Masud Khan

There has long been a fear that new technologies weaken human abilities. Socrates worried that writing would erode memory.

The Bangladesh Bank’s recent decision to merge five distressed Islamic banks into a single entity has been widely praised as a bold move to protect depositors and preserve financial stability.

Succession planning remains one of the weakest aspects of corporate governance in Bangladesh. While multinationals operating here view salaries as long-term investments in leadership pipelines, most local firms continue to treat them as costs.

Multinational companies in Bangladesh continue to face obstacles in sending funds abroad, whether as dividends, technical service fees or capital repatriation during exit or restructuring. Though permitted by law, these transactions are often delayed by regulatory bottlenecks, excessive paperwork and inconsistent interpretations by the authorities.

Can Bangladeshi companies raise capital overseas? This question is being asked more often as our economy matures and ambitious businesses look beyond the local stock market.

Over my 45-year corporate journey, 38 in two leading multinationals and the last seven in a prominent local group, I have come to a sobering conclusion. Bangladesh suffers from a chronic shortage of genuine leadership in the workplace.

The financial sector in Bangladesh is facing mounting pressure due to the unchecked rise of “sister concerns” within large business groups.

Bangladesh’s minimum tax regime is becoming increasingly infeasible for several key sectors, especially those operating on thin margins or facing structural headwinds.

Despite their substantial role in the economy through employment, taxes and global best practices, multinational companies (MNCs) remain largely absent from Bangladesh’s stock exchanges. As the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) seeks to broaden market participation, it is crucial to understand why MNCs are reluctant to list and what reforms might change that.

Bangladesh is witnessing a growing debate over who should be legally authorised to conduct audits. As someone qualified as both a chartered accountant (CA) and a cost and management accountant (CMA) from India, I value both professions.

A recent Daily Star report supports this view, noting that while rice farmers benefit from more stable procurement systems, vegetable growers are exploited by layers of middlemen.

Bangladesh has taken a long-awaited and consequential step by officially floating the taka. This marks the end of a tightly managed exchange rate regime that, for years, concealed deeper imbalances in the economy. While partly driven by necessity, dwindling foreign reserves and IMF-mandated reforms, it also presents a rare opportunity to reset the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals.

Concerns over legal unpredictability and uneven regulatory enforcement continue to cast a shadow over Bangladesh’s investment climate. In recent years, several senior executives of multinational firms have been drawn into criminal proceedings over alleged labour law violations -- cases many in the business community view as excessive and disproportionate.

A recent piece in The Daily Star on rising food prices, especially vegetables, once again highlights a stubborn and preventable problem. During a visit to Karwan Bazar, vendors pointed to recent heavy rains that damaged crops and pushed prices up. But this is merely the latest episode in a recurring cycle.

The financial sector in Bangladesh is grappling with a significant issue stemming from the unchecked proliferation of “sister concerns” within large local business groups.

The media has been abuzz with concerns about the rampant abuse of Bangladesh’s financial sector for more than a decade.

Bangladesh has been experiencing a severe forex crisis for the past two years. Our two main sources of foreign currency are exports and remittances. While we have devoted significant attention to increasing exports, we have largely neglected the potential of remittances. In the past fiscal year, exports have been in the range of $47 billion.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur has reassured that the central bank will provide liquidity support to assist struggling banks, which is a positive step.