Thinking Aloud: Volume VI, Issue 6: November 2019

The November 2019 issue of Thinking Aloud focuses on “Prospects and Challenges of LDC Graduation for Bangladesh”. The first page article titled “Is There Any Syndrome of ‘Policy Paralysis’ in Bangladesh?” stresses that the government’s inability to carry out critical economic reforms on time due to the syndrome of ‘policy paralysis’ can result in the high cost to the economy and society as far as ongoing development challenges and achievement of larger development goals are concerned. The second and third pages of this issue present three articles. The article titled “Trade Facilitation Beyond LDC Graduation” emphasizes that trade facilitation can support Bangladesh beyond LDC graduation. Trade facilitation will help expedite economic growth after Bangladesh graduates from the LDC category. However, the country has a long way to go in terms of overcoming infrastructural bottlenecks. The article on “Challenges of Smooth Structural Transformation in Bangladesh in Post LDC Graduation Phase” identifies the structural transformation challenges awaiting Bangladesh as it graduates from the LDC category. The article on “Accelerating Human Capital for Sustained Growth in the Post LDC Graduation Phase” highlights that as Bangladesh braces for the take-off from LDC status, the government must focus on ensuring gender equity and increasing investment in the health and education sector of the country. Because without increased investment in human capital development Bangladesh will miss out on the prospects and struggle to meet the challenges of the post LDC graduation phase. The fourth page covers the events that took place in the month of October.