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Beyond Headlines brings together the five biggest business stories of the day in one concise news digest to keep readers informed about the developments that matter. Here’s the news digest for 25th October 2026.
The state-owned Janata Bank website came under cyberattack despite being taken offline as a precautionary measure, leaving the platform inaccessible to the public on Sunday.
Bank officials discovered spam in at least two sections of the website, preventing operational restoration following a five-day holiday for Durga Puja. A senior information technology official said the technical team found signs of two separate cyberattacks and was actively working to repair the damage. 'Hopefully, it will be operational by the end of today,' the official added.
The financial institution preemptively suspended its website on Thursday following warnings from a European Union cybersecurity agency regarding severe vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language. While Bangladesh Bank successfully restored its platform on Sunday, Janata Bank remained offline.
The operational crisis coincides with a leadership vacuum at the state-owned lender, as the government cancelled Managing Director Mujibur Rahman's appointment on 19 October. Meanwhile, the websites of other state-owned banks including Sonali, Agrani, Rupali and BASIC remained operational.
Source: bdnews24.com
Japanese companies are exploring automotive manufacturing in Bangladesh as part of a potential 6.35 billion dollar private investment plan over the next five years.
Ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to Japan, Japan External Trade Organization country representative Kazuiki Kataoka said Toyota Tsusho Corporation plans to invest 40 million dollars in two service centres beginning in November 2026. The company aims to develop a hybrid electric vehicle manufacturing facility, targeting full-scale production by 2029.
Kataoka said the sector must initially focus on local assembly. 'Building a competitive industry would require stronger local supply chains and access to high-quality steel,' he noted, adding that without these, manufacturing value would remain dependent on imports.
Kataoka added that energy infrastructure could attract even greater investment than the auto sector. Former Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Tareq Rafi Bhuiyan said the investment targets are achievable if Bangladesh ensures policy stability, reliable utilities and commercially viable projects.
Source: The Daily Star
Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced on Saturday that the government plans to establish creative industries as a mainstream economic sector and a central pillar of Bangladesh's global soft power.
Speaking at a book unveiling event in Dhaka, the minister said, 'Arts and culture, rural handicrafts, music, films and theatre must be integrated into mainstream economic activities to become key drivers of the country's future GDP growth and strengthen Bangladesh's soft power internationally'.
To achieve this objective, authorities will provide direct financial assistance to local artisans and cultural workers. The government will also support skills development, product branding and international marketing through major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Alibaba.
These targeted initiatives aim to help marginalised artists secure fair prices, transform creative work into sustainable income and ultimately boost the nation's foreign exchange earnings.
Acknowledging that traditional economic models previously sidelined the cultural sector, Amir Khosru emphasised that strong partnerships with private enterprises and non-governmental organisations remain essential to advancing this economic transformation.
Source: BSS
The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase recommended procuring six liquefied natural gas cargoes to help meet national energy demands. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presided over the committee's 51st meeting of the year on Saturday, which reviewed two specific proposals submitted by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division.
Under the primary proposal, the government will purchase five LNG cargoes from BP Singapore Pte Limited through the direct procurement method, in accordance with public procurement rules. The committee recommended a price of JKM-0.17 per million British thermal units, with contractual provisions allowing for additional shipments if mutually agreed by both parties.
The second proposal covers an additional cargo from Qatar Energy Trading LLC under an existing government-to-government long-term agreement. Scheduled for delivery on 20 December 2026, the shipment was recommended at JKM-USD 0.10 per million British thermal units, establishing a rate that differs from the existing contract price.
Source: UNB
Elon Musk has emerged as the largest individual political donor in modern United States history, injecting approximately 446 million dollars into the 2026 midterm elections to help Republicans retain congressional control.
The Tesla chief executive directed substantial financial resources toward the closely contested Texas Senate race between Republican nominee Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Federal election filings revealed that Musk contributed 158 million dollars to the Senate Leadership Fund across two September installments, which subsequently transferred matching amounts to a political action committee supporting Paxton. His trust separately donated 10 million dollars to the Lone Star Liberty PAC.
The funding surge includes a recent 76.8-million-dollar contribution to his America PAC, equipping the group to expand digital advertising and voter mobilisation operations ahead of the 3 November polls. The unprecedented spending marks a sharp reversal from 2025, when Musk indicated he would scale back political financing following a public disagreement with President Donald Trump.
The congressional elections carry significant business implications for the billionaire, as Democratic lawmakers recently demanded scrutiny of his federal government contracts and his previous role in the Department of Government Efficiency.
Source: The Statesman
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 news digest to keep readers informed about the developments that matter. Here’s the news digest for 24th October 2026.
- Digest
Beyond Headlines brings together the five biggest business stories of the day in one concise news digest to keep readers informed about the developments that matter. Here’s the news digest for 22th October 2026.
- Digest
