Bangladesh’s steelmakers have presented a five-point demand to the interim government to alleviate challenges plaguing the industry. At a press briefing on November 18, the Bangladesh Steel Manufacturers Association (BSMA) urged for expedited infrastructure projects to mitigate the economic crisis affecting businesses. They proposed raising the single borrower exposure limit from 15% to 30% to ease capital shortages and called for uninterrupted gas and power supply for factories. Steelmakers also demanded the withdrawal of a recent increase in the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) certification mark licence fee, which jumped to Tk 35 lakh annually, and an end to duty-free steel imports.

Rising fuel prices, high-interest loans, and dollar appreciation have escalated production costs, causing steelmakers to sell products below cost to meet overheads. Industry leaders reported a 40% drop in steel sales over the last four months, warning of severe ripple effects across related sectors like housing and construction

To address rising egg prices and ensure adequate supply, the government has authorized the import of 18.80 crore eggs through 42 firms, with import permits valid until January 31, according to a Commerce Ministry notification issued on November 19. This comes as two pairs of brown eggs are currently selling for Tk 48–50 in Dhaka, reflecting a 12.64% price hike from Tk 42–45 a year ago. The country’s daily egg demand of five crore is largely met by regions like Tangail, Jashore, Thakurgaon, and Gazipur.

Persistently high inflation, above 9% since March, has hit low and middle-income groups the hardest. Food inflation surged in October, reaching a three-month high of 10.87%, driven by rising costs of essentials such as rice and vegetables. With inflationary pressure continuing, the egg import move aims to alleviate some of the burden on consumers amid broader economic challenges.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has frozen 117 beneficiary owner (BO) accounts allegedly linked to Beximco Ltd’s owners following a request from the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU). On November 14, the BSEC instructed the Chittagong Stock Exchange to gather KYC forms and portfolio statements of these accounts within three days. A BSEC official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the owners’ involvement and noted that some had been fined earlier for manipulating Beximco’s share prices. A portfolio statement provides critical details about investment entitlements, essential for regulatory scrutiny.

Beximco Ltd has faced financial turmoil since its vice-chairman was detained in August, following the government’s ouster. The liquidity crisis has halted operations at 24 ventures and suspended production due to import issues. A Tk 60 crore loan application for employee salaries in October was also rejected by Janata Bank. In August, the BFIU and BSEC had already frozen accounts directly linked to the vice-chairman.