Deputy Business Editor
Stocks in Bangladesh climbed 1.6 percent yesterday, driven by a surge in the prices of some blue-chip companies such as Renata PLC and Linde Bangladesh.
The government is not moving at full throttle in bringing discipline to the banking sector, implementing reforms wholeheartedly, taking measures against syndication, and bringing money launderers under the rule of law, said a top economist.
Fighting raging inflation and putting the economy back on track have not been taken seriously as evidenced from the government’s delayed response, which set the scene for one of the worst economic crises in its history and an unprecedented prolonged period of higher consumer prices, said an economist.
The government has not addressed the stability issue through its fiscal policy for two years in a row although the economy is in turmoil owing to both external and internal pressures. A noted economist, however, thinks it can bring the situation under better control through the budget in the next fiscal year beginning on July 1.
Foreign direct investments to Bangladesh snapped its rising trend in 2023, highlighting the nervousness outside investors face in pumping money into a country whose foreign exchange regime is experiencing one of its worst periods in recent times
The government has cut the export subsidy for almost all sectors to reduce the pressures on Bangladesh's coffers and bring down the rates gradually
The economy is losing momentum. Inflation remains stubborn. Bangladesh is facing deterioration in external buffers, with official reserves falling to $20.18 billion as of January 10, less than half their historic peak in 2021. The currency shock is lingering.
The present government started its journey at a time when the global economic environment was conducive to growth and low inflation. Food prices had stabilised after the global food crisis of 2007-08. Interest rates were lowered globally in response to the global economic crisis of 2008.
The pass-through of a sharp depreciation of the local currency accounted for half of the inflation surge seen in Bangladesh in the last financial year, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Migrant workers sent home $1.98 billion in October, a four-month high, as banks stepped up efforts to woo more remittance buoyed by a relaxed central bank rule on incentive, a development that is expected to give some relief to a country reeling under the foreign exchange crisis.
Food inflation in Bangladesh stayed above 12 percent for the second consecutive month in September as prices showed no signs of cooling down, hitting the pockets of the consumers who spend most of their incomes to feed their families.
Sustainable finance extended by banks rose nearly 40 percent year-on-year to Tk 35,387 crore in the first quarter of 2023 as lenders keep disbursing a higher volume of loans to eco-friendly businesses and industries, official figures showed.
Gross foreign exchange balances held by commercial banks in Bangladesh rose to a 19-month high of $5.53 billion in June, owing to lower imports and higher export and remittance earnings, central bank data showed.
Foreigners working in Bangladesh sent home $137 million in 2022, World Bank data showed although analysts believe the exact figure would be much higher since many people from other nations are employed in the country without valid permits.
At least half of all credits disbursed by banks and other financial institutions in Bangladesh should go to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) since a significant of them still don’t have access to the formal credit system despite recent improvements, said a noted economist.
Average inflation in Bangladesh surpassed the government’s target for the just-concluded fiscal year by a large margin as higher prices of goods and services continue to linger for the economic crisis at home and abroad.
When a year passes, those who had a good time look forward to continuing the momentum while those who had struggled to keep their head above water might breathe a sigh of relief.