Dhaka, Nov. 9 -- Bangladesh's economic activities returned to expansion in October after two consecutive months of contraction, with the country's overall Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rising 3.2 points to 51.8, driven by stronger agricultural performance and a recovery in manufacturing, construction and services.

The October reading, released jointly by the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Dhaka and Policy Exchange Bangladesh on Monday, showed expansion across all four key economic sectors, although demand-related indicators remained weak in several sectors and business costs continued to rise.

The agriculture sector maintained its expansion for the 14th consecutive month, with its PMI increasing 6 points to 61....