It is with great pleasure that we present to you a three-part special supplement series beginning today to mark the 24th founding anniversary of The Daily Star.

 Given the turbulent prelude to January 5, 2014 election boycotted by BNP, and the troubled beginning of 2015, we find the nation hurt by the resultant adverse impact on economy, business and development. So we set ourselves the task of underscoring the primacy of economy in today's world advocating that it be placed at the center   of national discourse and left alone  to grow to its full potential  unhindered by economy-unfriendly politics.

All this set the scene for us to adopt a common theme for the supplement series styled “A Vibrant Economy in Waiting.” The complementing sub-themes of the three-part series read as follows: Catching up with the world; Investment, lifestyle, education and health; Building blocks of the economy appearing successively on March 10,11and12 respectively. These will comprise the 144-page four-colour well-illustrated series, with each supplement containing 48 pages.

Eminent professionals, experts, planners and practitioners in various fields of economy, enterprise and development have enriched the special publications with their informative and insightful contributions. We are grateful to them for making it possible for us to put together a body of texts – analytical, constructive, forward-looking and lively overall. 
In all, there is a depth and diversity to  the blend of articles and we will consider our efforts rewarded if these  should provide  inputs for informed judgments and decision-making.

On the occasion of launching the special publication we take the opportunity of gratefully recalling the services of the leading lights but for whom we would not be where we are now. They are S.M Ali, our founder Editor; Azimur Rahman, founding Chairman; A.S Mahmud, founding Managing Director, Media World; and founding Managing Editor Taufique Aziz Khan who are no more today.

In fact, it has been a long journey of progressive ascent through teamwork; professional leadership; good, honest journalism; and the Board's enlightened disposition to editorial independence that we humbly rejoice in.

A word of appreciation for my colleagues, the Team Daily Star whose unflagging zeal and commitment to independent and fair journalism made it possible for the paper to move from strength to strength to carve a niche it has.

A final word of acknowledgement to our readers, patrons and advertisers but for whose support we would not have come to where we have.

MAHFUZ ANAM
Editor and Publisher