Government's Six Months
Published: 12:22 AM, 25 August 2026
CPD audit flags rising risks for economy
A leading economic think-tank has issued a stark warning over Bangladesh's macroeconomic trajectory, cautioning that a sharp contraction in private sector credit, widespread industrial disruptions, and severe fiscal pressure far outweigh modest gains made during the BNP-led government's first six months in office.
Delivering an exhaustive performance audit in Dhaka on Monday, Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said that while the administration had maintained baseline macroeconomic stability, structural headwinds threatened to paralyze real-economy growth.
Evaluating the government's initial term, Dr Debapriya noted that while he had intended to award the administration an 'A' grade for its opening phase, underlying indicators pulled its performance score down to a 'B'. "We see no ground for exuberance at this moment," Dr Debapriya told business leaders and analysts. "Rather, the data points predominantly to heightened risk and concern. While stability has not dissolved entirely, the systemic drive and capital formation required to accelerate growth remain visibly absent."
REAL-ECONOMY DRAG: MACRO INDICATORS
The CPD's assessment evaluated 362 policy measures across nine core pillars, including public finance, banking, energy, and governance. Of the 31 primary economic metrics monitored by the institute, 19 deteriorated, while only 12 registered positive movement.
