Sharjil Haque

The writer is a macroeconomic analyst based in Washington D.C.

Banking sector reform can no longer be delayed

To better understand corporate default risks, generate more data and produce greater information

1y ago

The free fall of Silicon Valley Bank

What happened to the 40-year-old bank that was so highly regarded among all stakeholders in America’s tech sector?

1y ago

How can Bangladesh avoid a middle-income trap?

Regulators must be willing to adopt a vision for Bangladesh that is more technology and productivity based.

1y ago

The stock market-real economy ‘disconnect’

The biggest factor behind the disconnect is that the largest companies with stable profitability refuse to come to the market.

1y ago

Could covenants save our banks from defaulted loans?

As of September 2022, NPLs have soared over Tk 134,000 crores.

1y ago

Creating a modern and diverse capital market in Bangladesh

In most market economies around the world, companies can typically choose between many financial assets to raise money for growth and capital expenditure.

3y ago

Choking global stock markets: The Coronavirus effect

Investors had begun 2020 in an optimistic frame of mind. After all, last year was one of the best for global stocks since the financial crisis.

4y ago

The need to transform the capital market

In most market economies around the world, investors can typically choose between many financial assets to put their money in. The demand for different financial products arises from an elemental property of risky assets: uncertainty in payoffs.

5y ago
December 20, 2018
December 20, 2018

Making the rich richer: How multinational companies create inequality

About one year ago, I had the privilege of meeting one of the top corporate executives in Bangladesh. Well-known as a corporate kingpin heading one of the top multinational companies (MNCs) in our country, he was happy to chat when we were introduced at a family event.

September 4, 2018
September 4, 2018

Fixing our current account deficit

If it was for a large, resource-rich country like the United States or Germany, a current account deficit of around USD 10 billion would be nothing. But for a small developing economy like Bangladesh, a current account deficit of USD 10 billion or four percent of GDP is definitely big enough to sound the alarm.

August 27, 2018
August 27, 2018

Sanchayapatra: The scapegoat of our financial sector problems?

Playing the blame game is one of our oldest rituals. When a crisis strikes it's always easier to lay the blame on someone that appears, only on surface, to be the “bad guy” without admitting to more fundamental causes. Sanchayapatra is just that: the scapegoat of our growing economic and financial sector challenges.

February 20, 2018
February 20, 2018

For a vibrant financial sector

An “economic miracle”—that's how leading international newspaper the Financial Times described Bangladesh in an article last year as it showered praises over our economic achievements.

January 8, 2018
January 8, 2018

Sanchayapatra and cost of borrowing

There is a lot of controversy these days surrounding the interest rates offered by Sanchayapatra of the Department of National Savings, which the government uses to finance its budget deficit.

December 29, 2017
December 29, 2017

Buoyant but not resilient

With the year 2017 drawing to a close, we are left with both positive and not-so-positive observations from the country's stock market. We all know that after the crash in 2010, the market has been in the doldrums for several years.

December 19, 2017
December 19, 2017

Bringing multinationals to the stock market

Bringing multinationals to the stock market is one of those long-standing policy challenges regulators have been grappling with for many years now. On the surface, it appears to be an issue of designing the right incentive structure.

August 22, 2017
August 22, 2017

How to stimulate the stock market?

One common discourse in the financial and policy arena of Bangladesh is the idea that higher rate on national savings schemes discourages investment in the stock market.

August 16, 2017
August 16, 2017

To cut or not to cut?

To cut or not to cut yield on national savings schemes (NSS)—that's one headache our finance minister is unable to get rid of. Will reducing rates on national savings schemes (NSS) have a strictly positive impact on our economy?

July 29, 2017
July 29, 2017

Rising current account deficit: How vulnerable are we?

First things first, let's recall that a current account shows the flow of goods and services, primary and secondary income between a country and the rest of the world.