Selim Raihan – författare

Bangladesh is widely seen as a 'paradox'. Over the last quarter of a century, it has maintained economic growth and has outperformed many countries on social indicators while scoring very low on the quality of governance. Moreover, its economic progress does not seem to indicate significant improvement in comparative institutional indicators. Is the Bangladesh Paradox Sustainable? thus examines whether such a paradoxical combination can be sustained in the long run if growth continues with no improvement in the quality of institutions. It argues that although Bangladesh has become the second largest world exporter in the garments, export diversification is needed, both within and outside the garment sector, if it is to maintain its development pace. Based on a thorough account of the country's economic, social and political development, this companion volume analyzes Bangladesh's critical institution- and development-sensitive areas such as the garment sector, banking, taxation, land management, the judiciary, and education. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

The COVID-19 pandemic delivered an unprecedented shock to economies worldwide. This book delves into how this global crisis reshaped the economic terrain of South Asia and other Asian countries, providing vital insights into its diverse impacts and the lessons learned. Bringing together leading experts, the volume offers a comprehensive look at the pandemic's effects on key areas of development. Chapters explore crucial issues such as:Changing trade patterns and regional connectivity in the post-pandemic eraThe macroeconomic consequences of vaccination programsThe intricate dynamics of poverty, examining how vulnerable households fared in BangladeshThe gendered impacts on trade across the regionCountry-specific policy responses implemented in Sri Lanka and PakistanThe complexities of monetary policy and bank credit in IndonesiaWritten to be accessible to non-specialists, this book offers critical analysis for anyone seeking to understand the profound economic consequences of COVID-19 and build resilience against future shocks.This book offers critical insights for policymakers, development practitioners, academic researchers, graduate students and financial analysts seeking to understand the profound economic consequences of COVID-19 and build resilience against future shocks.Most of the chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue in the Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy. This edition features an updated introduction and a new chapter.

Outlining important policy requirements for Bangladesh to become an upper middle-income country, the book presents research work conducted during the project “Changing Labor Markets in Bangladesh: Understanding Dynamics in Relation to Economic Growth and Poverty,” sponsored by the International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada. Bangladesh has experienced remarkable economic growth rates over the last decade. The country has recently been upgraded from a low-income country (LIC) to a lower-middle-income country (LMIC) as per the World Bank’s classification system. By 2024, the country also aspires to graduate from the United Nation’s list of least developed countries (LDC). The 7th five-year plan sets an ambitious target of 8 percent growth in GDP by 2020. There are also steep development targets to be achieved under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. All these will require an enormous leap forward from the current level of economic growth rate and sustaining itin the future. The situation also calls for considerable structural change in the economy, facilitating large-scale economic diversification. Rapid expansion of labor-intensive and high-productivity sectors, both in the farm and nonfarm sectors, is thus crucial for Bangladesh. Further, this should take place in conjunction with interventions to enhance productivity, jobs and incomes in traditional and informal activities where there are large pools of surplus labor. Given its relevance for Bangladesh and applicability to many other developing countries, the book offers a unique and pioneering resource for researchers, industry watchers as well as policy makers.

Outlining important policy requirements for Bangladesh to become an upper middle-income country, the book presents research work conducted during the project “Changing Labor Markets in Bangladesh: Understanding Dynamics in Relation to Economic Growth and Poverty,” sponsored by the International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada.

Gathering contributions from leading academics and international trade experts from South Asia, this book is dedicated to the late Dr. Saman Kelegma, whose untimely death in June 2017 left a huge void in the field of regional economic cooperation.