LightCastle Analytics Wing

Despite significant socio-economic developments, Bangladesh still remains to have less than 1% of GDP allocation for the healthcare sector. While public spending increases at a rate slower than the growing demand, how can we attract more private funding into the Healthcare sector? Public Healthcare Sector Bangladesh has made significant socio-economic developments in recent years, with […]

Over the last decade, Bangladeshi Startups have raised over US$800Mn investments, spearheading the economy and creating 1.5Mn+ direct and indirect employment opportunities while positively impacting the citizens’ day-to-day lives. In the first half of 2022, Bangladeshi startups raised over US$90Mn. But what will drive the country’s startup ecosystem to the next height? When will we […]

Impact investment is any investment made with the intent to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact, alongside a financial return. The global impact investment industry, totaling USD 715 billion, has grown in depth and sophistication over the last decade. As countries worldwide lean towards a values-oriented approach, Bangladesh has been shaping its own trajectory […]

Impact investment is any investment made with the intent to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact, alongside a financial return. As Bangladesh approaches its middle-income status by 2026, enterprises and other stakeholders anticipate a shift away from mainstream financial instruments for development. Donors are also increasingly transitioning towards blended finance as an approach that accelerates the […]

Bangladesh’s overall financial inclusion increased by 56.3% between 2011 to 2018, driven by strong policy support from the government, initiatives by the private sector, and involvement by the multilateral development partners. For equitable economic growth and poverty reduction, it is essential to increase access and usage of innovative financial products and services. Giving underprivileged groups financial access […]

Over the last decade, the payments landscape in Bangladesh has undergone a structural shift. With the change in consumer behavior, the landscape is becoming digital —moving towards contactless and cashless transactions. Meanwhile, COVID-19 has accelerated the growth of the digital payments landscape. A Promising Landscape Fuelled By A Growing Economy The Bangladesh economy has withstood […]

Introduction As one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, Bangladesh is on track to leave the status of Least Developed Country (LDC) in 2026 . For the country’s economic growth to be sustainable, it needs a reliable energy infrastructure that can keep up with the pace of rising energy demand. In 2022, Bangladesh managed to […]

Seamless Global, US-Bangladesh Business Council, International Trade Administration, and LightCastle Partners jointly hosted a webinar on 20th April, Wednesday at 9:00 pm. The webinar focused on trade and investment opportunities for US enterprises in Bangladesh. Zahedul Amin, Co-founder & Director at LightCastle Partners joined the webinar as a keynote speaker. We have published the keynote presentation deck here for your […]

Life on Earth is only possible because of the atmosphere, so it goes without saying that any change to this security blanket we have has massive impacts on all of humanity. This article is the third of a three-part series detailing the impacts of climate change on Bangladesh. The first and second articles covered the impacts on […]

This article is part two of a three-part series that divides the impacts of climate change on land, air, and water in Bangladesh. It focuses on all the different ways in which the water cycle is affected by climate change and its impacts on the country. Water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface and makes up 60% of an adult human body. […]

The Bangladeshi shrimp sector enables livelihood opportunities for millions of people residing in the southern part of the country. Once labeled as the next big export driver, the Shrimp sector is currently at a juncture with two distinct schools of thought: introducing Vannamei (White legged) production in the Bangladesh shrimp ecosystem or pursuing Monodon (Black Tiger) as a premium […]

Covid-19-induced economic distress has added to existing problems such as lack of access to finance, non-tailored financial products, absence of capacity development, poor market linkage, absence of skilled labor, and lack of an export market. According to the Asian Development Bank (RRP Sector Assessment, ADB): The SMEs in Bangladesh account for 70 to 80% of […]

Fueled by (i) the worst (two-long years dragged) pandemic in a century, (ii) Russia’s disastrous attack on Ukraine, (iii) US Fed tightening reducing global liquidity — all in all, it has imbalanced global geo-political relations, causing economic slowdown risks and supply chain disruptions for food, fertilizer, and energy. How will this impact global startup investments in Bangladesh? The Macroeconomic Uncertainty Bangladesh’s […]

Leave No One Behind Electric vehicles (EVs) have been making headlines globally for quite some time now. Despite the industry’s swift progress across several countries, it has not been able to fully integrate the “Whole of Society” approach. With that being said, the economic value of physically disabled individuals is highly underappreciated, especially in developing […]