The May 2022 issue of Thinking Aloud focuses on “Priorities in the 2022-23 National Budget of Bangladesh”. The first page article titled “The expectations from 2022-23 National Budget” emphasises that budget document should consider current realities and contexts. The economy is on the path to recovery from the unprecedented economic and social crises induced by COVID-19. Several international and domestic factors, however, constrain the recovery process. To help marginalized people, the government should prioritize economic recovery, job creation and inflation control in the next fiscal year’s budget.
This issue features three more articles on the issues of sexual and reproductive health, climate change and graduate unemployment in Bangladesh. The second article titled “Graduate unemployment and skill mismatch: A broader context” looks into the issue of skill level of Bangladeshi graduates in the context of associated institutions. Recognising the role of private sector in upskilling university students, the article argues for wider policy actions in addressing unemployment among graduates. The third article titled, “Ensuring sexual and reproductive health rights for women in Bangladesh”, discusses policy issues on women’s rights regarding reproductive health. The article also addresses the advancements and obstacles in this area. In conclusion, the article argues for the necessity of a single comprehensive policy or strategy for ensuring SRHR. The fourth article titled “Climate change and its impact on agricultural productivity” sheds light on the emerging challenges in agriculture of Bangladesh. Analysing the dynamics of global food supply and impact of climate change on food security, the article addresses the required areas for action in the context of Bangladesh. The fourth page presents a summary of the dialogue on “Enhancing BIMSTEC Connectivity in the New Era”, held in hybrid mode from 30-31 March 2022 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, organised jointly by the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) and the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI). The fourth page also showcases the events that took place in the month of March and April 2022.
