Dr Zahid Hussain is a former lead economist of the World Bank’s Dhaka office
This decision is a pragmatic step, regardless of whether it was motivated by the necessity of meeting IMF program conditions for the 4th and 5th disbursements
With a flexible exchange rate, BB can now shift its focus toward domestic economic priorities such as inflation control, employment growth, and financial stability instead of continuously defending the currency
The interim government (IG) is set to present its FY26 budget on June 2. The anticipation is that their budget will depart from the past.
The interim government, unburdened by political motivations, has no need to seek popular acclaim
The bilateral trade in goods between the US and China faces the risk of being severed due to the imposition of steep tariffs
On April 2, 2025, US President Trump introduced sweeping reciprocal tariffs, effectively reversing nearly all US tariff liberalisation since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The average US tariff surged from 2.5 percent to 20 percent with a single executive action
Says economist Zahid Hussain in an interview
The poverty trend emerging from valid comparisons with the previous rounds of HIES may or may not be different.
There has also been very little policy response to help out families at the bottom of the income ladder
The beginning of a new year is not just a moment for resolution. We are in a season that is about both reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future.
A key objective of issuing a monetary policy statement on the eve of the new fiscal year is to provide forward guidance to the public about the likely future course of monetary policy. When credible, individuals and businesses use this information in making decisions about spending and investments.
A key objective of issuing a monetary policy statement on the eve of the new fiscal year is to provide forward guidance to the public about the likely future course of monetary policy. When credible, individuals and businesses use this information in making decisions about spending and investments.
Nominal wage growth at the low skill level overall has fallen behind the headline inflation.
The current inflationary pressures are attributable largely to the rise in international commodity prices and the exchange rate depreciation, albeit to a relatively smaller extent. The latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics show there was a spike in domestic consumption demand as well.
The growth estimate for fiscal 2021-22 appears directionally consistent with the high-frequency growth indicators such as exports, imports, private credit and revenue collections.
Over the last 50 years of Bangladesh’s existence, we have seen many finance ministers. AMA Muhith was among those few who this nation will remember for making the job appear joyful and free from the pains of balancing difficult trade-offs amid resource constraints.