Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed stated that no decision has yet been made regarding the introduction of the ninth pay scale. He said the government will decide after receiving the Pay Commission’s report. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Tuesday after a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Government Procurement, he noted that the Pay Commission is currently working on the matter and that he will meet with them within a day or two.

Ahmed explained that the commission comprises 21 members who will evaluate all aspects before publishing their report. Once the report is released, details about implementation and announcement timing will become clear. During the same meeting, he announced plans to train 60,000 drivers—40,000 new and 20,000 previously trained—in heavy vehicle operation, with the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) organizing the program.

He also said a bridge will be built in Barishal under a joint government and OPEC Fund initiative. The Roads and Highways Department will implement the project on the Barishal (Dinerarpul)-Lakshmi Pasha-Dumki road, improving connectivity to remote areas of Bhola.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) of Bangladesh has reduced customs duty on mobile phone imports from 25 percent to 10 percent through a new gazette notification. The decision, announced on Tuesday by the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, aims to keep mobile phone prices within consumers’ purchasing power. As a result, the total import duty on mobile phones has decreased by 6 percent.

To prevent local mobile phone assembling companies from facing unfair competition, the NBR also issued a separate notification reducing customs duty on imported components for assembly from 10 percent to 5 percent. According to the ministry’s statement, this represents a 50 percent reduction in the existing import duty on components.

The ministry said that due to these changes, the price of imported mobile phones priced above Tk 30,000 is expected to fall by about Tk 5,500, while locally assembled phones in the same price range may drop by about Tk 1,500. The government expects the overall price reduction to make mobile phones more affordable for the general public.

State-owned Sonali Bank achieved a record operating profit of Tk 8,017 crore in 2025, marking an increase of Tk 2,322 crore compared to 2024. The announcement was made by Managing Director Shawkat Ali Khan at a press conference held at the bank’s head office on Tuesday.

According to the managing director, the bank’s interest income rose significantly last year, contributing to the higher operating profit. After making necessary provisions, the net profit is expected to be around Tk 1,200 crore. He also reported that the bank’s total deposits stood at Tk 1,79,879 crore, while loans disbursed amounted to Tk 1,04,723 crore. In addition, Sonali Bank recovered Tk 1,203 crore in cash from defaulted loans during the year.

The figures highlight Sonali Bank’s strong performance in 2025, reflecting improved income generation and loan recovery within the state-owned banking sector.

A fire that broke out at the scrap yard of the Matarbari coal-based power plant project in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar, was brought fully under control after nearly nine hours. The blaze started around 9 p.m. on Monday and was contained by 5:45 a.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. According to acting station officer Ram Prasad Sen of the Maheshkhali Fire Service and Civil Defense, two fire units worked to extinguish the flames.

Officials confirmed that the main plant of the 1,200-megawatt power facility was not affected. The fire occurred in an area where wood and other unused materials were piled up. Although the fire burned for several hours, there was no major damage, and the extent of losses has yet to be determined. Local residents first noticed the fire from a nearby bridge.

Maheshkhali Upazila Executive Officer Imran Mahmud Dalim stated that the fire originated inside the plant’s scrap yard, but the cause of the incident remains unknown.

Bangladesh Bank has increased the license renewal fee for money changer institutions operating in the country. According to a circular issued on Monday, the renewal fee has been raised from 5,000 taka to 10,000 taka. The new fee structure will take effect on January 15, 2026. All other existing instructions related to license renewal will remain unchanged. The central bank has also requested relevant parties to take necessary steps to inform all money changers and customers about the change.

Industry representatives have welcomed the decision, describing it as a positive recognition of their role in maintaining market stability. They said the increase in renewal fees indicates that the regulatory authority has a favorable assessment of their operations and has included them in its “good book.”

The adjustment reflects Bangladesh Bank’s satisfaction with the sector’s contribution to stabilizing the foreign exchange market, according to stakeholders quoted in the report.

Tax Commissioner Ikhtiar Uddin Mohammad Mamun has been appointed as the new head of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU). The Financial Institutions Division of the Ministry of Finance issued a notification on Monday confirming his appointment as the chief of the financial intelligence agency.

