With Covid-19 hitting the poorest hardest, we must help them recover
On May 23, 2020, The Economist magazine ran a story about the impact of Covid-19 on the poor people, with a title that anyone would have thought impossible just a few months ago: “Covid-19 is undoing years of progress in curbing global poverty.”
Automation is not hurting RMG employment… yet
The readymade garments (RMG) industry is vital to Bangladesh economy. It contributes 84 percent of the total exports—nearly 13 percent of the GDP—and employs some four million workers.
Taka policy in a changing world
It is still widely believed that depreciation of taka vis-à-vis foreign currencies—especially US dollar—will boost Bangladesh’s export earnings. This is true only if our exports are priced or invoiced in Bangladeshi taka. For example, if a shirt made in Bangladesh is invoiced at Tk 1,000, at an exchange rate of USD 1 = Tk 85, the shirt will cost USD 11.76 in the international market.
Why do the best minds of public universities perform so poorly in research?
After I joined a leading private university in 2015, a question that puzzled me was why so many public university teachers are teaching at private universities.
How to think about automation
Everyday, both in print and digital media, scary stories emerge about robots killing jobs.
A global aging population and Bangladesh's economy
Many of the industrialised economies are going through an unprecedented demographic change called “population aging”.
Why computers get cheaper and health care doesn't
This is the subtitle of a book by William Baumol, an American economist who died recently at age 95. The title of the book is The Cost Disease. In his book, Baumol made several interesting arguments that have significant implications for public welfare in Bangladesh.
The puzzle of hiding data
Suppose a doctoral student at a US university is writing her dissertation on an economic issue of Bangladesh, and if the required data is available on a BBS website, she can conveniently access it. The net result is that Bangladesh can benefit from new scientific research financed by the US taxpayers' money.
September 11, 2020
With Covid-19 hitting the poorest hardest, we must help them recover
On May 23, 2020, The Economist magazine ran a story about the impact of Covid-19 on the poor people, with a title that anyone would have thought impossible just a few months ago: “Covid-19 is undoing years of progress in curbing global poverty.”
June 25, 2020
Automation is not hurting RMG employment… yet
The readymade garments (RMG) industry is vital to Bangladesh economy. It contributes 84 percent of the total exports—nearly 13 percent of the GDP—and employs some four million workers.
August 8, 2019
Taka policy in a changing world
It is still widely believed that depreciation of taka vis-à-vis foreign currencies—especially US dollar—will boost Bangladesh’s export earnings. This is true only if our exports are priced or invoiced in Bangladeshi taka. For example, if a shirt made in Bangladesh is invoiced at Tk 1,000, at an exchange rate of USD 1 = Tk 85, the shirt will cost USD 11.76 in the international market.
July 23, 2019
Why do the best minds of public universities perform so poorly in research?
After I joined a leading private university in 2015, a question that puzzled me was why so many public university teachers are teaching at private universities.
June 7, 2018
How to think about automation
Everyday, both in print and digital media, scary stories emerge about robots killing jobs.
May 25, 2018
A global aging population and Bangladesh's economy
Many of the industrialised economies are going through an unprecedented demographic change called “population aging”.
August 13, 2017
Why computers get cheaper and health care doesn't
This is the subtitle of a book by William Baumol, an American economist who died recently at age 95. The title of the book is The Cost Disease. In his book, Baumol made several interesting arguments that have significant implications for public welfare in Bangladesh.
July 25, 2017
The puzzle of hiding data
Suppose a doctoral student at a US university is writing her dissertation on an economic issue of Bangladesh, and if the required data is available on a BBS website, she can conveniently access it. The net result is that Bangladesh can benefit from new scientific research financed by the US taxpayers' money.
June 13, 2017
What will Bangladesh look like in 50 years?
In a few years, Bangladesh will celebrate its 50 years of independence. When Bangladesh was born in 1971 as a new nation, there was
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