The Financial Express

The Financial Express is an English-language daily newspaper published from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1993 under International Publications Limited, it was created as a specialist publication with a strong emphasis on business and economic reporting rather than as a general-interest English daily. Its coverage includes Bangladeshi corporate affairs, banking, trade, public policy, macroeconomics, markets, development, and international economic news. The paper’s editorial identity is therefore closely associated with Bangladesh’s business community, professional readers, policymakers, economists, financial institutions, and companies that require English-language reporting on the national economy. The newspaper was founded with Moazzem Hossain as its founding editor. Hossain remained an important figure in the publication’s history until his death in August 2018. Shamsul Huq Zahid is identified as the paper’s editor. The Financial Express has also had an executive editor and a news editor as significant editorial positions, including Shahiduzzaman Khan and Abdullah M Hasan. Both later died from COVID-19, in 2021 and 2020 respectively, marking significant losses for the newsroom during the pandemic. The publication operates in a competitive Bangladeshi newspaper market and has developed relationships with international sources and commentary providers. Its reported syndication arrangements with the Financial Times and Project Syndicate have supported its access to international business journalism and economic analysis. These relationships complement its domestic reporting and reinforce its positioning as a newspaper with an outward-looking economic perspective. Beyond daily news coverage, The Financial Express has participated in professional and industry initiatives. Together with Standard Chartered Bank, it runs an annual award program recognizing corporate social responsibility in Bangladesh. Its journalists have also received recognition from journalism and economic-reporting organizations. In 2010, AZM Anas and Raihan M Chowdhury received Developing Asia Journalism Awards for reports published in the newspaper, while editor Shamsul Huq Zahid received a gratitude award from the Economic Reporters' Forum in February 2016. The newspaper has also experienced labor and organizational challenges. On 27 January 1998, the Financial Express Journalists Union began a strike after raising a dispute with management under the Industrial Relations Ordinance of 1969 concerning outstanding staff payments. This episode is part of the publication’s documented institutional history and illustrates the labor-management issues that could affect newspaper operations. As of 2021, The Financial Express was described as Bangladesh’s second-largest English-language newspaper, indicating a substantial position within the country’s English-language press despite its specialized economic orientation.

The Financial Express was established in Dhaka in 1993 under International Publications Limited. Moazzem Hossain served as its founding editor, and the publication was developed as an English-language daily with a pronounced business and economic orientation. Rather than concentrating primarily on general political or social news, the paper built its identity around economic policy, commerce, corporate affairs, finance, banking, development, and international economic reporting. The newspaper’s editorial model placed it within Bangladesh’s specialist English-language press. Its intended readership includes business leaders, financial professionals, government and policy officials, academics, development practitioners, and readers seeking English-language analysis of the Bangladeshi economy. The Financial Express has also maintained an international dimension through reported syndication arrangements with the Financial Times and Project Syndicate, based in Prague. These arrangements have connected its domestic coverage with broader global business journalism and economic commentary. A significant labor dispute occurred on 27 January 1998, when the Financial Express Journalists Union went on strike after filing a complaint against management under the Industrial Relations Ordinance of 1969. The dispute concerned outstanding payments to staff. The episode forms one of the clearest documented organizational events in the newspaper’s history and demonstrates that the publication, like other news organizations, has had to manage employment and labor-relations issues alongside editorial operations. The Financial Express has participated in journalism recognition and industry development. In 2010, two of its journalists, AZM Anas and Raihan M Chowdhury, received Developing Asia Journalism Awards for reports published by the newspaper. In February 2016, the Economic Reporters' Forum gave a gratitude award to editor Shamsul Huq Zahid. The newspaper has also partnered with Standard Chartered Bank on an annual program recognizing corporate social responsibility in Bangladesh, linking its business-media role with a broader platform for highlighting responsible corporate conduct. The publication experienced the loss of several senior editorial figures. AHM Moazzem Hossain, identified as the founding editor, died at Square Hospital in Dhaka in August 2018. News editor Abdullah M Hasan died from COVID-19 on 17 July 2020. In May 2021, executive editor Shahiduzzaman Khan also died from COVID-19. These deaths occurred during a period when the pandemic affected newsrooms and institutions across Bangladesh and contributed to notable leadership changes within the paper. By 2021, The Financial Express was described as Bangladesh’s second-largest English-language newspaper. Its continuing role is based on a combination of daily print journalism, business and economic specialization, international content relationships, professional recognition, and corporate-sector initiatives. The available reference material does not establish a separate corporate parent beyond International Publications Limited, nor does it provide sufficiently detailed information about later digital products, circulation, revenue, or ownership changes.

