Bangladesh's development journey — Imran Matin

Bangladesh has witnessed a remarkable turnaround in recent decades. From being termed as a “basket case” by the American Under Secretary of Political Affairs in 1971, it is now frequently talked of a development success, having achieved fast economic growth and considerable poverty reduction. While Bangladesh’s per capita GDP was the tenth lowest in the world upon independence in 1971 and by 2015, the country had reached lower-middle-income status. Over the past decade, Bangladesh has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It has among others benefited from a demographic dividend, strong ready-made garment exports, and stable macroeconomic conditions. While literacy rates have soared, infant mortality has plunged. And Bangladesh is now on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026.Imran Matin studied for a PhD in Economics at the University of Sussex and is the executive director of the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development in Dhaka. He has worked extensively on poverty reduction, financial inclusion, governance, health, and social protection. Imran previously served as a Country Director of the International Growth Centre in Bangladesh.ResourcesNo time for perfection when poor are in dire need of food (op.ed)Need for an Empathetic Understanding of the Migrants’ Issues (op.ed.)Bringing in Citizens’ Voices in Decision Making: The DIMAPPP Experience (op.ed.)Exploring a new governance agenda: What are the questions that matter? (Oxfam blog)Finding out fast about the impact of Covid-19: The need for policy-relevant methodological innovation (journal article, open access)An adaptive governance and health system response for the COVID-19 emergency (journal article, open access)Long-Term Strategies to Control COVID-19 in Low and Middle-Income Countries: An Options Overview of Community-Based, Non-Pharmacological Interventions (journal article, open access)Imran Matin on Twitter Host:Professor Dan Banik, University of Oslo, Twitter: @danbanik  @GlobalDevPodhttps://in-pursuit-of-development.simplecast.com/   Host:Professor Dan Banik, Centre for Global Sustainability, University of OsloSubscribe:Apple Spotify YouTubehttps://globaldevpod.substack.com/