According to the notification, the appointment was made under Section 24(1)(gha) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (amended 2015) and Rule 22 of the Money Laundering Prevention Rules, 2019. Mamun, currently a commissioner at the National Board of Revenue, will serve as a full-time officer with the rank equivalent to a deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank. His contractual appointment will be effective for two years from the date he assumes office, subject to relinquishing his duties with other organizations.

The BFIU operates under Bangladesh Bank and is responsible for investigating and preventing money laundering and related financial crimes, as outlined in the relevant laws and regulations.

As of January 12, 2026, a total of 3.188 million taxpayers have submitted their income tax returns online for the 2025–26 fiscal year, according to a press release issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR). More than 3,000 expatriate Bangladeshis have also filed e-returns voluntarily, despite not being required to do so. The NBR described this participation by expatriates as a positive development.

The NBR’s communication officer Al Amin Sheikh stated that 4.553 million taxpayers have completed registration in the e-return system, including around 5,000 expatriates. The deadline for individual taxpayers to submit returns has been extended twice, now set for January 31. From this fiscal year, online return submission has been made mandatory for individual taxpayers, except for senior citizens aged 65 or above, persons with disabilities, expatriates, legal representatives of deceased taxpayers, and foreign nationals working in Bangladesh.

The NBR urged all eligible taxpayers to complete their e-return submissions by January 31 through the online system.

The government of Bangladesh has decided to maintain existing export incentives and cash assistance for 43 sectors during the final six months of the 2025–26 fiscal year, from January to June 2026. The Bangladesh Bank issued a circular on Monday confirming that the rates for shipped goods will remain between 0.30 percent and 10 percent, depending on the product category. The decision aims to continue supporting export-oriented industries under current conditions.

Officials noted that Bangladesh is expected to graduate from the least developed country (LDC) category in November 2026, after which direct cash support for exports will no longer be allowed. Although the government had planned to reduce incentive rates further, it chose to keep them unchanged due to increased U.S. tariffs, export disruptions through Indian land ports, and industrial instability following political changes in August 2024. These factors have placed pressure on export-oriented sectors.

The circular details unchanged support rates across sectors including textiles, leather, jute, pharmaceuticals, frozen seafood, agriculture, light engineering, software, and handicrafts. The continuation is intended to stabilize export performance ahead of the LDC transition.

Bangladesh Bank has purchased an additional 81 million US dollars from ten commercial banks through an auction. The transaction took place on Monday, January 12, 2026, according to Executive Director and Spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan. The exchange rate for the purchase was set at 122.30 taka per dollar, with the cutoff price matching that rate.

With this latest purchase, the central bank’s total dollar acquisition in January has reached 698 million US dollars. The report also notes that during the ongoing 2025–26 fiscal year, Bangladesh Bank has conducted several rounds of dollar purchases through auctions. So far, the total amount bought stands at 3.83 billion US dollars.

The continued dollar purchases indicate the central bank’s ongoing efforts to manage foreign exchange reserves and stabilize the domestic currency market, as reflected by the consistent auction-based acquisitions throughout the fiscal year.

Star Cineplex is set to launch three new multiplex cinemas across Bangladesh during the upcoming Eid season. Two of these, located in Narayanganj’s Jalkuri area and Bogura’s Police Plaza, are being developed by Star Cineplex. The Narayanganj branch at Simanto Tower is planned for inauguration on Eid-ul-Fitr, featuring three halls, while the Bogura branch with two halls is also expected to open later this year. The company’s senior marketing manager, Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, confirmed the plans and noted that the projects had been delayed but are nearing completion.

In addition, the Padma Cineplex in Jazira, Shariatpur, near the Padma Bridge South Police Station, is almost complete. Its owner, film producer Mohammad Iqbal, said about 90 percent of the construction work has been finished, with an opening targeted for Eid-ul-Azha. Star Cineplex previously announced plans to expand to 100 screens nationwide and aims to extend operations beyond major cities to district and sub-district levels.

These developments come amid widespread closures of traditional cinema halls, offering renewed optimism for Bangladesh’s film exhibition industry.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) has announced a major revision of its main index, DSEX, following an annual trading review. Nine new companies will be added to the index, six of which are identified as weak in fundamentals. At the same time, sixteen companies will be removed, including five well-known Islamic banks whose shares have been declared void and trading suspended. The changes will take effect on January 18, according to DSE authorities.

