Macro
February sees $2.53b remittance inflow, fourth highest in history
Bangladesh received $2.53 billion in remittances in February — the fourth highest monthly inflow in the country’s history. According to the central bank, from July to February of the current fiscal year, total remittance inflow reached $18.49 billion, reflecting a 23.8% increase compared to the $14.94 billion received during the same period last fiscal year. The February inflow alone was 25% higher than the same month last year, when $2.02 billion was recorded. The surge has been attributed to the month of Ramadan, a period when remittance inflows typically rise as expatriates send more money to support their families.
https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/february-sees-3rd-highest-remittance-inflow-253b-history-1082396

Budget spending jumps amid rising interest payments
Overall budget expenditure jumped nearly 25 percent year-on-year in the first five months of the current fiscal year, driven by soaring interest payments and subsidies despite lower development spending. Between July and November, the government spent Tk 194,793 crore out of the Tk 788,422 crore annual budget, according to the latest report from the finance ministry. Of this amount, operating expenditure rose to Tk 170,491 crore, marking a 40 percent increase compared to the same period in the preceding year.
https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/budget-spending-jumps-amid-rising-interest-payments-3838296

Govt borrowing from non-bank sources surges
The government’s borrowing from domestic sources surged in the first half of FY25, primarily driven by a substantial increase in the issuance of special bonds, particularly those issued to clear arrears to electricity and fertiliser producers, as well as treasury bills (T-bills) and bonds targeting institutional and individual investors. Net borrowing from domestic sources in the first six months of the current fiscal year stood at around Tk 31,432 crore, about 69 times higher than the Tk 456 crore recorded in the same period of the preceding year, according to a Bangladesh Bank report released yesterday.
https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/govt-borrowing-non-bank-sources-surges-3838286

Telecommunication
Number of mobile subscribers drops
The number of mobile subscribers dropped by 12 lakh to 18.75 crore in December last year, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline, according to the latest data from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Between July and December, mobile operators collectively lost a staggering 75 lakh customers.
https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/number-mobile-subscribers-drops-3838256

Fuel & Power
Pvt power producers fear financial strain, outages as fuel import incentive cut
The Power Development Board’s (PDB) abrupt decision to slash the service charge on heavy fuel oil (HFO) imports—from 9.04% to 5%—has sent independent power producers (IPPs) fearing not only financial strain but a deepening power crisis ahead of summer. Already burdened by unpaid dues amounting to at least Tk3,662 crore as of October 2024, the power producers warn that this latest move could cripple their ability to import fuel, leaving plants idle and triggering intensified load shedding.
https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/energy/pvt-power-producers-fear-financial-strain-outages-fuel-import-incentive-cut

Intraco to transfer Ctg CNG station investment to Bhola project
Intraco Refueling Limited, a publicly listed company, has decided to withdraw its investment from a CNG station operated by its subsidiary, Intraco Automobiles Limited, and transfer the funds to its Bhola Non-Pipe Gas Line Unit to enhance gas supply capacity. The company, in the stock exchange disclosure, stated that its lease agreement with the landowner of the Chattogram-based CNG station has expired, prompting the decision to discontinue operations from the first week of March 2025.
https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/stocks/intraco-transfer-ctg-cng-station-investment-bhola-project-1082751

Bank
UCB earns over Tk 1,300cr in deposits in 20 days of February
United Commercial Bank (UCB) PLC has recorded a remarkable net deposit growth exceeding Tk 1,332 crore in February 2025. This achievement, realised in just 20 working days, underscores the renewed confidence and trust that customers have placed in the bank, as stated in a press release.
https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/ucb-earns-over-tk-1300cr-deposits-20-days-february-3838191

Textile
BEXIMCO Sukuk investors worry over cash injected in Shariah-compliant bonds
The shutdown of textile units of BEXIMCO has worried Sukuk investors as it injected about 30 per cent of the proceeds of Shariah-compliant bonds in the textile division. BEXIMCO, a flagship listed company of Beximco Group, is the first private enterprise to issue asset-backed Sukuk bonds worth Tk 30 billion in the country in 2021 to finance two solar power plants and expansion of its textile division.
https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/stock-corporate/beximco-sukuk-investors-worry-over-cash-injected-in-shariah-compliant-bonds-1740937469

Capital Market
Dhaka bourse plans to strengthen delisting framework
As existing rules prove insufficient to meet market needs, the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) plans to amend its delisting rules, as some listed companies have become non-compliant and fall under the criteria for removal from the secondary market. Recognising the urgency of enhancing governance in the capital market and among listed companies, the country’s premier bourse has initiated the development of new delisting rules with input from stakeholders.
https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/stocks/dhaka-bourse-plans-strengthen-delisting-framework-1082726