March 23, 2025
The Financial Express
Large industries see double-digit growth in Dec riding on RMG
Country's large-scale manufacturing sector recorded a double-digit growth of 10.37 per cent in December last year, rising from the same period in 2023, according to data released last week by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Large-scale manufacturing contributes over 11 per cent to the country's GDP and serves as a key indicator of industrial performance. Mr. Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez), president of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI), identified high lending rates as a major barrier to business expansion further. Mr. Syed Nazrul Islam, a former leader of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and managing director of Well Dress, said that clothing orders increased after the Q1, although some orders had previously shifted to India and Pakistan.
The New Age
RMG stakeholders see no complexity in payment before Eid
The stakeholders of the country’s readymade garment sector said that the payment of wages and allowances in the sector would be cleared ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. According to the Industrial Police and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, most factories have already paid the wages for February and are now disbursing the wages for the 15 days of March. Former BGMEA director Mohiuddin Rubel told New Age that a number of factories couldn’t clear their payments due to weekends in the banks. ‘However, we hope by March 25, the festival allowances of the most factories will be cleared, and, before starting the Eid holidays, the half wage of March and other allowances will also be paid,’ he added.
The Daily Star
Bangladesh must prepare for post-LDC challenges
Bangladesh is set to graduate from the least-developed country (LDC) club next year, which will bring several challenges in international trade. However, the country is not yet prepared to face these challenges, Prof Mustafizur Rahman, a distinguished fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said in an interview with The Daily Star. Bangladesh has met the criteria for graduation in all three categories -- per capita income, human asset index, and economic vulnerability index. It is expected to be upgraded at the next UN General Assembly meeting, scheduled for November 2026. "It is very difficult to justify deferring graduation from the LDC status, as demanded by many businessmen," he said, adding that even if graduation is delayed, only Bangladesh and Afghanistan will remain in LDC status in this region.