MACRO MIRROR

Will the budget for FY2020 be any different?

Bangladesh’s national budget for FY2020 will be the first budget of the newly elected government that came to power following the election in December 2018. Hence many would like to see how the budget is going to implement the promises made in the election manifesto of the ruling party. If taken seriously, election manifesto is a document which can act as the reference point of a political party to deliver on its commitments. The election manifesto of the ruling party is quite a comprehensive document that outlines the achievements of the last 10 years and elaborates the pledges to be delivered during the next five years. Some of the important deliverables will have to be achieved through budgetary allocations.
Our incomprehensible obsession with GDP

Our obsession with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) seems to growing every day while economists keep questioning its source, method, authenticity, etc.
Addressing the Rohingya crisis: whose responsibility is it?

It has been almost 21 months since the influx of about 750,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh began in August 2017. Gradually, it is becoming clear to us that the Rohingyas are here to stay for a protracted period of time.
Looking beyond high growth in Bangladesh

In 2018, Bangladesh began its graduation process from least developed country to developing country status. Bangladesh has now
SDGs: Three years on, where do we stand?

The leaders of 193 countries adopted the Sustainable Development Goals on September 25, 2015 following a long spell of extensive discussions and debates.
How much has the youth gained from growth?

If one asks owners or chief executives of companies and organisations to single out one difficulty that they face, a chorus of voices will respond in unison: lack of skilled human resources.
BUDGET FOR FY2019: Good, bad and ugly

The national budget is a means to manage the economy of a country through collection of revenue from various sources and making expenditures for development programmes.
LDC GRADUATION: What it means for Bangladesh

On March 16, 2018, for the second time in the history of independent Bangladesh, the country was adorned with a crown for its
Bangladesh economy in 2017 and the way forward

For Bangladesh 2017 has been a mixed year of achievements and challenges. Though some macro indicators reflect the positive trends, the overall strength of the economy is weakening due to a number of developments toward the second half of the year.
When politics overpowers economic rationale

It has been a highly debated issue and the business community was unhappy from the beginning. They felt that it would be a pressure on them and reduce their profitability. Consumers were confused and apprehensive. They felt that any additional tax would be passed on to them as always and raise their cost of living.
Middle class: Loser on all counts

Bangladesh's national budget for FY2018 comes at a challenging time. Despite being powered by high growth and cushioned by low international prices, the Bangladesh economy has been facing a number of disquieting features.
Growing malignancy in the banking sector

The banking sector has been passing through a turbulent period for some time. Given that a sound financial sector is key to sustained
The missing money

Illicit cross-border financial flow is not uncommon. It happens in all countries. With globalisation it has become more complex.
Moving forward from the Rana Plaza tragedy

The readymade garments (RMG) sector of Bangladesh has undertaken significant compliance measures to ensure safety of factories...
Maintaining coherence between economic and social goals

Social sector budget traditionally receives less attention amidst big allocation for the hardware part of the economy. Infrastrucutre,
Walking the talk

Bangladesh's long dynamic relationship with India has many facets, ranging from economic to social to political.
For a more educated BANGLADESH

A lot of time has been spent on improving primary education enrolment. Global goals emphasise on 'education for all' and focus on bringing more people under the umbrella of primary level education.
Budget for regions lagging behind

In order to have any meaningful decentralised policy implementation, the budget-making process should involve the local administration, law makers, and all stakeholders.
Women in the executive role

The number of educated women has increased over time, but the rate of highly educated women is not as large yet when compared to men. Statistics show that women's educational attainment at the secondary level is higher than men. However, it starts to decline afterwards.
Transforming our apparel industry

Just at the time when a major conference on the apparel sector of Bangladesh was held on February 25 in Dhaka with the promise to work together for a better tomorrow, disappointing news on labour rights in the readymade garments sector has surfaced.
Banking Sector - Time for a massive clean up

The banking sector in Bangladesh has been plagued with a number of disappointing trends for some time.
Export competitiveness through currency adjustment

Export performance of Bangladesh in the recent past has been somewhat gloomy. During July-December 2016, Bangladesh's exports grew by only 4.4 percent which was targeted to achieve a growth of 8 percent.
Giving equal opportunities for youth

Recently, I had the unique opportunity to interact with more than fifty children aged around sixteen years. They had just finished their tenth grade at school.
Moving forward beyond 2017

The most shocking incidence of 2016 has been the terrorist attack in Holey Artisan Bakery. The nature of the attack was different from earlier single incidences where religious militants killed members of minority groups, two foreigners and a number of bloggers.
Migrant workers deserve better

The ninth Global Forum on Migration and Development Summit is being held in Bangladesh at a time when the world is facing the worst migration and refugee crisis in the history of human civilisation.
A deterrent to regional development

Following the end of almost fifty years of military rule in Myanmar and the release of the Nobel Laureate leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2011, the world had looked at the country with much enthusiasm.
Not a Taxing Affair

It is encouraging to note that the National Income Tax Fair is becoming increasingly useful and popular among ordinary tax payers in Bangladesh.
Acknowledging the ugly truth

The stereotypical mindset of even the highly educated section of the society hold the view that girls should maintain so-called 'decency' in their outfits and movements. If that is so, then what type of indecency can a five-year-old girl display in her clothes and demeanour? Are girls who wear hijabs spared by these monstrous men?
Growth is real only if it is inclusive

Bangladesh had an exceptional six days this month. Starting with the visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping and ending with that of the World Bank president Jim Yong Kim, the country went through a period of euphoria.
On a transformational journey

China has been taken a strong place in the global economic landscape with its large GDP and rapid economic growth.