs. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) said discussions are ongoing to resolve the issue, while the local administration insisted that operators must adhere to the government-set fare but promised a quick resolution to minimize passenger hardship.

Bangladesh Bank has instructed all banks to introduce a digital verification system using QR codes for visa-related financial documents. The directive, issued on Tuesday, aims to ensure that bank statements and other financial papers submitted by visa applicants can be verified online by embassies and visa centers. The move follows complaints that the absence of real-time verification has been causing administrative delays and higher processing costs.

According to the circular, bank statements, solvency certificates, and investment certificates submitted for visa applications must include a QR code that allows verification of key details such as account number, account holder’s name, statement period, and issue date. Banks are also required to store this information for at least six months in a verifiable format. The central bank has given institutions 90 days to implement the necessary technological systems while maintaining compliance with existing cybersecurity and data protection regulations.

The initiative is expected to streamline visa processing and enhance document authenticity for Bangladeshi applicants abroad.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has decided to modernize the Sayedabad Inter-District Bus Terminal in line with its original design to restore order in the capital’s public transport system. The decision was made on Tuesday at a meeting held at Nagar Bhaban, chaired by DSCC Administrator and freedom fighter Abdus Salam, with lawmaker and transport leader Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas attending as special guest. From now on, all unauthorized bus counters will be removed, and the use of the Sayedabad terminal will be made mandatory.

The meeting outlined several key measures, including the reallocation of 110 ticket counters across six terminal blocks on a fair basis, removal of illegal structures and shops, and construction of boundary walls to ensure proper use of flyovers. Drainage improvements and removal of abandoned bus remnants were also planned. Passenger facilities will be enhanced with a modern breastfeeding center, rest areas, clean toilets, a police outpost, and neon signage.

According to DSCC, full utilization of the terminal is essential for restoring road discipline, while coordinated efforts among government, owners, and workers aim to ensure safer and more efficient passenger services.

An inclusive consultative workshop titled 'Advocating for Changed Women’s Economic Empowerment Through Collective Action' was held in Khulna on Tuesday at the Darbar Hall of Hotel Castle Salam. The event aimed to identify barriers to women’s economic empowerment, market access, and social participation, and to explore possible solutions. It was organized under Window-3 of the FAME project, funded by the French Development Agency and supervised by the Dhaka Women Chamber of Commerce. Local NGO Purnima hosted the event, with the Center for Women and Children Studies (CWCS) as the lead organization and Concerned Women for Family Development (CWFD) as a partner.

Representatives from government and private institutions, entrepreneurs, researchers, and members of marginalized communities attended the workshop. Participants conducted a gender lens assessment to identify obstacles such as limited access to resources, market entry challenges, mobility safety, and restrictive social norms. The day-long discussions generated several recommendations.

Organizers stated that the recommendations will guide efforts to create an inclusive and gender-sensitive economic environment. A joint advocacy document will also be prepared and submitted to relevant ministries for policy consideration.

Farmers across Bangladesh are preparing sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha 2026, with local livestock departments reporting sufficient supply to meet national demand. In Dinajpur district alone, 426,523 animals have been readied against a demand of 273,262, leaving a surplus of over 153,000. Similar surpluses are reported in Madaripur’s Shibchar, Jamalpur’s Madarganj, and Pirojpur’s Kaukhali upazilas. Farmers are busy fattening cattle using natural feed, while local administrations have instructed law enforcement to remain alert along borders to prevent the entry of Indian cattle.

Officials from livestock departments in multiple districts confirmed that animals are being raised without harmful chemicals, and training and veterinary support are being provided to ensure safe meat production. Farmers, however, expressed concern over rising feed costs and the possibility of foreign cattle entering local markets, which could affect fair prices for domestic producers.

Authorities expect that the surplus livestock will allow districts like Dinajpur to supply animals to other regions, ensuring adequate availability across the country during the upcoming Eid festival.

Rakib Hasan, a first-year history student at Kotchandpur Government College, has achieved notable success in grape cultivation in Kaliganj, Jhenaidah. In May 2024, he planted Baikunur and Black Magic grape varieties on ten kathas of land. Within a year, he earned BDT 200,000 from grape sales, making a profit of BDT 100,000 after expenses. This year, his vineyard produced grapes worth BDT 350,000, with only BDT 15,000 spent on irrigation, fertilizer, and maintenance.

Rakib began his venture without formal training, relying on online resources and personal effort. He initially invested about BDT 100,000, including BDT 46,000 for 120 saplings and additional costs for trellising and care. The Baikunur variety, originally from Russia, proved highly productive and sweet in taste. He has also started producing and selling grape saplings alongside fruit cultivation.

Kaliganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Mahabub Alam Roni said several farmers in the area are now growing grapes and receiving guidance from the department. He praised Rakib’s initiative, noting that the student continued his agricultural venture despite not owning land.

Farmers in Sunamganj are facing severe hardship after heavy rains and waterlogging submerged vast areas of Boro paddy fields. The flooding has destroyed crops across about 20,000 hectares of haor land, leaving thousands of small and marginal farmers burdened with debt. Many had borrowed from NGOs, banks, or local lenders to cover costs for seeds, fertilizer, irrigation, and labor. With their harvests lost, they now struggle to repay loans and sustain their families.

