Abdullah Shibli

The Bangladesh government recently announced a move to roll out a pension plan, initially named the Universal Pension Scheme (UPS), during the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Writing about inflation and monetary policy when a major war is going on in Europe can appear very cynical, and can be likened to the situation where Nero played the fiddle while Rome was burning.

Russia’s military attack on Ukraine has unquestionably thrown the global economy off balance.

The fourth agricultural revolution (4AR), or Agriculture 4.0, refers to the anticipated changes from new technologies, particularly the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to make smarter planning decisions and for better integration of robotics.

Bangladesh is gearing up for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Hardly a day goes by when a national political leader or a prominent civil society stalwart does not bring up the issues relating to 4IR in the national media. One could even say that 4IR is the new buzzword for the country.

Myanmar authorities appear to be getting away with their crimes as global attention is focused on the pandemic and, more recently, the Ukraine crisis.

Bangladesh has some very difficult—and one could say unpredictable—times ahead in the coming years.

I cannot say for sure what 2022 will bring for every person on this planet, but for me it signifies a bend in the road. Last year is gone, and I can only hope that the new one will bring for us all exciting experiences, fewer worries, new opportunities, and more fulfilment.

Covid-19 has taken a big toll on the tourism industry in countries that rely on foreign visitors.  As new waves of infections take hold and ever-changing rules

The news that Bangladesh has been placed on a list of countries graduating from least developed status has generated a lot of excitement in the national media, as well as in government circles.

At the just-concluded COP26 meeting in Glasgow, the idea of carbon tax received renewed attention.

Was COP26, held in Glasgow, a success or a failure? It appears everyone has a different opinion about what the two-week-long summit achieved.

I regularly scan the headlines of Bangla newspapers. Recently, I came across several news items with headers that go along the line “Bajare agun, purchhey shadharon manush,” meaning “The market is ablaze and the ordinary consumers are burning.”

My fellow columnist, Shuprova Tasneem, was recently lamenting the lack of fair wages and workplace safety in Bangladesh.

One of the most eagerly anticipated Nobel Prizes is awarded in the category of Economic Sciences and this year three Americans were honoured.

The power sector in Bangladesh could be considered a success story. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognise energy as a key enabler for development (cf. Goal 7).

The current debate over the necessity, cost, and effectiveness of the third dose or “booster shots” for Covid is generating a lot of heat.

The USA observed the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on September 11, 2021, on the same day the Taliban raised its white flag on the Presidential Palace in Kabul to celebrate their victory.

Under the current global configuration, the roles played by the two rival superpowers USA and China will be pivotal not only in the geopolitical sphere, but their respective strengths will also determine the trajectory of trade patterns, economic hegemony, and world power alignment.

The sudden collapse of the US-backed Ghani regime in Afghanistan and the scenes of the evacuation of American citizens at Kabul Airport brought back some deep-buried memories of mine from another era.