Thinking Aloud: Volume X, Issue 4: September 1, 2023

The September 2023 issue of Thinking Aloud concentrates on various socio-economic issues concerning Bangladesh such as the BRICS, debt servicing, gender responsive policies and affordable housing. The first page article, “Demystifying BRICS and stakes of Bangladesh” analyses the prospects of BRICS creating a new world order and the stakes of Bangladesh in this matter. The article argues that BRICS cannot become a powerful economic and trade bloc in the near future for a variety of reasons. First, BRICS is an investment cooperation, not a trade forum. Second, the bilateral political relations among some of the BRICS countries are not smooth and favourable. Third, the much-hyped BRICS currency is not feasible. Fourth, the recent inclusion of the six new members (Argentina, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE and Egypt) in BRICS doesn’t provide a clear and solid roadmap for the BRICS to consolidate power and redefine global governance into a “multipolar” world order that prioritizes the voices of the global South. The second, third, and fourth pages of this issue present three more articles. The second article titled “Is debt servicing becoming a concern for Bangladesh?” suggests that addressing the growing concern of external debt servicing in Bangladesh requires a multi-faceted approach that tackles both the borrowing and revenue fronts. The third article titled, “Gender-responsive policies: Bangladesh perspective” reiterates that while there are several gender sensitive policies in Bangladesh, the effectiveness of those policies is less than satisfactory due to lack of implementation. The fourth article titled “Ensuring urban poor’s access to affordable housing: policy options” concludes that, with innovative policy tools and renewed commitment, the public and the private sector can contribute towards fostering a market environment that is more accommodating of the demand of the urban poor. The fourth page showcases the events of August 2023 and shares the call for the 7th SANEM Annual Economists’ Conference (SAEC) 2024.