Bangladesh’s Banking Crisis: Three Decades of Structural Failure
In the New York–based Bangladeshi Professionals magazine, I have examined Bangladesh’s banking sector over the past three decades. This is not a sudden crisis—it is the result of long-standing structural failures marked by political interference, weak regulation, and repeated favoritism toward large defaulters. Restoring stability now requires firm governance, real accountability, and evidence-based reforms. Without […]
Can Bangladesh’s exporters handle Life after LDC status?
Shahin Howlader Bangladesh is standing at a turning point. In just a year’s time, the country is set to leave behind its “Least Developed Country” (LDC) status — a label it has carried for more than 50 years. For many, this is a proud moment, proof of how far Bangladesh has come through hard work, […]
ঘাটতি পুষছে ঋণ, গতি হারাচ্ছে অর্থনীতি
শাহীন হাওলাদার জাতীয় বাজেট হলো একটি দেশের আয়–ব্যয়ের নকশা। ব্যয়ের সিংহভাগ অর্থ জোগান দেওয়ার কথা রাজস্ব থেকে। অথচ এক যুগেরও বেশি সময় ধরে রাজস্ব আহরণের লক্ষ্যমাত্রা পূরণ হয়নি। প্রতিবছরই বিশাল ঘাটতি থেকে যাচ্ছে। এ ঘাটতি পুষতে সরকারকে বারবার বৈদেশিক ঋণের শরণাপন্ন হতে হচ্ছে। এতে বাড়ছে ঋণের চাপ, আর সুদ পরিশোধের দায় ক্রমশ ভারী হয়ে উঠছে। […]
Why the US market matters for Bangladesh’s apparel sector
Shahin Howlader When discussing Bangladesh’s economy and employment, the first thing that comes to mind is its thriving ready-made garment sector. In terms of export earnings, the clothing industry is the lifeline of Bangladesh’s foreign currency earnings. Not only is it the single largest employment-generating industry, which directly employs over 4 million people. It empowers […]
Banking on Reform, Not Politics
Shahin Howlader Years of political meddling and regulatory complacency have crippled Bangladesh’s banks. Only bold, transparent, and depoliticized reform can restore confidence. Bangladesh’s banking sector has long been called the backbone of the economy. But a backbone that bends too easily under the weight of politics and mismanagement cannot support the ambitions of a nation. […]
যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের বাজারে অদম্য বাংলাদেশের পোশাক রপ্তানি
শাহীন হাওলাদার যখন ট্রাম্প প্রশাসন বাংলাদেশি পণ্যের উপর ৩৭ শতাংশ পাল্টা শুল্ক আরোপের ঘোষণা ব্যাবসায়ীদের জন্য এটা ছিল বিনা মেঘে বজ্রপাত।ব্যবসায়ী মহল আশঙ্কা করেছিল যে এই নতুন শুল্কহার বাংলাদেশের যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে রপ্তানি, বিশেষ করে পোশাক খাতে, বিপর্যয় ডেকে আনবে। তবে, যুক্তরাষ্ট্র সরকারের বাংলাদেশের প্রতি নমনীয়তা এবং ধাপে ধাপে তা কমিয়ে ২০ শতাংশে নামিয়ে আনার সিদ্ধান্ত দেশবাসী […]
From Slump to Surge: Bangladesh’s Remittance ComebackMigrant workers embrace legal transfer routes amid policy reforms
Shahin Howlader For years, remittances — the lifeline of Bangladesh’s economy — had been caught in a worrying slowdown. Despite millions of hardworking migrant workers across the globe, the official inflow figures consistently fell short of expectations, especially in the current decade. Much of the decline could be traced to two persistent issues: the rise […]
Remittance Soars to $2.48 Billion in July
Shahin Howlader Bangladesh received nearly $2.48 billion in remittances in July, marking a strong start to the 2025–26 fiscal year, according to the latest data released by Bangladesh Bank. This is the highest monthly inflow in over a year and reflects a notable 29.5 percent year-on-year growth. In July last year, remittance inflow stood at […]
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Shahin Howlader with the Rt Hon Patricia Scottland KC during a courtesy visit at the annual summit of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank on 2022 in Washington. Patricia is the 6th Commonwealth Secretary-General who was born in Dominica and was their candidate for the post of Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting (CHOGM) of […]
Govt seeks proposal from IDRA to restore third party insurance
Shahin HowladerPublished on 17 Jan 2023 The finance ministry has sought a proposal from the Insurance Development Regulatory Authority (IDRA) to restore motor vehicle insurance, also known as third party insurance, as it wants to make it mandatory by amending the Road Transport Act 2018. The Finance Division under the ministry recently sent a letter, […]