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Beyond Headlines brings together the five biggest business stories of the day in one concise business digest to keep readers informed about the developments that matter. Here’s the business digest for 26th September 2026.
The United States secured a six per cent share of Bangladesh's corn imports during the 2025-26 marketing year, marking a re-entry after eight years. According to a USDA report, local millers imported 111,000 tonnes of American corn out of 17.4 lakh tonnes total.
Brazil supplied 68 per cent of imports, followed by India at 24 per cent as Indian biofuel initiatives reduced export surplus. American grain shipments arrived at Chattogram port in January as Dhaka moved to narrow a $6.2 billion trade deficit with Washington.
Domestic poultry and livestock sectors require over 71 lakh tonnes of corn annually, consuming 90 per cent of local harvests. Although domestic farmers will produce 60 lakh tonnes, expanding animal feed production requires supplementary grain from international suppliers.
For the 2026-27 marketing cycle, private companies plan to import 18 lakh tonnes of corn. USDA officials said total feed and residual consumption will reach 72.5 lakh tonnes, sustaining steady domestic reliance on foreign grain shipments.
Source: The Daily Star
TikTok agreed on Friday to pay Alabama at least $100 million and enact limits for teenage users to settle a child-safety lawsuit. The agreement averted a scheduled state court trial concerning deceptive trade practices and online child protection.
Under the settlement terms, Alabama will receive an initial $100 million within 45 days, with payouts potentially reaching $300 million. State investigators previously found the application served videos featuring self-harm, eating disorders and substance abuse to teenage test accounts.
A spokesperson for TikTok said the platform remains committed to fostering a safe digital space for creative communities. The company said the legal agreement builds upon its ongoing corporate objective to continually enhance protective safety tools for young users.
The settlement follows expanding nationwide litigation against social media companies over youth mental health. While Meta and Google previously faced severe court penalties and jury verdicts, TikTok resolved similar pre-trial lawsuits in Kentucky and Los Angeles to avoid public courtroom scrutiny.
Source: AFP
The Bangladesh Tourism Board urged businesses to expand private investment across the tourism industry at a Dhaka press briefing on Saturday. Officials said private sector participation remains essential to realising the economic potential of the national tourism master plan.
Bangladesh Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Barrister Mutasim Billah Faruqui said state authorities cannot develop the sector alone. Faruqui urged coordinated action across ministries managing infrastructure, security and transport, while emphasising local community involvement to safeguard regional culture and protect tourism destinations.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism will observe World Tourism Day through a week-long programme starting on 27 September under an artificial intelligence theme. Activities include rallies at Parjatan Bhaban, stakeholder discussions and diplomatic exchanges with representatives from major tourism source nations.
The festival will conclude on 3 October at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre, featuring 12 exhibition stalls. The board will also introduce the inaugural Bangladesh Tourism Award across 13 categories, recognising private innovation, digital transformation, environmental sustainability and local community entrepreneurship.
Source: The Daily Star
The government released Tk 10,300 crore in liquefied natural gas subsidies during the first three months of the current fiscal year. The expenditure escalated as Bangladesh relied heavily on expensive spot-market cargoes following Middle Eastern supply disruptions.
According to Petrobangla data, the quarterly disbursement equalled 70.5 per cent of the total subsidy spent across the previous fiscal year. The blended import cost reached Tk 46.40 per cubic metre against a sales price of Tk 23.90, creating a Tk 22.50 deficit.
Petrobangla Director of Finance AKM Mizanur Rahman said regional hostilities added Tk 10,600 crore in costs as long-term suppliers declared force majeure. Rahman said the state importer substituted pipeline volumes with spot purchases where international prices escalated towards 30 dollars per unit.
Mounting maritime security risks around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait threaten additional shipping costs, compounding regional energy import challenges. Petrobangla officials continue seeking diversified supplies from West Africa, North America and Southeast Asia to maintain domestic power generation despite rising global prices.
Source: The Business Standard
The Bangladesh Jewellers Association lowered the domestic price of 22-carat gold by Tk 1,690 a bhari on Saturday. The new rate took effect at 10:00am, bringing the price of the precious metal to Tk 2,32,930 per bhari, including value-added tax.
According to the association, the price revision followed price changes of refined gold in the local market. The adjustment came one week after BAJUS raised 22-carat gold by the same margin to Tk 2,34,621 on 19 September, effectively reversing the previous price hike.
Under the revised pricing, 21-carat gold costs Tk 2,22,490 a bhari, 18-carat gold costs Tk 1,91,056 and traditional gold stands at Tk 1,56,064. Saturday's adjustment marks the 117th revision by the trade body this year, comprising 58 increases and 58 decreases.
The association also lowered domestic silver prices, fixing 22-carat silver at Tk 4,840 a bhari from Tk 5,132. The revision represents the 71st silver price change made by BAJUS during the current year, alongside proportionate downward adjustments across all lower silver grades.
Source: New Age
That concludes today’s briefing. Stay with Beyond Headlines for in-depth news and analysis, explainers, opinion pieces, long reads, and more.
Beyond Headlines brings together the five biggest business stories of the day in one concise business digest to keep readers informed about the developments that matter. Here’s the business digest for 12th October 2026.
- Digest
Beyond Headlines brings together the five biggest business stories of the day in one concise business digest to keep readers informed about the developments that matter. Here’s the business digest for 11th October 2026.
- Digest
