The book provides a comprehensive conceptual understanding covering major challenges and pathways to progressively promote inclusive development in Bangladesh. Since independence in 1971, Bangladesh has achieved significant economic growth and social progress, but the benefits have not been shared equitably across all groups in society, and there is the demand that inclusive development should be at the core of the country’s development agenda. Analysing inclusive development in Bangladesh, the authors present it as synonymous with improving the well-being of all individuals in a comprehensive manner along with upholding the principles of equity and justice. The book shows that the multidimensionality of inclusive development facilitates the participation of all in society in development through enhancing capabilities and ensuring equal opportunities. The analysis highlights social investments in specific concerns of the marginalised and disadvantaged groups and unequal structural forces that compel the state to remain biased towards the rich and consequent ‘elite capture’ of the state in Bangladesh. Arguing that Bangladesh has moved closer towards applying the inclusive development tenets in policy making, the book’s findings show that the challenge is the absence of any generic formula to ensure that the country is moving towards a more inclusive development path. A valuable contribution to the study of Bangladesh’s changing dynamics of political, economic and social configurations and development economics, the book will be of interest to researchers in the fields of economics, Asian studies and development studies.

This book offers a selection of intensely researched essays focused on the critical planning objectives and policy priorities that would enhance the promotion of inclusive growth in a developing country. It has taken Bangladesh as the case study. It argues for rethinking of traditional policies and provides arguments and ways to reorient these toward inclusive growth and better social inclusion. These involve a dedicated focus on employment and inclusion in the design of monetary and fiscal policies, trade and industrial policies, policies toward rural non-farm employment, social protection and safety net strategy and the nature of institutional and governance reforms which are imperative for ensuring inclusive growth. The studies included in the book were prepared before or at the onset of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the unfolding economic crisis; yet they provide cursory observations on its likely impact, and underscore how the stated principles and policies of an inclusive growth strategy have become even more significant in the present situation. Bangladesh has been growing respectably during the past decade and a half and has arguably shown strong progress in several social indicators. However, inequality and vulnerability are rising alarmingly, and the economy is beset with high levels of corruption, as well as with various other governance deficits that can adversely affect future growth and social inclusion. The book provides a critical assessment of how far growth in Bangladesh has been inclusive, both over time, and in comparison to selected South and Southeast Asian countries. It constructs a specific ‘inclusive growth index’ with reference to what the study considers as the significant goals and pillars of inclusive growth. Bangladesh is not the only developing country that is faced with the arduous task of tackling unbalanced economic growth and of implementing the 2030 Agenda. Rising vulnerability, inequality, disappointing job growth and poor governance are also major challenges to inclusive growth for many countries in the Global South. Therefore, the appeal of this book extends well beyond the borders of Bangladesh and the South Asian region. Corresponding to SDG 8, the book is aimed at academia, researchers, policymakers, civil society leaders as well as other national and international development practitioners with an avid interest in issues concerning growth with equity, and in sync with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In addition, the book is a valuable resource for interested students of disciplines related to economics and development policy.

The book provides a comprehensive conceptual understanding covering major challenges and pathways to progressively promote inclusive development in Bangladesh. Since independence in 1971, Bangladesh has achieved significant economic growth and social progress, but the benefits have not been shared equitably across all groups in society and there is the demand that inclusive development should be at the core of the country’s development agenda. Analysing inclusive development in Bangladesh, the authors present it as synonymous with improving the well-being of all individuals in a comprehensive manner along with upholding the principles of equity and justice. The book shows that the multi-dimensionality of inclusive development facilitates the participation of all in society in development through enhancing capabilities and ensuring equal opportunities. The analysis highlights social investments in specific concerns of the marginalised and disadvantaged groups and unequal structural forces that compel the state to remain biased towards the rich and consequent ‘elite capture’ of the state in Bangladesh. Arguing that Bangladesh has moved closer towards applying the inclusive development tenets in policy making, the book’s findings show that the challenge is the absence of any generic formula to ensure that the country is moving towards a more inclusive development path. A valuable contribution to the study of Bangladesh's changing dynamics of political, economic and social configurations and development economics, the book will be of interest to researchers in the fields of Economics, Asian Studies and Development Studies.

"The book provides a comprehensive conceptual understanding covering major challenges and pathways to progressively promote inclusive development in Bangladesh. Since independence in 1971, Bangladesh has achieved significant economic growth and social progress, but the benefits have not been shared equitably across all groups in society and there is the demand that inclusive development should be at the core of the country's development agenda. Analysing inclusive development in Bangladesh, the authors present it as synonymous with improving the well-being of all individuals in a comprehensive manner along with upholding the principles of equity and justice. The book shows that the multi-dimensionality of inclusive development facilitates the participation of all in society in development through enhancing capabilities and ensuring equal opportunities. The analysis highlights social investments in specific concerns of the marginalised and disadvantaged groups and unequal structural forces that compel the state to remain biased towards the rich and consequent 'elite capture' of the state in Bangladesh. Arguing that Bangladesh has moved closer towards applying the inclusive development tenets in policy making, the book's findings show that the challenge is the absence of any generic formula to ensure that the country is moving towards a more inclusive development path. A valuable contribution to the study of Bangladesh's changing dynamics of political, economic and social configurations and development economics, the book will be of interest to researchers in the fields of Economics, Asian Studies and Development Studies"--

This book explores the levels of cooperation and the phenomenon of convergence among BRICS nations. It provides an in-depth look into the financial and banking systems among these rapidly developing economies and the steps they have taken to foster development and counter inequalities. Of the many factors in determining the income and wealth of a country as well as a group of countries, commercial bank credit, a well-known financial indicator, has been an important one. This book analyses the governance and structure of the New Development Bank and its effects on group members for peer growth and to defend against any external economic and political shocks. It looks at how much of an influence the commercial bank credit, or simply the credit, has upon the income levels of the BRICS member countries, how equitable they are, whether they are converging in credits and incomes, and other such issues. It also focuses on India’s credit aspects of inclusiveness and convergence. With a strong empirical model estimation, this book will be of interest to students and researchers of economics, finance, management, political studies, international relations, and international trade.

