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Bangladesh Imports 5x More Than It Exports to SAARC
Last Week’s Bangladesh Top Stories, Brewed for Your Morning Tea
☕️ RetrospecTea is your Weekly-Brew of Quick Highlights for a brief snapshot, and dive into the Detailed Insights section for a deeper understanding
— all perfectly paired for your morning tea!
Quick Highlights
Bangladesh Beats Competitors in RMG Export Growth to US — Exports rose 45.93% YoY to $799.65M, driven by higher tariffs on Chinese goods. Source
Remittance Inflow Surges Amid Forex Reserve Crisis — $814.29M sent in the first 8 days of March, a 23.8% increase from last year. Source
Japan Lending Bangladesh $581M — Funding goes to the Matarbari Power Project and Bangladesh Food Safety Authority upgrade. Source
Pharma Exports Rise Despite February Slump — Exports grew 7.1% YoY to $145.46M, driven by demand from the US, Europe, and Australia. Source
Bangladesh’s Current Account Deficit Drops 87% — Deficit shrinks to $552M, aided by rising remittances and a narrowing trade gap. Source
Govt Raises $250M Through Sukuk Bonds — Funds allocated for rural bridge construction, with the bond oversubscribed 3.6x. Source
Sri Lankan Investors Show Interest in BD’s Stock Market — Colombo Stock Exchange officials seek partnerships with BSEC. Source
Bangladesh Imports 5x More Than It Exports to SAARC — Calls for policy measures to boost regional trade and reduce reliance on Indian imports. Source
Bangladesh Bank Relaxes Loan Exit Policy for Defaulters — Down payments cut to 5%, with extended repayment periods to support struggling borrowers. Source
Land Registration Taxes May Fall in Next Budget — NBR considers lower taxes to stimulate property transactions and revenue growth. Source
Weekly Detailed Insights
Economy & Banking
Bangladesh's Economy Expands at Slower Pace: The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 64.6 in February, signaling slower growth, with agriculture thriving but construction and services lagging. Source
Private Sector Credit Growth Hits Decade-Low: Credit growth fell to 7.15% in January, with high interest rates and cautious bank lending stifling industrial expansion. Source
Food Prices Drive 53% of Inflation: Inflation dropped to 11.1%, but food prices continued to pressure consumers, with wage growth failing to keep pace. Source
Foreign Exchange Reserves Dip Below $20bn: Reserves fell to $19.7bn after a $1.75bn ACU payment, with IMF's BPM-6 standard excluding some holdings. Source
Remittance Inflow Surges Amid Forex Crisis: Bangladeshi expatriates sent $814.29M in March’s first week, with private banks receiving the largest share. Source
BB Governor to Visit UK for Asset Recovery: Efforts are underway to recover $75–100bn of laundered assets through global cooperation. Source
Energy & Infrastructure
Adani Resumes Full-Scale Power Supply: The company restored 1,362 MW to Bangladesh after resolving payment backlogs with BPDB. Source
US Oil Major Expands Gas Operations: Chevron proposed developing new gas blocks, which could increase output by up to 1,350 mmcfd. Source
Incomplete Projects Face Deadline: The government pushes to complete two delayed infrastructure projects by fiscal year-end. Source
Trade & Commerce
Bangladesh Leads RMG Export Growth to US: Apparel exports rose 45.93% to $799.65M, benefiting from US tariffs on China and Mexico. Source
Pharma Exports Grow Despite February Slump: Exports increased 7.1% to $145.46M, but February saw a temporary decline due to US aid cuts. Source
Rice Shipments Arrive from Vietnam & India: 38,880 tonnes of rice arrived to stabilize local prices amid rising domestic food costs. Source
Vessels Face Delays at Chattogram Port: Container handling disruptions continue due to unresolved disputes over onboard handling charges. Source
Bangladesh Imports 5x More Than It Exports to SAARC: The country’s trade deficit with SAARC nations remains high, with import payments reaching $9.76bn. Source
International
China-US Trade War Escalates: New tariffs on US agricultural products intensify trade tensions, with China's export growth slowing. Source
Ukraine Open to 30-Day Ceasefire: The US plans to resume military aid and present a ceasefire proposal to Russia. Source
EU to Impose Tariffs on US Goods: Counter-tariffs worth $28bn will take effect on April 1 in response to US steel and aluminum duties. Source
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Each week, we focus on bringing you Bangladesh's top stories from the economy, finance, business, and international relations — providing a curated selection of key highlights, minus the noise!