Shahreem Ahsan

Carried on the back of its competitive apparel industry and large pool of migrant remittances, Bangladesh’s strong and admirable growth in recent years is the product of multiple factors. However, behind this picture lies another story not talked about nearly as much–the role of education in enabling this transformation. As the economy matures, the engines […]

Regional economic power in South Asia has primarily been concentrated in India. However, with Bangladesh’s meteoric rise to regional prominence–owing to its booming economy–the economic balance of power in the region is beginning to show the first signs of a paradigm shift. India was the strongest regional economy over the 40 years between 1970 and […]

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) play an important role in the quest for economic growth. Their primary objective is attracting foreign direct investment (FDIs), generating employment, implementing economic reforms and experimenting with new policies. The actual number of economic zones in Bangladesh is in contention. However, as per data from Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) ,at […]

Bangladesh’s economic fluorescence in recent years has been the natural outgrowth of a competitive garment sector and a strong inflow of migrant remittances. The former has been the premier driver behind the country’s growing prominence in international trade and has helped to make Bangladesh a growing regional economic powerhouse. Owing to this, Bangladesh is projected […]

Bangladesh’s annual budget is a crucial cornerstone to the pursuit of inclusive economic development. In light of this reality, this year’s budget aims to fully reflect the present challenges the country faces and offer inclusive solutions to these problems, while still remaining growth-friendly. With respect to this, Parliament has passed the budget for the fiscal […]

It has been a long-established trope in economics that finance plays the part of both engine and lubricant for economic growth. Financial markets in general–and capital markets in particular–serve the crucial role of connecting investors to borrowers. By reducing the savings-investment gap and ensuring the utilization of free capital, capital markets facilitate investment and economic […]

Despite massive strides in achieving admirable standards across a host of different socio-economic indicators such as infant mortality rates and gender parity in both primary and secondary education, Bangladesh still has a plethora of obstacles it needs to overcome in the tertiary education sector. With the modern economy advancing at its current pace and automation […]

Once dubbed an economic “basket case” by former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Bangladesh has made impressive strides across a host of socio-economic development indicators. From successfully cutting down fertility rates since the 1980s, slashing infant mortality rates and promoting gender parity in both primary and secondary education, Bangladesh has come a long way. […]

In the backdrop of Dhaka city’s fabled traffic mismanagement and congestion, motorcycles offer a more affordable alternative to its counterpart–cars. The rising middle class of Bangladesh has been a significant driving force behind the motorcycle industry’s phenomenal rise as bikes are cheaper, easier to maintain and faster to navigate with than cars. Since 2010, the […]

In an ocean of volatile industries, the FMCG industry represents an island of stability during times of economic uncertainty. Among the various industries that characterize the modern global economy, the Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry is amongst the most resilient to economic shocks. Unlike other industries, the FMCG sector is not prone to mass layoffs […]