Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance Archives

Beyond Antalya – The Economic Stakes of Bangladesh-Türkiye Bilateral Cooperation

November 14, 2026November 14, 2026 editor No Comments

The meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Antalya on 10 November 2026 placed trade, defence-industry cooperation and climate resilience on the bilateral agenda. Public accounts disclosed no newly signed commercial agreement or quantified investment commitment.¹ ² The economic question is therefore prospective. Can this engagement improve Bangladesh’s export competitiveness,…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance

The US Midterms and Bangladesh: Real Stakes, Limited Leverage, Careful Preparation

November 7, 2026November 7, 2026 editor No Comments

On 3 November Americans vote for a new House and about a third of the Senate. Forecasters broadly expect Democrats to win the House, while the Senate is much tighter. In Dhaka there is a temptation to treat a Democratic win as relief from unpredictable trade policy. That reading deserves scrutiny. The decisions that hurt…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance

Washington’s World Bank Agenda and What It Means for Bangladesh

October 31, 2026October 31, 2026 editor No Comments

When the US Treasury Secretary sent a long list of demands to the steering committees of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, most headlines treated it as another front in Washington’s rivalry with Beijing. For Bangladesh, the more consequential question is a quieter one. What becomes of an economy that borrows heavily, runs…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance

Beyond Inflation: Preparing Bangladesh for a Stable Ramadan Economy in 2027

October 24, 2026October 24, 2026 editor No Comments

A Ramadan Economy Under Pressure Ramadan is not only a spiritual season in Bangladesh; it is also one of the country’s most significant economic periods. Demand for essential food commodities rises sharply, testing the resilience of supply chains, market governance, and social protection systems. With Ramadan 2027 expected to begin in early February, policymakers face…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance

Mongla Port Loan, Strategy, Debt and Bangladesh’s Execution Test

October 18, 2026October 18, 2026 editor No Comments

Bangladesh’s new Chinese loan for Mongla Port should not be reduced to a convenient political label. The serious question is whether the $335.78 million concessional facility from China’s Export-Import Bank represents strategic infrastructure finance, disguised support for Chinese contractors, or a future pressure point for Bangladesh’s debt management. ¹ The answer is not binary. This…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance

The Chessboard Between Dhaka and Delhi

October 10, 2026October 10, 2026 editor No Comments

At the UN General Assembly’s 81st session this month, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister delivered his first address as head of government, a milestone overshadowed by an absence rather than a presence. A planned visit to India, long expected after his party’s landslide return to power, never materialised throughout the year. Talks have reportedly resumed for November,…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance

Taxing the Smallest Savers in a Weak Economy: A Business Cycle View

October 1, 2026October 1, 2026 editor No Comments

This article analyses the recent move by National Board of Revenue field offices to collect a 10 percent tax on interest paid to microsavers. It explains how the move could affect employment, inflation and short-term growth in a slowing economy, and discusses fiscal alternatives that could soften the business cycle. It also highlights governance concerns,…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance

Five Working Groups and a Trillion-Dollar Question: Can Committees Move Bangladesh’s Logistics Frontier

September 24, 2026September 24, 2026 editor No Comments

The Prime Minister’s directive to form five working groups under the National Logistics Policy 2025 is a welcome attempt to address one of Bangladesh’s most persistent economic constraints. The announcement itself is modest. The groups will focus on trade facilitation, digitalization, investment, infrastructure, and skills development, with their work coordinated by the National Logistics Development…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance

The Missing Ledger: What the SAARC Revival Debate Still Has Not Priced In

September 17, 2026September 17, 2026 editor No Comments

A recent piece in The Oniket Bulletin, titled Can SAARC Be Revived, and If So, Under Bangladesh’s Leadership, makes a useful contribution by tracing this year’s wave of regional unrest, from Bangladesh’s 2024 uprising to Sri Lanka’s Aragalaya and Nepal’s youth protests, back to a shared institutional vacuum. Its central claim is compelling: a functioning…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance

Closing the Gap: Air Pollution Policy in Bangladesh Through the Lens of Optimal Pollution Theory

September 17, 2026September 17, 2026 editor No Comments

The Theory of Optimal Pollution Microeconomic theory frames pollution as a negative externality: a firm generates emissions alongside its output but bears only its private marginal cost while society absorbs an additional external cost. The socially optimal level of pollution isn’t zero, it’s the point where the marginal social benefit of extra economic activity equals…

Economy, Foreign Policy & Governance