1. 2021Executive editor dies from COVID-19

   Executive editor Shahiduzzaman Khan dies from COVID-19 in May.

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2. 2020News editor dies from COVID-19

   News editor Abdullah M Hasan dies from COVID-19 on 17 July.

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3. 2018Founding editor dies

   AHM Moazzem Hossain, the founding editor, dies in Dhaka.

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4. 2016Economic Reporters' Forum recognition

   Editor Shamsul Huq Zahid receives a gratitude award from the Economic Reporters' Forum.

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5. 2010Developing Asia Journalism Awards

   Journalists AZM Anas and Raihan M Chowdhury receive awards for reports published in the newspaper.

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6. 1998Journalists union strike

   The Financial Express Journalists Union strikes over outstanding staff payments after filing a management dispute under the Industrial Relations Ordinance of 1969.

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7. 1993The Financial Express is established

   The English-language daily is launched in Dhaka under International Publications Limited, with Moazzem Hossain as founding editor.

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A specialist English-language newspaper positioned around business, finance, economics, public policy, and international economic affairs in Bangladesh.

• The Financial Express daily newspaperPrint newspaper1993

  The core publication is an English-language daily newspaper issued from Dhaka. Its editorial coverage centers on Bangladesh’s economy, finance, business, public policy, trade, corporate affairs, and international economic developments. It serves readers who need specialized economic reporting and analysis in English.

• Business and economic journalismNews and analysis1993

  The paper’s principal editorial offering consists of reporting and commentary on economic and business matters. This includes domestic financial and commercial developments as well as international economic news, giving the brand a specialist profile within Bangladesh’s English-language newspaper market.

• Corporate Social Responsibility Awards

  Bangladesh

  The Financial Express and Standard Chartered Bank operate an annual awards program recognizing corporate social responsibility in Bangladesh.

  Outcome. The program provides an institutional platform for recognizing corporate social responsibility initiatives.

  Source

• 1993Launch as a specialist economic dailyStrategy

  The publication was established as an English-language newspaper with a primary focus on business and economic issues.

  What changed. International Publications Limited launched The Financial Express in Dhaka with Moazzem Hossain as founding editor.

  Aftermath. The newspaper developed a specialist position in Bangladesh’s English-language press and was described as the country’s second-largest English-language newspaper as of 2021.

  Source
• International content syndicationOther

  The newspaper sought to supplement domestic economic reporting with international business journalism and economic analysis.

  What changed. The Financial Express entered reported syndication arrangements with the Financial Times and Project Syndicate.

  Aftermath. The arrangements strengthened the publication’s international economic content offering.

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• 2021Executive editor Shahiduzzaman Khan dies from COVID-19

  Executive editor Shahiduzzaman Khan died from COVID-19 in May 2021.

  Leadership change
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• 2020News editor Abdullah M Hasan dies from COVID-19

  The Financial Express news editor Abdullah M Hasan died from COVID-19 on 17 July 2020.

  Leadership change
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• 2018Founding editor Moazzem Hossain dies

  AHM Moazzem Hossain, the newspaper’s founding editor, died at Square Hospital in Dhaka in August 2018.

  Leadership change
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• 2016Editor Shamsul Huq Zahid receives Economic Reporters' Forum recognition

  The Economic Reporters' Forum presented a gratitude award to editor Shamsul Huq Zahid.

  Other
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• 2010Financial Express journalists receive Developing Asia Journalism Awards

  AZM Anas and Raihan M Chowdhury received Developing Asia Journalism Awards for two reports published by The Financial Express.

  Other
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• 1998Financial Express Journalists Union begins strike over outstanding staff payments

  The newspaper’s journalists union went on strike after filing a dispute with management under the Industrial Relations Ordinance of 1969 concerning outstanding payments to staff.

  Other
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1. The Financial Express (Bangladesh)
2. The Financial Express official website