A delegation from Japan’s major trading and investment company Mitsui & Co. met with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division on Wednesday. The meeting focused on exploring and expanding investment opportunities in sectors such as food, agriculture, energy, and ICT.

During the discussion, the Bangladesh government informed the delegation that it is pursuing investment-friendly policies and will provide maximum cooperation to attract and expand foreign investment. The government also highlighted its initiative to bring various agency services under a ‘one-stop service’ system to simplify business operations and approval processes, ensuring faster and smoother investment activities.

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, the Prime Minister’s Economic and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Special Assistant Dr. Shakirul Islam Khan, and Finance Secretary Md. Khairuzzaman Mozumder were present. The Mitsui delegation was led by Makato Sato, CEO and Executive Vice President for the Asia-Pacific region.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced that the upcoming national budget will be designed with every citizen in mind. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Wednesday, June 3, after a meeting with the Prime Minister, he said the government aims to present a good budget despite the current economic challenges. He emphasized that the budget will reflect efforts to include all citizens in the economic process.

Chowdhury stated that the economy is in a difficult state, but the government has taken responsibility to ensure that the benefits of economic activities reach every person in Bangladesh. The minister explained that the budget formulation process has been guided by the goal of ensuring broad participation and equitable distribution of economic gains.

He expressed optimism that, compared to previous governments, this initiative would mark a positive beginning and help the country move forward more effectively.

Customers under the banner of the Conscious Customer Forum held a rally and protest march in Dhaka demanding the removal of Islami Bank’s newly appointed chairman, Khurshid Alam. The demonstration began at 11 a.m. in front of the bank’s head office and concluded at the National Press Club. Protesters alleged that Alam had previously been dismissed from Bangladesh Bank after the July Movement due to involvement in financial irregularities, and they warned that his leadership could endanger the bank’s stability.

Forum president Nurun Nabi Manik stated that Islami Bank is the largest in Southeast Asia and that its collapse could severely impact the national economy. He urged the government to ensure proper management and to appoint those who had contributed to the bank’s earlier success. The group emphasized that their movement was lawful and aimed at protecting customer interests.

The protest followed earlier demonstrations and human chains held on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday, the bank’s scheduled board meeting was disrupted by protests and later held virtually under Alam’s chairmanship, where the resignation of Managing Director Omar Faruk Khan was accepted.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has initiated steps to relocate its headquarters from Chattogram to Dhaka, with plans to purchase three floors of the 20-storey Jamuna Oil Company building in Karwan Bazar. The process has advanced significantly, receiving approval from Jamuna’s board and a positive response from the government. A committee has been formed to determine the fair value of the floors, and BPC intends to finalize the purchase after Eid. However, the transfer appears to breach company law, which requires approval from the annual general meeting (AGM) for asset transfers.

Jamuna Oil, a listed company with BPC holding 60 percent of its shares, built the Dhaka building to generate rental income. Critics say the transfer decision bypassed shareholder approval and was driven by top-level pressure. BPC’s move comes even as it recently completed a new headquarters building in Chattogram’s Joypahar area, where 90 percent of its operations are based.

Energy sector experts and transparency advocates warn that relocating the headquarters could undermine administrative decentralization, create bureaucratic delays, and contradict the government’s policy of moving institutions outside Dhaka.

After Eid-ul-Azha, bottle gourd prices have sharply fallen in Durgapur upazila of Rajshahi, with each gourd selling for only five taka at local roadside markets. Farmers report that before Eid, they sold each gourd for 35 to 40 taka, but within a few days the price dropped so low that production costs can no longer be recovered. Meanwhile, traders are buying directly from farmers at these low prices and reselling the gourds in other districts at nearly ten times the cost.

Field visits across several villages in Durgapur revealed abundant harvests, with traders loading gourds onto trucks bound for Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, and Chattogram. Farmers blame the post-Eid market slump and transport shortages, while traders cite driver holidays and increased delivery costs. The Rajshahi Department of Agricultural Extension confirmed that bottle gourd cultivation reached a record 666 hectares this season, up from 521 hectares last year.

Officials acknowledged that large price gaps between rural and urban markets often result from syndicate control, and they have reported the issue to the government for review.

