British American Tobacco Bangladesh Company Ltd (BATBC), a listed multinational company on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), has reported a significant decline in its profits for the second quarter (April–June) of 2025, largely due to declining sales and the shutdown of its factory in the capital’s DOHS, Mohakhali area.
According to DSE data released on Sunday, the company’s earnings per share (EPS) fell to Tk 1.80 in Q2, compared to Tk 9.48 in the same period last year—its lowest quarterly profit since listing in 1977. For the first half of 2025 (January–June), EPS dropped to Tk 7.69 from Tk 17.14 year-on-year.
BATBC attributed the sharp fall in profits to reduced product demand and the closure of its Mohakhali factory, which ceased operations on July 1 following public pressure. Environmental groups had urged the government to remove the factory from the residential area, citing air pollution and public health risks.
Following the closure, BATBC also shifted its registered office to Ashulia’s Bolibhadra Bazar. The company, which produces global cigarette brands like Dunhill, Lucky Strike, Kent, and Pall Mall, holds 72.91% of its shares with sponsors and directors, while institutional, foreign, and general investors hold the rest.
Critics have questioned how such a harmful tobacco facility was allowed to operate in a densely populated residential area for decades. They have also raised concerns over environmental clearances and regulatory.