The six weak fundamental companies joining the DSEX are BD Welding, Desco, Dulamia Cotton, Safko Spinning, Standard Ceramic, and Jhil-Bangla Sugar. The other three additions are Ha-Well Textile, Northern Islami Insurance, and Sharp Industries. The five Islamic banks being removed—First Security Islami Bank, Exim Bank, Social Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, and Union Bank—have merged to form a new entity named Sammilit Islami Bank. Other companies dropped include Apollo Ispat, United Capital, Meghna Condensed Milk, and several others.

The DSE also adjusted its DS-30 index, adding Meghna Petroleum, BSRM Steels, and Fine Foods, while removing Heidelberg Cement, GPH Ispat, and Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag.

Meta has deactivated more than 540,000 Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts in Australia following the country’s new social media ban for users under 16. The U.S. technology company stated that between December 4 and 11, it removed 330,639 Instagram accounts, 173,497 Facebook accounts, and 39,916 Threads accounts believed to be operated by minors. The action came after Australia implemented the world’s first full prohibition on social media use by children under 16, effective December 10.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Australian government’s decision bars minors from creating, using, or maintaining profiles on major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat. In a blog post, Meta said it seeks constructive dialogue with the government to explore safer, privacy-preserving, and age-appropriate online experiences instead of a total ban. The company emphasized that a unified industry standard for age verification is still lacking.

Meta reaffirmed its commitment to comply with Australian law but expressed concern over the absence of clear and consistent age determination standards across the industry.

The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved a revised Annual Development Programme (ADP) of Tk 2 trillion for the 2025–26 fiscal year. Including projects under autonomous bodies and corporations, the total expenditure stands at Tk 2.289 trillion. The decision was made at an NEC meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. The revised plan allocates Tk 1.28 trillion from domestic sources and Tk 720 billion from foreign sources.

According to the press briefing, the revised ADP reflects a reduction of Tk 300 billion compared to the original plan, with Tk 160 billion less from domestic sources and Tk 140 billion less from foreign assistance. The programme includes 1,330 projects, comprising 1,108 investment projects, 35 feasibility studies, 121 technical assistance projects, and 66 self-financed projects by agencies. Priority sectors include transport, power and energy, housing, education, and local government, which together receive Tk 1.211 trillion or 60.54% of total allocations.

Planning officials stated that the revised ADP aims to expand economic activities, generate employment, develop human resources, improve social services, and support sustainable growth.

The Indian government has imposed a two-month ban on virtual private network (VPN) use in Indian-administered Kashmir, citing national security concerns. The order, issued on December 29, described VPNs as a threat to national security and alleged that they were being misused to incite unrest. Following the ban, police have intensified searches, stopping pedestrians and vehicles to check mobile phones, and have taken action against more than 100 individuals accused of violating the order.

The decision has caused significant anxiety among professionals and residents who rely on VPNs for secure communication and data protection. Basit Bande, an IT professional from Pulwama working in Pune, told Al Jazeera that the government’s order was issued without adequate consideration for professionals whose work depends on VPN access. He fears losing his job or being forced to relocate permanently to Pune as many corporate systems, including email, require VPN connections.

According to cybersecurity firm Surfshark, about 20 percent of India’s 800 million internet users use VPNs, making the country one of the largest VPN markets globally. The ban has sparked renewed debate about digital rights and online security in India.

The Government of Bangladesh is set to launch a national registration and digital ID card program for freelancers to formalize the country’s growing freelancing sector. The Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology announced that the digital platform for the initiative has been completed and will be officially inaugurated on Tuesday. Registered freelancers will be able to use their ID cards to access banking services, loans, credit cards, financial incentives, and both government and private training opportunities.

According to the ministry’s statement, the platform, freelancers.gov.bd, has successfully passed vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, ensuring its security and technical readiness. The initiative aims to strengthen connections between freelancers, banks, government institutions, and the private sector, which the ministry expects will elevate Bangladesh’s digital economy to new heights.

The ministry described the program as a strategic national initiative designed to promote self-employment among youth, increase foreign currency earnings, and expand technology-based employment opportunities across the country.