Selim Raihan

Growth cannot be declared or budgeted into existence; it must be earned through credibility, investment, productivity, and institutional change.

Exports stood at around $48 billion, down by 0.58 percent from the previous year, despite a sharp June increase. This means the rebound came too late to change the annual picture. It may signal some recovery in orders, delayed shipment adjustments, or short-term buyer confidence. But it does not prove that the export sector has regained strength.

Every year, the national budget contains some good initiatives.

Budgets often reveal more through their tensions than through their promises. The proposed budget for FY2026-27 is no exception.

Bangladesh has reached a point where social protection can no longer be treated as a set of small compensatory programmes for the poor.

Bangladesh’s participation in global value chains remains narrow and concentrated in low-value segments.

The 2026 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) carries an uncomfortable message for Bangladesh.

The 2026-27 budget comes at a critical moment for the country.

The United States’ recent decision to launch two separate investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974—one concerning global industrial overcapacity and another focusing on forced labour—signals a sharper turn in Washington’s trade policy.

For Bangladesh, these moves are more than distant geopolitical gestures

Social protection is not charity. It is an economic policy.

For Bangladesh’s garment sector - highly dependent on the US market -predictability is almost as important as the tariff rate itself

Whether commanding majority yields reform or relapse depends on how power is exercised

Bangladesh’s economy seems to be stabilising at first blush. Reserve levels have climbed, imports have slowed, and officials are finding some signs of resilience in the aftermath of a tumultuous period. For a country accustomed to absorbing shocks, this narrative of cautious recovery sounds reas

The summit’s two highest-stakes issues, fossil fuel phaseout and deforestation, were effectively sidelined.

For too long, Bangladesh has relied on growth momentum driven by remittances and ready-made garments.

The gains that once seemed secure are now in danger.

Why have the earlier gains in poverty reduction proved to be so vulnerable?

Current inflation basket structure may be muting the true rise in food prices

Male participation in the labour force held essentially steady, while female participation plummeted from 2.53 crore to 2.37 crore.