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Business & Economy

PKSF signs Tk500 crore solar-finance agreement

PKSF and the Finance Division have agreed a Tk500 crore programme to finance solar installations. Loans will reach end users through partner organisations at 6 per cent interest, aiming to widen clean-energy access and private participation.

From 15 October 2026 — Daily Brief

Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation has signed a Tk500 crore agreement with the Finance Division to expand financing for solar power installations across Bangladesh.

PKSF will channel loans to end users through its partner organisations at an interest rate of 6 per cent. It has created a specialised Renewable Energy Financing Programme to administer the facility.

The agreement follows a board decision to allocate public funding for rooftop and other distributed solar projects. Officials said the programme is intended to diversify energy supply, reduce reliance on conventional fuels and draw more private participants into the clean-energy market.

Concessional finance addresses one of the main barriers to small-scale solar: households and businesses face high upfront costs even when panels reduce electricity spending over time. Working through established partner organisations could extend credit beyond major cities and conventional bank customers.

The programme’s impact will depend on the details not yet disclosed, including eligible system sizes, borrower contribution, repayment periods, technical standards and consumer protection. PKSF will also need transparent reporting on installations, generation and defaults. Cheap credit alone will not deliver reliable capacity if equipment quality, maintenance and grid-connection rules remain uneven.

Business & Economy

BSEC asks Dhaka exchange to focus investigations on evidence

The securities regulator has urged the Dhaka Stock Exchange to conduct targeted, evidence-based investigations without creating unnecessary alarm among investors. At a Sunday meeting, it called for better use of surveillance data. The guidance concerns how inquiries are conducted; action against manipulation is expected to continue.

Business & Economy

Dhaka shares decline as turnover falls on Sunday’s reopening

Dhaka’s benchmark DSEX fell about 18 points to 5,432 on Sunday as trading resumed after the holiday break. Turnover dropped roughly 14% to around Tk431 crore. Declining securities heavily outnumbered gainers, although some banking shares advanced against the broader market’s downward movement.

Business & Economy

Government approves six LNG cargoes from BP and QatarEnergy

The government has approved six LNG cargoes: five from BP Singapore and one from QatarEnergy Trading. The Finance Ministry disclosed the decision on Sunday after Saturday’s procurement meeting. Prices are linked to the Japan–Korea Marker benchmark, with specified discounts; approval does not mean the cargoes have already arrived.

Business & Economy

BRAC Bank announces Tk1,000 crore bond for green projects

BRAC Bank has announced a Tk1,000 crore green bond to finance renewable energy, green buildings and industrial efficiency projects. The three-year instrument will be unsecured, non-convertible and zero-coupon, with a Tk10 lakh face value per bond. The bank says the framework follows the central bank’s green-financing policy.

Business & Economy

Bangladesh Bank restores website after precautionary cybersecurity shutdown

Bangladesh Bank restored its website at 8am on 25 October after taking it offline on Thursday as a precaution against cyber threats. Its spokesperson said security checks had been carried out. Banking transactions and links with commercial banks continued during the website shutdown, according to the central bank.

Business & Economy

Businesses may retain fifteen per cent of eligible foreign receipts

Bangladesh Bank will allow eligible hotels, restaurants, retailers and other merchants to retain up to 15% of foreign-currency receipts from overseas visitors. Payments must arrive through international cards or other permitted instruments. The remaining 85% must be converted into taka, and retained funds may meet legitimate foreign obligations.