The August 2022 issue of Thinking Aloud focuses on “Macroeconomic and Development Challenges of Bangladesh”. The first page article, titled “Anatomy of macroeconomic challenges in Bangladesh” discusses the global and domestic context which are causing short-term shocks to Bangladesh’s macroeconomic stability. Exploring the policy responses to these challenges the article argues for undertaking long-term structural reforms for strengthening the economic fundamentals of the country. The second and third pages of this issue present three articles, respectively on the impact of the recently inaugurated Padma bridge, socio-economic vulnerabilities of the youth and disaster management. The second article, titled, “Economic implication of Padma Bridge for the south-western region of Bangladesh”, assesses the economic impact of the Padma bridge, a mega-project that is being hailed as a milestone in Bangladesh’s development journey. The article explores the ways, the bridge will drive agricultural and industrial growth along with improving connectivity across the country, propelling the development of the south-western region of the country. The third article, “The vulnerability of youth in Bangladesh”, discusses the challenges in utilizing the demographic dividend of Bangladesh. It argues for undertaking effective policy measures to address unequal access to education, lack of quality education, youth unemployment, mental health and sexual and reproductive health. The fourth article, “Comprehensive approach to disaster management in Bangladesh”, looks into the shortcomings of the current disaster management strategies and the associated challenges ahead. In order to tackle disasters induced by climate change and other manmade hazards, Bangladesh must take preparation on both institutional and community levels, the article points out. The fourth page presents news of SANEM’s events in July 2022.
