THE STATE of the Economy

Addressing the challenge of economic inequality

Rizwanul Islam

Inequality in the distribution of income has increased. Rising economic inequality (which may be manifested in different ways, e.g., through inequality in the distribution of income, wealth, assets, etc.) is a major challenge that the world faces today. Both developed…

Sky is the limit for the garments’ sector

Refayet Ullah Mirdha

Undoubtedly the most rejoicing matter after the independence of the country is the success story of ready-made garment (RMG) sector which could uplift the fates of millions of Bangladeshi people over three decades. The journey of the sector which started…

Looking through the lens of ‘inclusive business’

Saif M M Islam

  Many of the commendable improvements in human, infrastructure and policy indicators stand testimony to the significant level of efforts and resources that have flowed into global development. However, development impacts could be greater. Although the 2010 Edelman Trust Barometer…

Sustaining gains from labour migration

Diversifying market, up-scaling skills

C R Abrar

In 2012 Bangladesh secured US$14.17b as remittances. A proper appreciation of the importance of the remittances to the national economy can only be arrived at if one juxtaposes the flow of remittance with other types of foreign exchange flow to…

Energy efficiency and energy security

Ijaz Hossain

The country has been facing a severe electricity and gas crisis for several years now. The last government including the caretaker government made the problem worse through inactivity. Of course, the caretaker government was severely restricted in implementing new projects…

Export diversification: A way to sustainable overseas trade

Refayet Ullah Mirdha

Export is the lifeline of the economy of Bangladesh. The most important contributing sector is the exporting sector in the GDP. But, overdependence on a few products or on a single product is not a wise decision. For sustenance of…

ASPIRATION VS ACHIEVEMENT

A reality check

Mirza Azizul Islam

A country’s achievement in any sphere has to be evaluated with reference to some measurable criteria. The point of reference in this article is the election manifesto of Awami League, the leading partner of the present coalition government which assumed…

Towards activating stock market

Khondkar Ibrahim Khaled

Our stock market has been crawling and limping since the painful tragedy in 2010. Thousands of small investors lost their last farthing. Indebtedness snatched away many dreams. Cases of suicide appeared in the newspapers. Many families were broken. The stock…

Tourism industry in Bangladesh

Shahabuddin Ahmad

A country’s touristy appeal depends largely on its history, archaeology, natural beauty and old palaces. From this point of view, Bangladesh can claim to be a historic country as it was known as Gangaridai meaning Nation on the River Ganges.…

ECONOMIC GROWTH IN BANGLADESH

‘The test case for development’ hypothesis revisited

Akbar Ali Khan

Thomas Carlyle, the Victorian historian, characterized Economics as a dismal science. Seldom were the practitioners of this pessimistic art as dejected as on the birth of Bangladesh. The new-born state was characterized as a Malthusia where unrestrained population increase overwhelms…

THE ROLE OF FDI

A transformation in the economic journey

Dr Fahmida Khatun

One of the ways to achieve economic development in a globalised world is through international trade and investment flows. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has been beneficial to both host and home countries in several cases in terms of higher economic…

Mono-fuel energy strategy is unsustainable

M. Tamim

There has been lot of writing by experts and non-experts on Bangladesh’s energy and power sector, especially over the last one and a half decades – in newspapers and professional journals. In addition to that hundreds of seminars, symposiums, workshops…