The death of Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday, December 30, is an irreparable loss to the nation at a moment when it is at a critical juncture. In fact, this is no eulogy to her memory to say that Khaleda Zia was the first elected female prime minister of the country or that she was elected prime minist
Few countries have shaped the global discourse on microfinance as profoundly as Bangladesh has, where the model emerged as a tool for poverty alleviation and social empowerment. Over decades, it has extended credit and basic financial services to millions excluded from conventional banking, attract
The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has reportedly dissolved the boards of five failed Sharia-based banks in the process of merger, appointed new administrators after removing their MDs and has been requested by the Financial Institutions Division to take legal actions against their owners, board members and
There is little room for complacency when assessing Bangladesh's position in the evolving landscape of global digital trade. While some progress has been made in digitising domestic trading processes, the broader adoption of e-commerce across the full spectrum of trade-related activities remains la
Downsizing the annual development programme (ADP) halfway in a fiscal year has been a routine practice in this country. This year is no exception to the rule. The original development budget of Tk 2.30 trillion in the current fiscal year has been pared down to Tk 2.0 trillion. Compared with the imm
Bangladesh ranks among the worst nations in the world in terms of road safety. A World Economic Forum (WEF) opinion survey ranked Bangladesh's roads among the worst in Asia and 113th globally considering their poor infrastructures. In South Asia, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan ranked significantly b
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a local think tank, has pinpointed the weaknesses of the country's economy and also recommended various measures to overcome those. In fact, the very title of the paper, "State of the Bangladesh Economy in FY2025-26" amply clarifies the objectives of the briefi
For a developing country like Bangladesh, the importance of pursuing an import substitution strategy cannot be overstated. Import substitution is not merely about reducing dependence on foreign goods; it is a strategic pathway to building a robust industrial base, generating employment, saving fore
The government's decision to expand the list of essential medicines to 295 and bring all of them under price regulation comes at a time when the cost of basic treatment is increasingly outpacing the ability of ordinary families to pay. In this context, regulating prices offers a practical means of
Chronic shortage of natural gas has been hampering fertiliser production especially at the five urea fertiliser-producing plants operated by the state-owned Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC). But Boro being the country's major dry season rice crop (January-February its peak planting
