Volume 4, Issue 3 of Global Bangladesh includes 10 articles which explore a diverse set of issues.
Sadequl Islam underscores the importance of social capital in inclusive economic development. Based on the insights of leading scholars such as Putnam, Coleman, and Bourdieu, Islam explores different perspectives and types of social capital. Islam’s article emphasizes that social capital can promote intergenerational mobility and act as a countervailing force in the presence of rising inequality of opportunity and class divides. Reflecting on the poor state of social capital in Bangladesh as gleaned through such key statistics as inequality, social mobility and progress, and corruption, Sadequl Islam suggests policy recommendations for rebuilding social capital.
Anisuzzaman Chowdhury focuses on the persistent problem of youth unemployment, including educated unemployment in Bangladesh. He then critically investigates the merit, effectiveness, and feasibility of the recently announced policy package of the current government concerning job creation. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury presents the key features of an alternative plan designed during the Interim Government to revamp the Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) programme. Beginning with 0.27 million (2.5 lakhs) trainees annually, the programme was designed to reach 2.1 million (21 lakh) per year in the 8th year for absorbing roughly all the new labour force entrants. With the budget increasing from Tk. 1,217 crore to Tk. 7,750 crore, this programme will have a minimum fiscal impact as money can come from reallocation of funds from a variety of existing youth related programmes run independently by different ministries in an un-coordinated manner.
Bangladesh has become a notable emerging developing country in the global economy. Its role in global economic and political issues will become more important as Bangladesh graduates from the LDC status. Ashfaq Zaman, in his article, discusses institutional innovations to manage Bangladesh’s bilateral and multilateral relations involving negotiations concerning trade, climate change, and labour markets for migrant workers. Ashfaq Zaman calls for establishing a global policy platform in Dhaka, beyond expanding the network of embassies and missions.
Since 2017, the Rohingya refugee crisis has remained unresolved. MQ Zaman, in his article, presents a thorough analysis of the failure of the repatriation framework concerning Rohingya refugees in the absence of citizenship, basic rights, and the safety of the refugees. MQ Zaman depicts horrific conditions of the refugees and associated ecological problems in Cox’s Bazaar. He highlights the limited leverage of Bangladesh with respect to neighbouring countries and major powers concerning the Rohingya crisis.
In the mega city of Dhaka, hawkers symbolize the prevalence of a precarious, informal economy. Ghulam Rabbani illustrates, with statistics, the positive and negative effects of enterprises run by hawkers. He highlights the dilemma faced by governments in regulating the activities of hawkers and emphasizes that occasional eviction drives are not the solution to problem created by a failing development model. Ghulam Rabbani stresses that, in the long run, the hawker problem can be solved only by sustained, inclusive economic growth under good governance.
Governing a megacity like Dhaka is a major challenge. Based on the argument that a decentralized governance system would serve better the needs of urban residents, Dhaka city was split into Dhaka City Corporation North (DCCN) and Dhaka City Corporation. South (DCCS). Comparing the waste management performance of DCCN and DCCS, Ayesha Rumi reflects on the underlying reasons for DCCN’s better performance. Her comparative performance analysis also highlights the problem of waste management that plagues both corporations.
Bangladesh, a hyper-centralized country, is witnessing a rapid pace of urbanisation as reflected in the growth of population in Dhaka and Chittagong. Hassan Siddiqui and Habib Siddiqui explore climate resilience in these two cities, which often experience waterlogging, flooding, and drainage congestion. They illustrate the underlying reasons for the poor global rankings of Dhaka and Chittagong in climate resilience. They then lay down short- and long-term strategies to improve the climate resilience of Dhaka and Chittagong.
The US-Iran war has generated a major energy shock in many developing countries, including Bangladesh. Higher fuel prices have already adversely affected different sectors of the economy. K. M. Arshad, in his article, examines the response of the government of Bangladesh in terms of fuel subsidy, unintended consequences of energy subsidies. KM Arshad also illustrates strategies to reduce vulnerabilities to fossil fuel shocks originating in the Middle-East.
Few Bangladeshi economists are theorists, practitioners, policy advisors, and development activists. Professor Anisur Rahman was an exception. Mustaque Tuhin reflects on Professor Anisur Rahman’s versatile professional life, including his activities during the Liberation War and his contribution to Bangladesh as a member of the Planning Commission. Professor Rahman, in his research articles in the 1960s, highlighted the problem of regional disparity between the former East- and West Pakistan and negative consequences of dependence on foreign aid which are relevant still today.
Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 and its aftermath evoked different responses from major and middle powers. What was the nature of Canada’s response, as a middle power, to the Liberation War of Bangladesh? How did domestic politics, humanitarian concerns, and diplomatic norms and conventions shape Canada’s responses? These questions are addressed by Mustafa Chowdhury in his two-volume books Birth of Bangladesh as Canada Walks a Diplomatic Tightrope, Vols. 1–2. MQ Zaman reviews Mustafa Chowdhury’s books, highlighting their strengths and limitations.
The deadline for the December issue (Vol. 4, No. 4) is 15 December, 2026.