Bangladesh is preparing to announce a record budget of about Tk 9.38 trillion for the 2026–27 fiscal year amid mounting economic pressures. The government plans to present the budget in parliament on June 11, marking a nearly 19 percent increase from the current year’s Tk 7.9 trillion. Economists identify growing foreign debt repayments and persistent inflation as the biggest challenges to implementing the new government’s first budget.

According to the Economic Relations Division, Bangladesh paid USD 3.802 billion in foreign loan installments and interest during July–April of the current fiscal year, up 8.41 percent from the same period last year. Meanwhile, new loan commitments and disbursements have declined sharply. The government expects to spend around Tk 460 billion on foreign debt servicing next year, which could strain allocations for development and social protection.

Inflation remains another major concern, with April’s rate rising to 9.04 percent from 8.71 percent in March. Analysts warn that without effective control measures, higher living costs could undermine welfare initiatives and increase pressure on low- and middle-income households.

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has announced another increase in electricity prices across the country. On Wednesday, the commission raised wholesale electricity rates by 19.85 percent and retail rates by 15 to 19.94 percent. Transmission charges were also increased by 23.96 percent. The decision follows applications submitted between May 3 and 6 by electricity producers, transmitters, and distributors seeking higher tariffs.

During public hearings held on May 20 and 21, political leaders, consumer rights activists, business representatives, and industrialists opposed the proposed price hikes. They argued that long-standing corruption, mismanagement, poor planning, and waste were being unfairly passed on to consumers. The last electricity price adjustment occurred in February 2024, when the average wholesale rate rose from Tk 6.70 to Tk 7.04 per unit by executive order.

The electricity price revision comes shortly after the government adjusted fuel prices effective June 1, increasing octane, petrol, and kerosene by Tk 5 per liter while keeping diesel unchanged at Tk 115 per liter.

The United States has proposed new tariffs on imports from 60 countries, including Bangladesh, citing failures to prevent the use of forced labor. According to official documents, the proposed tariffs range from 10 percent to 12.5 percent on goods imported from these countries. The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office (USTR) stated that 54 of the affected countries have failed to effectively ban or enforce restrictions on goods produced through forced labor.

This proposal follows investigations launched by Washington against major trade partners such as China, the European Union, and Japan. The move comes as the Trump administration seeks to restructure its emergency tariff framework, which was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in February.

USTR specified that imports from countries including Canada, Ecuador, the EU, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom would face an additional 10 percent tariff, while the remaining 45 countries would face a 12.5 percent tariff.

Global oil prices increased again as tensions escalated between the United States and Iran, following attacks targeting Kuwait and Bahrain. In Wednesday morning trading, crude oil prices rose by more than 1 percent, reflecting market concerns over regional instability.

According to the report, the United States carried out an attack on Iran’s Qeshm Island, prompting Iran to respond with missile and drone strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain. Meanwhile, peace talks between the United States and Iran have shown no progress, further fueling uncertainty in the energy market. The heightened conflict has directly influenced oil trading trends.

Brent crude futures rose by 1.05 dollars, or 1.09 percent, to settle at 97.05 dollars per barrel. Similarly, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) increased by 1.01 dollars, or 1.08 percent, reaching 94.77 dollars per barrel.

In Barishal, the expected abundance of Hilsa fish during the peak season has not materialized. Despite strong river currents and the onset of the monsoon, fishermen report catching very few fish even after casting nets all day. At Barishal’s Port Road fish market, only 50–60 maunds of Hilsa arrived on Tuesday morning, compared to several hundred maunds in previous years. Prices have soared, with one-kilogram Hilsa selling for Tk 2,500–3,000 and larger fish reaching up to Tk 4,500 per kilogram.

Local traders and fishermen expressed frustration, noting that Hilsa production has been declining for years. They said government conservation efforts have not yet yielded visible results, leaving both sellers and buyers in difficulty. Fishermen on the Meghna River reported severe hardship, with little to no income for a month due to the lack of fish.

Officials from the Department of Fisheries, however, remain optimistic. They stated that the main Hilsa season will begin in July and that sufficient rainfall could bring larger fish from the sea into rivers, improving supply later in the season.

