Selim Jahan

Selim Jahan is former director of the Human Development Report Office under the United Nations Development Programme and lead author of the Human Development Report.

Reading his diaries and understanding the man

I do not remember who gave me the book—it may have been a friend, colleague, or a student of mine.

1w ago

Having their say: Well-being, choice and voice of Bangladeshi women

Development is all about enlarging freedoms for all so that every human being can pursue the choices they value and raise their voices in support of those choices.

2w ago

Strategies we can employ in tariff talks with the US

We must realise that the US has started the tariff war with a political agenda.

2w ago

Let’s not forget the silent emergencies of the world

In Gaza, the risk of famine is increasing due to protracted military operations. Humanitarian efforts are constrained both by inadequate relief materials and inaccessibility to the most affected areas.

2w ago

The cost of marrying off girls too soon

Child marriage is closely linked to high adolescent pregnancy rates.

1m ago

Sustaining the oceans as they sustain us

The importance of oceans in human lives can hardly be overemphasised.

1m ago

Tackling joblessness requires thinking out of the box

The issue of joblessness should be at the centre of the growth strategy.

2m ago

What the development philosophy should be for the FY2026 budget

The philosophical focus of the upcoming budget should be pro-poor and pro-people.

2m ago
April 29, 2025
April 29, 2025

Development is not just about macroeconomic progress

Do macroeconomic concepts reflect the realities on the ground?

April 21, 2025
April 21, 2025

No alternative to financial reforms for IMF loan

IMF left Bangladesh without any decision on the release of next tranches of a loan.

April 14, 2025
April 14, 2025

What does the Bangla New Year mean to me?

On the first day of the Bangla New Year, every nook and corner of Bangladesh is brightened.

April 8, 2025
April 8, 2025

The golden rule in recovering stolen assets

The million-dollar question is: how can Bangladesh recover the laundered money that has crossed its borders?

March 23, 2025
March 23, 2025

The future of work: Challenges and opportunities for youth employment

There is no denying the fact that the greatest wealth of a nation is neither its geographical size nor its natural resources, but its skilled human resources.

March 10, 2025
March 10, 2025

What the Democracy Index tells us about Bangladesh

Assessing the overall results of the index, it seems that the world’s democracies are struggling.

February 19, 2025
February 19, 2025

How Bangladesh can navigate the geopolitical crossroads

In the new geopolitical order, Bangladesh must seize the emerging economic opportunities.

February 18, 2025
February 18, 2025

Economic inequality and why it must be addressed

Today, Bangladesh aspires to build a society without inequalities—particularly economic inequalities.

February 10, 2025
February 10, 2025

Is there an economic roadmap of the interim government?

The efficacy of various policy measures undertaken by the government has been questioned.

January 22, 2025
January 22, 2025

Impact of rising debt on our socio-economic future

Every child born in Bangladesh today is born with a debt.