Thinking Aloud: Volume XI, Issue 1: June 1, 2024

SANEM proudly celebrates 10 years of successful and timely publication of Thinking Aloud in June 2024. Thinking Aloud would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to all the readers, contributors and well-wishers throughout this journey. The theme of the June 2024 issue of Thinking Aloud is “Contemporary Development Challenges and Opportunities in Bangladesh”. The first page article, “Poverty research in Bangladesh: Issues and concerns” analyses the four fundamental questions regarding the research on poverty in Bangladesh. First, what are the poverty trends in Bangladesh? Do the official figures present a true picture? Second, how do different shocks (economic and noneconomic) affect poverty and vulnerability? Third, what are the structural factors behind poverty? And fourth, what are the important aspects of addressing poverty in a sustainable way? The article concludes highlighting the important aspects for sustainably addressing poverty in Bangladesh. The second, third, and fourth pages of this issue present three more articles. The second article titled “Unlocking Solar and Wind: Driving Bangladesh’s Shift to Clean and Green Energy” argues that, in order to effectively utilize renewable energy for sustainable growth and economic development, addressing infrastructural and policy challenges is crucial for Bangladesh. However, the article suggests, this transition requires careful strategic planning and continuous investment. The third article titled, “Challenges and the Opportunities for Women’s Participation in the Construction Sector” remarks that the construction sector has the potential to increase female workforce participation, ensuring gender parity and aligning with SDG goals (SDG 1, 5, and 8). Occupations in this sector are predominantly male-centric across all tiers underscoring gender bias and stigma, necessitating considerable attention by the Government and policymakers. The fourth article titled, “Digital Public Infrastructure in Bangladesh: Progress, Challenges, and Future Prospects” examines the DPI scenario in Bangladesh. The article contemplates that the existing challenges such as the digital divide, cybersecurity, sustainability, and the capacity of citizens need to be addressed to ensure the acceleration towards sustainable digitalization. The fourth page showcases the events of May 2024.