The government of Bangladesh has decided to withdraw its earlier plan to impose advance income tax on motorcycles from the next fiscal year. According to National Board of Revenue (NBR) sources, all types of motorcycles will now be exempt from such tax. The initial proposal had suggested an annual advance tax ranging from two thousand to ten thousand taka depending on engine capacity. The decision follows protests by hundreds of bikers who demonstrated in front of the NBR headquarters in Agargaon and submitted a memorandum opposing the tax.

Bikers argued that motorcycles are no longer luxury items but essential for employment in ride-sharing and delivery services, as well as for daily commuting. They also pointed out that motorcycle prices in Bangladesh are already higher than in neighboring countries, and the proposed tax would further burden ordinary citizens. NBR had initially justified the tax by citing the growing commercial use of motorcycles and the possibility of adjusting the advance payment during annual tax returns.

An NBR official confirmed that the government’s higher authorities instructed not to impose any advance income tax on motorcycles, ensuring that only existing registration fees and road taxes will continue to apply.

Bangladesh Bank’s latest report shows that default loans in the country’s banking sector rose by Tk 31,487 crore in the first quarter of 2026, despite multiple policy supports and special rescheduling opportunities. At the end of March, total default loans reached Tk 5,88,704 crore, or 32.26% of total loans, up from Tk 5,57,217 crore three months earlier. The increase has renewed pressure on the banking system, reversing the temporary relief seen at the end of 2025.

Officials and bankers attributed the rise to slow economic growth, accumulating interest, and reclassification of previously understated loans after central bank inspections. Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan said defaults were expected to fall under the special rescheduling policy, but accrued interest and grace periods prevented recovery. ABB Chairman Masrur Arefin cited sluggish production and limited borrower capacity to meet down payments as key factors.

The report also highlights that state-owned banks hold the highest default ratio at 45.85%, while private banks account for 30.11%. The interim government’s disclosure of previously hidden defaults has further exposed the sector’s vulnerabilities, underscoring persistent structural weaknesses in loan management.

A human chain was organized in Daudkandi, Cumilla, by customers, investors, and businesspeople of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited. The event took place on Tuesday in front of the bank’s branch office at Ahmadia Plaza in Daudkandi municipal market, drawing significant participation from local traders and clients.

Participants expressed unity in protecting business interests, maintaining the bank’s stability, and fulfilling various demands. They emphasized Islami Bank’s vital role in the national economy and called for ensuring customer trust, business interests, transparency, and accountability. Speakers urged that mutual trust between the bank and its clients must remain strong and that the institution should be kept free from irregularities, corruption, and vested interests.

Business leaders including Billal Miaji, Rezaul Haque Sarkar, Abu Bakar Siddiq, and Ismail Hossain Talukder addressed the gathering, while Nasir Uddin Ahmed conducted the program. They appealed to authorities to take prompt action to safeguard the bank’s governance and protect depositor confidence.

Social Welfare Minister Dr. A Z M Zahid Hossain announced that the upcoming national budget will expand the scope of family cards, farmer cards, and religious sector programs. He said allocations for social safety programs have been increased, and financial grants for treating critical illnesses have been doubled. The minister made these remarks on Tuesday at a meeting with divisional officials at the Department of Social Services office in Agargaon.

Zahid Hossain stated that around 4.02 million people will be brought under the family card program next year. The government is also working to transform orphaned children into skilled human resources. Grants for patients suffering from cancer, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, thalassemia, and congenital heart disease will be raised to 100,000 taka, with total allocations proposed to increase from 3 billion to 6 billion taka. The minister said the program’s third pilot phase is expected to be completed by June.

State Minister Farzana Sharmin noted that despite many institutions under the ministry, coordination remains a challenge. The new work plan emphasizes better coordination to improve service quality.

The Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) has announced a significant reduction in gold prices across the country following a decline in international markets. The price of 22-carat gold has been lowered by Tk 3,266 per bhori, setting the new rate at Tk 234,855. The revised prices took effect from 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, according to a BAJUS press release.

BAJUS stated that the decision was influenced by a sharp fall in global gold prices, which impacted the local market. The last price adjustment occurred on May 25, when the association raised the price of 22-carat gold by Tk 2,158 per bhori to Tk 238,121. Prices for 21-carat, 18-carat, and traditional gold have also been revised accordingly.

So far this year, BAJUS has adjusted gold prices 70 times, increasing them 37 times and reducing them 33 times, reflecting continued volatility in both domestic and international markets.