Institutional capture, poor governance, and financial plunder now characterise Bangladesh's Islamic banking sector. While there are many reasons for this, including the collapse of banking systems and poor regulatory oversight, the intellectual and political roots run much deeper. The so-called "Fu

Dr Muhammad Umer Chapra’s passing in late June marked the end of an era in modern economics, however for many people studying the subject, it also raised a difficult issue. A towering figure in Islamic finance, Chapra spent nearly six decades arguing that a financial system based upon interes

Every year on Labour Day, Bangladesh witnesses rallies, speeches, and renewed promises. Yet one fundamental question remains unresolved: what does the nation owe to the workers who keep its economy alive? They are the garment workers, tea workers, construction workers, transport workers, migrant w

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer merely a technological development. It is rapidly becoming a transformative force reshaping banking, business models, risk management, regulatory supervision, and customer relationships. Islamic finance cannot remain outside this transformation. With global

It has been quite some time since I started researching the structural shortcomings in Islamic banking in Bangladesh. In 1999, I authored one of the first comprehensive analyses of how Islamic banking operated in Bangladesh, and I recommended that the BB establish interest-free money market product

Bangladesh Bank Governor Md. Mostaqur Rahman recently pledged “full protection” and functional independence for Shariah board members. It is a refreshing departure from the status quo in the central bank. For the very first time, an in-office governor actually held a discussion with Sha

Bangladesh is at a pivotal point in its development journey. The country has shown amazing strength and economic growth over the past fifty years. It has maintained its gross domestic product (GDP) growth, improved social indicators, and expanded its industrial base. But policymakers still have a l

Agent banking, a new model of banking services across the developing world especially in Bangladesh, aims at providing formal banking services to the unbanked segment of the population who are excluded from formal banking services. Since agent banking can be offered without opening a full-fledged b