Thinking Aloud: Volume III, Issue 10

The March 1, 2017 issue of Thinking Aloud has been primarily dedicated to cover news and happenings of the 2nd SANEM Annual Economists’ Conference 2017 on “Managing Growth for Social Inclusion”. The first page article on “Bangladesh economy at a crossroads: Looking for breakthroughs” argues that the growth and development processes in Bangladesh over the past two and half decades contributed to some important positive economic and social as well as some structural changes in the economy. However, under the business as usual growth and development processes, it would be difficult for Bangladesh to achieve stiff economic, social and environmental goals and targets by 2030, which are envisaged under the national plans and SDGs. The article argues that Bangladesh economy is now at a crossroads and the country needs to have important ‘breakthroughs’ in several areas of policy making and institutional processes to achieve those ambitious targets. Second and third pages present brief overview of sessions of the conference on Day 1. The conference started with the Inaugural session which was followed by six panel sessions on Trade and Investment, Public Policy, Poverty, Inequality and Growth, Human Capital Development, Sectoral Economy and Labor Market. In addition, the pages also include Day 1’s SANEM-ESID organized session and a High-level Panel Discussion with distinguished economists from Bangladesh and South Asia. Along with the sessions on different contemporary issues, there was a book launching ceremony of the book ‘Let’s Think Aloud, Shall We?’ The first day of the conference ended with a Dinner in honor of Professor Rehman Sobhan. The fourth page provides short descriptions of sessions that took place on Day 2. It involved organized sessions with BRAC Institute of governance and Development (BIGD), International Growth Center (IGC), Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and Deltas, Vulnerability and Climate Change: Migration and Adaption (DECCMA). Furthermore, there was a special session for the Budding Researchers. The conference concluded with a dinner and cultural event