Thinking Aloud: Volume XII, Issue 2: July 1, 2025

The latest issue of Thinking Aloud examines Bangladesh’s economic challenges and the reform opportunities in the current context. Here’s a snapshot of what’s inside:

First Page: “Beyond Incrementalism: Rethinking Economic Reform in Bangladesh”

The article sheds light on challenges of economic reform in Bangladesh from political economy perspectives. Reform shortfalls in the key sectors with structural flaws undermine Bangladesh’s ability to cope with domestic economic challenges as well as with external shocks. The article argues that a reform-oriented and vision-driven development strategy is needed to rectify inefficiencies in institutions, obsolete rules and regulations, policy discrepancies, and weak enforcement prevailing in these sectors.

Second Page: “A Paradigm Shift in Aid: What Does it Mean for the Global South?”

While acknowledging aid’s limitations, the article uses Bangladesh’s transformation as evidence that development assistance remains crucial for achieving various developmental outcomes, urging Global South to be pro-active in the changing global context.

Third Page: “Why ESG Standards Matter More Than Ever for Bangladesh?”

The article reiterates that, although Bangladesh has taken initial steps like mandatory ESG reporting for listed companies, comprehensive reforms, including mandatory ESG disclosure, ESG-linked financial products, and a national coordination framework to build investor confidence and ensure sustainable development, are crucial in the way forward.

Fourth Page: Recap of June 2025 Events

Bangladesh must continue to reassess its economic strategies while seizing the reform opportunities to achieve the broader development goals. Thinking Aloud continues to foster critical dialogue on the economic issues in the national and global contexts. Dive into this insightful issue today!