Farmers report that even the limited paddy they managed to harvest has been damaged by continuous rain, as the grains could not dry properly and began to sprout. Many households are now left without food reserves, facing acute uncertainty. Livestock feed shortages have also become severe, worsening the crisis. The Department of Agricultural Extension in Sunamganj has begun preparing a list of affected farmers.

Officials said two government ministers have already inaugurated a three-month relief program for the victims, and all affected farmers will gradually be brought under assistance coverage.

Heavy rainfall has submerged ripe Boro paddy fields in low-lying areas, leaving farmers unable to harvest due to a severe shortage of laborers. In Madhupur of Tangail, around 13,000 hectares were cultivated this season, with at least 35 hectares flooded. Farmers are struggling to bring in their crops as labor costs have surged to Tk 1,000–1,200 per day, or Tk 7,000–10,000 per bigha, while paddy prices remain low at Tk 700–850 per maund.

In Naogaon’s Niamatpur, many fields remain unharvested because of the same labor shortage, raising fears of crop loss from storms and rising water levels. The local agriculture office reported that five hectares of paddy still await harvesting. Meanwhile, in Jamalpur’s Madarganj, despite good yields, farmers face mounting losses as labor costs exceed returns, with paddy selling for Tk 700–900 per maund while daily wages reach Tk 1,100–1,200.

Officials in Tangail and Jamalpur acknowledged the challenges, citing ongoing efforts to improve drainage and advising timely harvesting to minimize losses.

Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Affairs Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman announced that the government will review, rather than cancel, the existing trade agreement between Bangladesh and the United States. He made the statement on Tuesday at a press conference held at the Press Information Department in Dhaka, where he discussed progress in various government activities. Rahman said the agreement allows for termination with a 60-day notice but also provides an option for both countries to revise its terms through mutual discussion.

He explained that the government will first conduct an internal review to assess which provisions might be problematic or harmful to the state. Rahman noted that the agreement is strong and that cancellation could have implications for bilateral relations and tariff issues. He added that the government intends to explore opportunities to renegotiate certain clauses rather than withdraw entirely.

Rahman further clarified that different types of agreements exist, such as formal agreements and memorandums of understanding, and that legal obligations vary among them. He emphasized that the government will evaluate all past agreements to ensure none are detrimental to public interest.

NCC Bank and the Gono Unnayan Kendra (GUK) have signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance climate resilience and improve living standards in the char areas of Fulchhari upazila, Gaibandha. The agreement, signed at NCC Bank’s head office, supports a two-year project titled “The Adaptive Eco Char Project: A Blueprint for Thriving Dynamic Landscapes,” to be implemented in Fazlupur and Fulchhari unions. Cultivera Limited will serve as the strategic partner, while Dahuk will handle research and evaluation.

The project aims to strengthen local communities’ capacity to adapt to climate change and ensure sustainable livelihoods. Key initiatives include establishing solar-powered digital resilience centers, providing telemedicine-based health services, installing safe water and solar power systems, promoting climate-resilient agriculture, and supporting women entrepreneurs. Thousands of families are expected to gain access to safe water, energy, and healthcare, while over 300 families will engage in income-generating activities.

NCC Bank’s managing director M. Shamsul Arefin said the initiative reflects the bank’s commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development. GUK’s chief executive M. Abdus Salam expressed hope that the partnership would serve as a model for climate resilience in other vulnerable regions.

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury announced that there will be no political interference in Bangladesh’s financial sector or related economic areas. Speaking as chief guest at the launch of the Bangladesh Startup Investment Company (BSIC) at Hotel Radisson Blu on Tuesday, he said the institution will operate as a fully professional entity without political appointments or influence. He added that BSIC’s initial capital will expand over time, serving as both an investment firm and a platform to strengthen the country’s startup ecosystem.

The minister said the initiative addresses two major challenges for young entrepreneurs—lack of funding and inability to provide collateral. Investment decisions will be transparent, efficient, and professional. He linked the project to the government’s manifesto goal of creating employment for ten million people by leveraging the demographic dividend, particularly through the creative economy to engage rural and urban youth.

He noted that the government is advancing capital market reforms and has appointed skilled advisors for investment and market development. Several domestic banks have joined to form this venture capital initiative, which aims to attract international venture capital firms and open new horizons for Bangladesh’s economy.

Pakistan is planning to increase its oil imports from Russia as tensions continue around the Strait of Hormuz, according to Russia’s state news agency TASS. The report cited Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, as the source of the information. However, there has been no immediate official comment from the Pakistani government regarding the plan.

In April of this year, Russia’s energy export revenue rose by 4 percent compared to the previous month, reaching 733 million euros per day, the highest level in two and a half years. In U.S. dollar terms, this amounted to approximately 861 million dollars per day. Analysts noted that rising tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz could significantly affect energy supply and market stability.

The reported plan suggests Pakistan may be seeking to secure its energy needs amid global supply concerns linked to regional instability.