The Business Standard
The Business Standard is a Bangladeshi English-language daily newspaper and digital news platform founded in 2018 in Dhaka, serving English-speaking professionals, business leaders, and readers in Bangladesh and the global diaspora via website, e-paper, video, and podcast products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersDhaka, Bangladesh
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Business Standard does
The Business Standard (TBS) is a Bangladeshi English-language daily newspaper and digital news platform founded in 2018 and headquartered in Dhaka. It produces coverage across economy, banking, industry, politics, world affairs, sports, climate, and lifestyle, and serves an audience of English-speaking professionals, business leaders, policymakers, and general readers in Bangladesh and the global diaspora.
The company's product surface spans a core news website (tbsnews.net), a subscription e-paper, a video and podcast portfolio (TBS Today, TBS Stories, TBS World, News of the Day, TBS Programs, Podcast), TBS Graduates (a career and education portal), and TBS Plus (a premium subscription tier with exclusive and ad-free content). Distribution is multi-channel: print, website, e-paper, YouTube, Google News, WhatsApp, and social media, with content available globally alongside domestic Bangladesh distribution.
TBS operates a dual revenue model combining subscription revenue (e-paper and TBS Plus, billed annually) with display and digital advertising across its web and e-paper properties. GTM is predominantly product-led growth via digital content, supplemented by events and policy dialogues co-organized with diplomatic missions and think tanks. Ownership is private with no disclosed parent, investors, or funding rounds.
The Business Standard firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Business Standard
- Legal name
- The Business Standard
- Website
- https://tbsnews.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Business Standard is a Bangladeshi English-language daily newspaper and digital news platform founded in 2018 in Dhaka, serving English-speaking professionals, business leaders, and readers in Bangladesh and the global diaspora via website, e-paper, video, and podcast products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Business Standard industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online News & Media Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (51312), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National & General-Interest Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers (MPAJADAC), Government & Public Policy Publishing (Regulations, Gazettes, Legislative Tracking) (MPAJACAI), 24/7 National & International News Channels (MPABAIAA)
Keywords
Where The Business Standard is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dhaka
- HQ country
- Bangladesh
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Business Standard business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscriptions: Online and e-paper subscription services providing premium content access to readers
- Advertising: Display and digital advertising on website and e-paper platforms
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | E-paper subscription available |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Business Standard product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Business Standard publishes a Bangladeshi English-language daily newspaper and operates a digital news platform delivering original reporting, opinion, and feature journalism across web, mobile, e-paper, video, and podcast formats. It runs dedicated verticals such as TBS World, TBS Today, TBS Stories, TBS Graduates, and TBS Programs, and offers a paid premium subscription tier (TBS Plus) alongside advertising-supported free access.
Product overview
The Business Standard (TBS) is a Bangladeshi English-language daily newspaper and digital news platform. The offering operates as a multi-platform news media organization consisting of the core newspaper/product, TBS News website, TBS Epaper (digital subscription), TBS Videos (video content including TBS Today, TBS World, TBS Programs, TBS Stories), TBS Podcast, TBS Graduates (career portal), and TBS Plus (premium subscription service). The various video and podcast programs are distributed through the TBS Videos section, while the subscription services provide enhanced access and ad-free experiences for readers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TBS Today: Video news program
- TBS Stories
- TBS World
- TBS Graduates
- TBS News of the Day
Products and services
- TBS News (The Business Standard website) Free, advertising-supported English-language digital news platform delivering original reporting, opinion, and feature journalism for Bangladesh-focused readers and the South Asian diaspora.
- TBS Epaper Digital edition of the printed Business Standard newspaper, providing page-by-page reading access to subscribers and casual readers.
- The Business Standard Print Newspaper Daily English-language printed newspaper sold via subscription and single-copy newsstand channels in Bangladesh.
- TBS Videos On-demand news and explainer video content produced by The Business Standard newsroom, distributed through its website and mobile apps.
- TBS Podcast Audio podcast series from The Business Standard newsroom offering long-form interviews, analysis, and commentary for English-speaking listeners.
- TBS Plus Paid premium subscription offering from The Business Standard providing subscribers with an enhanced, ad-light reading experience and premium content access.
- TBS World Vertical news section dedicated to international news and global affairs coverage for Bangladeshi English-speaking readers.
