The corona-clenched economy: Changes and policies
Alan Greenspan, who led the US Federal Reserve for two decades, was summoned in congress and testified that the financial crisis of 2008-2009 was an economic tsunami which could happen once in a century.
4y ago
Time to reform the finance ministry for robust growth
It is hard to achieve a growth of around 8 percent, and it will be even harder to maintain this trend unless we reform our ministry of finance (MOF) to steer the economy in the right direction. An MOF is usually the chief conductor of the orchestra of a country’s
4y ago
Budget FY2019-20: New directions, old roads
This is the first time we noticed a prominent leader of the opposition using an appropriate word, “ambitious”, to describe the budget, instead of branding it as “anti-people.” This is a good sign because the first budget for a new finance minister should be forward-looking.
4y ago
Saving our ailing banking sector
Bangladesh's banking sector faces a number of major challenges including rising nonperforming loans, credit concentrations, poor
5y ago
The vicious impact of bureaucracy in business
When we were students, we hated red tapism—we spoke and wrote against it and vowed to change it in the future. But after being recruited into government service, we forgot our old promise, or dared not to talk about it.
5y ago
A note on re-fixing interest rates on Sanchayapatra
Finally, the government has decided to re-fix interest rates on National Saving Certificates (NSCs) or Sanchayapatra. Hopefully, it will
5y ago
Quota issue from an economic perspective
Truth shall prevail against lies and falsehood. And economic truths are often ruthless.
5y ago
Crisis of skills and soaring unemployment
The recent quota movement, which was somehow quelled defying the logic of merit-based competition and fundamentals of a market economy, portrays a pathetic lack of skills among the youth of our nation.
5y ago
January 14, 2018
Taking banks further away from the public
When I, along with another colleague of mine, went to Philadelphia to interview jobseekers, the findings of one interviewee's dissertation reminded me of something: the recent news on bank directors in Bangladesh.
January 7, 2018
How early nominations can help the economy
We can reduce this kind of political setback on the economy only by channelling the political exuberance in a positive way. Whatever control the election commission brings on the size of the spending by candidates, the political nominees will spend the most anyway.
January 1, 2018
Dramas, dilemmas and doldrums
Bangladeshis relish drama and nothing is more drama-filled than election time. The atmosphere will be one of excitement and uncertainty this year.
December 24, 2017
A tumultuous year for the economy
History repeats itself, though not fully, but history is the best educator. As we approach 2018, we can take lessons from the economic successes and failures of 2017.
December 17, 2017
No honking, please
It is my great pleasure to be back in Dhaka for professional purposes after having lived overseas for two decades.
December 10, 2017
Why Patal Rail is a must for Dhaka
The government is again contemplating building the nation's largest airport somewhere in the southwest part of the country.
December 5, 2017
Do we really need a central bank?
Pet doors are small portals at the bottom of doors to let pets move in and out of the house. Sir Isaac Newton once made one big hole for a cat and one small hole for its kittens in the same door.
November 26, 2017
How India became a growth generator
Addressing Rabindranath Tagore, the American philosopher Will Durant once pronounced, “You alone are sufficient reason why India should be free.
November 19, 2017
Record economic growth and the tasks ahead
The 7.28 percent economic growth achieved in the last fiscal year, which the government has reported recently, is the second highest growth rate in Bangladesh's history.
November 12, 2017
Organising the calendar and advancing the clock
Economist William Nordhaus found a political business cycle for the United States. He showed how the behaviour of the US economic cycle depends on which party, Democrat or Republican, comes to power. Whether our economic cycle significantly varies based on any political party remains a subject of study.
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