Facing Economy’s Looming Challenges

We are pleased to present this special anniversary supplement as part of The Daily Star’s 35th year of publication, focusing on the Bangladesh economy at a time of adjustment, reflection, and renewed possibility. After decades of steady and unsteady expansion, the country is navigating a more complex development phase, shaped by global headwinds, structural constraints, and evolving social and technological realities. The challenge ahead is not simply sustaining growth but ensuring that it is resilient, inclusive, and fit for the future.

Bangladesh’s economic journey has been marked by adaptability. Recent years have tested that resilience, as inflationary pressures, external shocks, and financial sector strains exposed gaps in earlier growth models. These pressures have also prompted necessary course correction. Stabilisation efforts, expanding digital finance, gradual improvements in macroeconomic management, and growing attention to productivity and skills point to an economy recalibrating rather than retreating. While growth has not always translated into opportunity, particularly for youth, women, and informal workers, the scope for reform-led progress remains substantial.

This supplement brings together leading economists and policy thinkers to examine both constraints and opportunities. The articles explore macroeconomic adjustment, financial sector reform, investment climate challenges, export diversification, and urban governance, alongside emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, ageing, care systems, climate-resilient agriculture, and social protection. Together, they move beyond headline indicators to ask how growth can better support jobs, dignity, and long-term stability.

A consistent message runs through these contributions. With careful preparation, stronger institutions, and sustained focus on human capital, the next phase of growth of Bangladesh must be broader and more durable.

We thank our contributors for their insight and our readers for their continued trust. As we mark another anniversary, we reaffirm our commitment to informed debate and responsible journalism, true to our enduring motto: Your Right to Know.