Power cuts may hamper new investment

Fourteen Bangladeshi garment exporters remain unpaid for apparel shipments worth $7.6 million to Russia over the past year due to international transaction complications triggered by US sanctions. Attempts to reroute payments through China have failed, said Mohammad Hatem, President of BKMEA, who urged the government to resolve the issue by either adjusting the dues against Rooppur Nuclear Plant payments or introducing a barter system.

Bangladesh’s garment exports to the European Union—its largest market accounting for 79 percent of total RMG shipments—are facing intensified competition as regional rivals like China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Pakistan shift focus from the US to the EU amid a new US tariff regime. This diversion is expected to drive down prices and margins in the EU market

A recent study by STITCH and BRAC University reveals that nearly 32% of readymade garment (RMG) factories in Bangladesh have not implemented the revised minimum wage of Tk 12,500–12,800, mandated since December 2023. All non-compliant factories are located outside Export Processing Zones (EPZs), while EPZ-based and larger factories showed full compliance.

Following Bangladesh’s decision to ban yarn imports via five land ports—Benapole, Bhomra, Sonamasjid, Banglabandha, and Burimari, which previously handled 30% of India’s yarn exports—Indian producers are shifting toward waterways and sea routes.

Bangladesh’s garment industry, central to the global supply chain, aims to become a $100 billion manufacturing hub, but progress hinges on worker welfare. Despite innovations and product diversification, the sector faces challenges including buyer-imposed price pressures, high compliance costs, weak labor unions, and rising operational expenses.

amuna Oil Company reported a 56% year-on-year profit increase to Tk 140.58 crore in Q3 of FY2024-25, driven by higher petroleum sales and increased interest income from deposits. Earnings per share (EPS) for January–March 2025 rose to Tk 12.73 from Tk 8.14 in the same quarter last year, while EPS for July 2024–March 2025 reached Tk 36.65, up from Tk 26.60.