Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), has stated that various initiatives and reforms taken by the interim government over the past year have protected the country’s economy from a major crisis.
She said that the interim government has undertaken several reform initiatives in the last one year, with banking sector reform being a key measure. As a result, remittances and exports have increased. The foreign currency reserves have improved and a decline has been averted.
Fahmida Khatun made these remarks on Sunday (August 10) at a CPD dialogue titled “365 Days of the Interim Government,” held at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka.
Referring to the steps taken by the interim government, the CPD executive director said, “The economy has been protected from a significant crisis, which is a major success. However, we also know that inflation remains at a high level, investment is lacking, and employment is not being generated. Revenue collection is not increasing. Therefore, these issues must be addressed in the coming six months and by the new government.”
She added, “Due to high inflation, the ongoing programmrs aimed at providing relief to the poor must continue. Efforts to control inflation must also be sustained, as inflation is still considerably high.”
Highlighting stagnation in investment, Fahmida Khatun said, “We need to recover from this. Although new domestic and foreign investments are unlikely during the interim government’s tenure, preparing investment-friendly sectors now will enable investors to invest easily once the new government takes office.”
She also noted, “We already know the national election will be held in February 2026. It is uncertain how many reform measures will be implemented in the next five to six months and how much of the recommended reform agenda will be realized. So far, the reform steps taken have been slow.”
The CPD dialogue was also attended by Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H. Mansur, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, among others.