Banking & Commodity

Agent banking is rapidly expanding financial inclusion across Bangladesh, significantly boosting women’s participation in the formal economy and driving strong growth in remittance transactions. According to Bangladesh Bank, agent banking has evolved from a basic transaction platform into a key driver of women’s empowerment in rural areas and an essential …

The afternoon sun shone on the large transparent plastic bottles lined up on the wet tiles of the Bashbari WASA water ATM, one of the water collection points the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority has set up in the capital. Barefoot and focused, 17-year-old Rakib from Mohammadpur moves quickly, …

Bangladesh’s financial sector has fallen short of expectations due to prolonged governance failure, weak regulatory enforcement and delayed reforms, despite commendable growth in the broader economy, Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur said today. He also described the sector’s overall performance as “disappointingly behind”, blaming structural weaknesses that remain largely …

Bangladesh Bank (BB) today officially halted all direct customer services, including the sale of savings certificates and prize bonds, the exchange of torn or damaged banknotes, and automated challan services, following an earlier announcement. The central bank has instructed commercial banks to ensure smooth and uninterrupted delivery of these services …

Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur has said that the overall economic condition of the country remains stable and if political stability prevails, the economy would perform even better in the coming days. Mansur made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a regional seminar on MFI-Bank Linkage, …

Prices of five essential commodities have recently declined in the country’s largest consumer goods wholesale market at Khatunganj in Chattogram. Lentils, khesari dal and sugar prices have fallen by Tk 4 to 12 per kilogram (kg), while raw soybean and palm oil prices have decreased by around Tk 2 per …

The Bangladesh Bank drafted new bankruptcy laws to replace the 1997 Act, empowering lenders to file bankruptcy cases without the debtor’s consent, creating legal tools to stop asset transfers of defaulters, recover properties from abroad, and even continue proceedings after a defaulter’s death. It also establishes cross-border insolvency cooperation and …

Bangladesh Bank has published a draft regulation aimed at modernising the country’s fast-growing digital payment ecosystem, opening up new possibilities for fintech innovation and safer transactions. The draft Payment System Operator (PSO) Regulations—released this week by the central bank’s Payment Systems Department—seek feedback from banks, fintech companies, and other industry …

Your next insurance premium, or the speed at which your claim is paid, could soon change as the government plans to change the country’s reinsurance system. The Financial Institutions Division (FID) has proposed removing a clause in the Insurance Corporation Act 2019 that requires non-life insurers to hand over half …

The government is going to buy 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice from an Indian supplier to build public food stocks, according to a decision of the Advisory Committee on Government Purchase today. The Madhya Pradesh-based M/S Gurudeo Exports Corporation Pvt Ltd will supply the staple grain at $356.78 per tonne. …