- TBS Today Daily news vertical highlighting top and breaking stories curated for English-speaking Bangladeshi readers.
- TBS Stories Long-form feature and human-interest section of The Business Standard offering narrative journalism and in-depth storytelling.
- TBS Graduates Career-focused vertical of The Business Standard targeting graduates and early-career professionals with jobs, skills, and career-development content.
- TBS Programs Editorial programs section of The Business Standard featuring curated events, initiatives, and branded editorial programs.
Companies that use The Business Standard
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Business Standard technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Business Standard partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Embassy of DenmarkcoreJoint organizer of policy dialogue on 'Advancing Energy Sovereignty for Bangladesh', bringing together experts to discuss energy challenges and solutions for Bangladesh
- Centre for Policy DialoguecoreBangladesh-based think tank co-organizing policy dialogues on national development issues including energy sovereignty
- Ethical Trading Initiative BangladeshcoreCo-organizer of policy dialogue on accelerating renewable energy transition and decarbonisation in Bangladesh's readymade garment sector
- Worker-led Climate Action NetworkminorStakeholder in policy dialogue on green energy transition in Bangladesh's RMG sector
- BRAC UniversityminorResearch partner conducting case study on green energy transition lessons from Bangladesh's RMG sector
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Business Standard competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dhaka Tribune: Bangladesh English-language daily operating in print and online. Directly competes with TBS for English-speaking readers, advertisers and policy-coverage mindshare in the same Dhaka-centered market.
- Prothom Alo: Bangladesh's highest-circulation newspaper with a growing English digital edition. Competes with TBS across both editorial coverage and digital ad inventory, particularly for business and English-speaking segments.
- New Age (Bangladesh): Bangladesh-based English daily newspaper with print and online presence. A direct peer competing for the same English-speaking professional audience and premium advertiser base as TBS.
- bdnews24.com: Bangladesh-focused digital-first English news outlet. Comparable as a digitally native English news competitor pursuing similar subscription and ad-supported monetization against TBS's digital arm.
- The Daily Star: Bangladesh's largest English-language daily newspaper with both print and digital editions. Directly comparable to TBS as a Bangladesh-based English daily targeting similar professional/business audiences with a similar subscription + advertising model.
- Daily Observer: Established Bangladesh English-language daily with print and digital editions. Comparable to TBS in audience, language niche and dual subscription/advertising revenue mix.
Broad incumbents
- Reuters: Global wire service and news platform that TBS itself syndicates from. Comparable as a business/news competitor for international and Bangladesh business readership, and as a benchmark for premium digital news subscription economics.
- Nikkei Asia: Asia-focused business news platform with subscription model. Comparable to TBS in business/news vertical, Asia-region coverage and digital subscription orientation, though at much larger scale.
- Bloomberg: Global business and financial news leader. Comparable to TBS as a competitor for the English-speaking business reader and advertiser in Bangladesh, while operating at vastly larger scale.
- The Financial Times: Global English-language business newspaper with strong digital subscription model. Comparable to TBS in business-news focus, English-language professional audience, and digital subscription monetization strategy.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Business Standard social profiles
Digital presenceThe Business Standard financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Business Standard leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Business Standard funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Business Standard M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Business Standard
What does The Business Standard do?
The Business Standard publishes a Bangladeshi English-language daily newspaper and operates a digital news platform delivering original reporting, opinion, and feature journalism across web, mobile, e-paper, video, and podcast formats. It runs dedicated verticals such as TBS World, TBS Today, TBS Stories, TBS Graduates, and TBS Programs, and offers a paid premium subscription tier (TBS Plus) alongside advertising-supported free access.
Is The Business Standard a public or private company?
The Business Standard is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Business Standard founded?
The Business Standard was founded in 2018. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Business Standard based?
The Business Standard is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in the Asia region.
How does The Business Standard make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are advertising.
Who are The Business Standard's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dhaka Tribune, Prothom Alo, New Age (Bangladesh), bdnews24.com, The Daily Star and Daily Observer. Broad incumbents are Reuters, Nikkei Asia, Bloomberg and The Financial Times.
Does The Business Standard have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Business Standard.
What industry is The Business Standard in?
The Business Standard's product category is Online News & Media Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAA, National & General-Interest Newspapers (Print & Digital), with a secondary code of MPAJADAC, Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers. Its NAICS code is 513110 and its SIC code is 2711.