Bangladesh, July 13 -- Shipbuilding's Rocky Comeback

Boom to bust: A stunning $40.44 million debut in 2008 gave way to an 88 percent crash, then a further 1,202 percent plunge within four years

Pandemic wipeout: Earnings hit zero in FY2020-21 and FY2021-22, briefly recovered, then collapsed again in FY24 under the Russia-Ukraine war's shock

Fragile revival: Exports have surged 666 percent this year, yet entrepreneurs have yet to draw a single taka from the Tk 20 billion fund meant to support them

Bangladesh's ship exports first turned heads 16 years ago, earning a surprising $40.44 million in foreign currency in their debut year.

Entrepreneurs, expecting the momentum to continue, invested heavily, and a 16 percent rise in earnings t...