There are moments in a nation’s life when victory does not feel like triumph at all. It feels like an inventory. One counts the broken things.

When it comes to economic reforms, an ordinary moment when a citizen tries to access a public service and succeeds within minutes, instead of struggling for days navigating a maze, is no less significant than a successful megaproject or a new tax regime.

Bangladesh stands at a decisive crossroads. A newly elected government has taken office. Expectations are high. Markets are watching. Investors, both domestic and foreign, are recalibrating their outlook.

When tensions escalate among global and regional powers, the shockwaves ripple through oil markets, shipping lanes, labour migration routes, and financial systems, reaching economies thousands of kilometres away.

The US-Israel war on Iran may not be on Bangladesh’s border, but it definitely is on our economic horizon.

In order to ensure increased participation of citizens in the private sector and cut dependence on bank loans, conditions may be imposed to compel firms to raise capital from public, said Prof Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, the prime minister’s adviser to the ministries of finance and planning.

The US-Iran war is poised to increase the prices of imported petroleum products, LNG and disrupt the supply chain of industrial raw materials.

Bangladesh’s economy grew 3.49 percent in the fiscal year 2024-25 (FY25), the slowest expansion in at least three years, owing to weaker performances in the agriculture and services sectors.

The overall economic risk of Bangladesh has increased by 0.4 points since August last year to 7.1, even as political clarity returns following the national election this month, according to Oxford Economics. 

The crises of persistent inflationary pressure, sluggish private investment, and unemployment needs to be dealt with simultaneously, with careful policy planning.

The following is a recap of major stories covered by Star Business

It must resist the temptation of populism

He also said priority would be given to developing institutions, which, he said, are in a "very bad shape."

In its idealised form, an economic system such as capitalism—often known for rewarding productivity, risk-taking, and innovation— is one in which profits follow value creation, competition disciplines excess, and institutions protect exchange.

When the interim government assumed office around 18 months ago, it inherited an economy under severe strain.

The report emerges from a critical moment in Bangladesh’s history.

Political parties need to prioritise law and order, macroeconomic stability, and ease of doing business in their election manifestos, say business leaders and trade bodies.

The Global Risks Report 2026, published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), presents some of the stark realities of the world today. 

Economics is not a museum of immortal models. It is a diagnostic discipline whose tools must match the condition of the economy under examination.

The upcoming parliamentary election, scheduled for February 12, is of exceptional political and economic significance for Bangladesh.