Bangladesh's Export Wins and Economic Resilience

• Trade Deficit Narrows by 49.5% in Jul-Nov FY25: Strong export and remittance growth cut the deficit to $2.47bn Source

• IMF Pushes Tax Reforms: Remaining $4.7bn loan conditional on tax-GDP ratio improvements Source

• Mongla Port’s Revenue Grows by 9.72%: $2.1bn earned in H1 FY25 with increased cargo traffic Source

• Bangladesh-Pakistan MoU on Rice Import: Stabilizing domestic prices with $0.8mn atap rice imports Source

• Benapole Port Implements Stricter Trade Rules: Mandatory physical checks to curb evasion Source

• Bangladesh’s Remittance Reaches $736mn in 11 Days: Strong Inflow Boosting Forex Stability Source

• NBR to Launch Single Window System in February: Simplifying trade processes and boosting efficiency Source

• U.S. Fed Opts for Last Rate Cut Amid Inflation: Lending rates lowered to 4.25%-4.50% Source

Economy & Banking

• Trade Deficit Narrows by 49.5% in Jul-Nov FY25: Strong export and remittance growth cut the trade deficit to $2.47bn, marking a year-on-year reduction of $2.43bn Source

• Forex Reserves Drop to $20bn: Bangladesh’s forex reserves fell post-$1.67bn ACU payment for imports, though eased dollar pressure led to a 20% rise in LC settlements Source

• IMF Stresses Tax Reforms: Remaining $4.7bn loan disbursement hinges on meeting tax collection targets as Bangladesh struggles with low tax-to-GDP ratios Source

• ADP Budget Reduced by $4bn for FY24: Amid slow project implementation, the government reduced ADP funds by 18.49%, cutting both local and foreign sources Source

• Savings Rates Increased to Curb Inflation: New rates on national savings certificates now exceed 12%, aimed at attracting investors and cooling inflation Source

• Farm Credit Disbursement Falls by 14%: High interest rates and political uncertainty led to a disbursement of $1.07bn, though recovery improved by 11.4% Source

Trade & Commerce

• Benapole Port Tightens Inspection Rules: Stricter measures for 12 categories of imports aim to curb tax evasion and ensure export accuracy Source

• Bangladesh-Pakistan MoU on Rice Imports: The countries agreed to import parboiled rice to stabilize prices and enhance bilateral trade Source

• MS Rod Prices Surge by $41 Per Ton: Rising Home Construction Demand and production costs caused a Significant Price Hike Source

• NBR Launches Single Window System: Starting in February, manual processes for trade documents will be replaced with a digital platform to enhance efficiency Source

International

• China’s Export Growth Hits 7.1% in 2024: Anticipation of U.S. tariffs spurred exports to a record $3.5tn Source

• UK Inflation Drops to 2.5%: Lower inflation offered some relief to policymakers despite economic challenges. Source

• U.S. Imposes AI Chip Export Restrictions: Targeting China, new measures regulate AI chip sales to safeguard U.S. strategic interests Source

• Bangladesh-Germany Sign Sustainability Agreements: Deals worth $17.6mn were signed to modernize the textile sector and promote renewable energy Source

• U.S. Sanctions Disrupt Russian Oil Trade: New measures aim to restrict oil supplies to China and India, raising global shipping costs Source