Urban Mobility Development in Northeast India theoretically and empirically explores the interrelationship between and among city, transportation, economic growth and environment to contribute towards engendering green urbanization for green growth. In a time of aggravating environmental crisis, the book recognizes the duality of contrasting impact of city and transport to economic development and environmental degradation. To serve as a guide for policy research, the book accessibly presents a contextual study blending qualitative as well as quantitative methodology in the context of a highland as well as a frontier capital city of the Northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, Kohima, towards creating a sustainable city with an inclusive and green mobility. The book underscores that management of urbanization and urban mobility challenges should go beyond supply side management and demand side management by democratizing policy making as well as considering efficiency, equity, welfare and practicality concerns and suchlike rationales. By traversing from abstraction to everyday life, from global context to frontier context and from macro level to micro level, the book makes significant theoretical as well as empirical contribution. The book will be of use to students, researchers, policy practitioners as well as general readers interested in Urban Studies, Transport Economics, Growth Economics, Development Studies, Environmental Studies and Asian Studies, especially in relation to highland and frontier regions in developing economies in general and Northeastern Region of India in particular.

Foreign Aid and Bangladesh offers a rich combination of aid history – from the evolution of aid as a global agenda after WWII to the rise of different multilateral, bilateral, and emerging donors and their policy shifts – and a nuanced perspective of aid partnerships at the country level. Drawing on first-hand experiences and insights, the author deeply investigates the realities of a longstanding aid recipient, Bangladesh, and argues that without a political economy approach, one cannot understand the realpolitik of development aid. As an emerging economy from the global south, Bangladesh has been a longstanding partner and recipient of international aid since 1971. Bangladesh has also been active in the global discussions leading to redefining the new narrative and arguments for the new aid regime since the beginning of this century. Building on the analysis of Bangladesh's aid relations, the book shows that there has not been any qualitative shift in aid behavior in the new aid regime that set new norms after the end of the Cold War to ensure recipients' ownership and welcomed an expanding aid landscape by integrating emerging economies from the Global South for achieving better development results. The book analyzes the role of different actors in the development partnership, both traditional and emerging donors - such as China and India, and their partnership practices. It examines different forms of aid and their changing perspective, particularly technical assistance. Based on more than two decades of research and profound insider observations, the book debunks the myth that Southern providers could be more benign to their partners. The arguments placed in the book expose that there is no difference between traditional and emerging donors in ensuring donors' business and strategic interests. While donors continue to ensure their interests in providing aid, the Realpolitik of the situation in the recipient country shows that there is a specific economic and political agenda in pursuing aid. Presenting a comprehensive picture of Bangladesh's aid partnership, through the lens of new development partnership principles and narratives of development aid, this book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of aid and development studies and political science as well as South Asian Studies. Donor officials, civil servants, and national and international policy communities will also benefit from this book.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were introduced by the United Nations (UN) for all member nations with a total of 17 goals and 169 targets to be achieved between 2016 and 2030. The recent pandemic has presented more challenges to achieving the UN’s SDGs. This book examines Bangladesh’s ascendancy in socio-economic terms and the prospects of Bangladesh overcoming the challenges to become a higher-middle-income nation by 2030. This book traces the transformation of Bangladesh from 1996 through 2020 and examines various factors contributing to its success from rural economy, external support, manufacturing, and structural transformation to energy consumption. This book also looks at the challenges and opportunities for Bangladesh as the Fourth Industrial Revolution unfolds and as climate change, to which Bangladesh is highly vulnerable, escalates. This book will be a useful reference document for those who are interested in gaining more insights into inclusive growth and sustainable development from the case study of Bangladesh.

Fifty Years of Bangladesh portrays the multi-faceted dimensions of Bangladesh’s development journey, its economic and social transformation and political and cultural contestations. The book presents new empirical data supplemented with critical analysis of processes, actors and actions that have been the drivers of Bangladesh’s transformation and offers new ways of understanding Bangladesh. Organized in six sections, the book provides a multi-disciplinary, holistic and interrelated narrative of the Bangladesh story covering its economic and social transformation, the political history and changing cultural landscapes. It presents new empirical data and proposes new theoretical and analytical frameworks to explain the country’s complex and paradoxical developments. Capturing the vast landscape of changes that have taken place in different sectors of Bangladesh during the last fifty years, the contributors analyse the variety of Bangladesh’s experiences, its achievements as well as the shortfalls and mistakes. They propose new models and perspectives to ground Bangladesh’s developments, identify persistent and emerging challenges and suggest ways forward. A valuable addition to scholarship on Bangladesh, this book can be used as a reference in universities, research institutions and international development agencies interested in Development Studies, South Asian Studies and studies of the Global South.

Mohan, Chindaliya, and Thomas offer an ethnographic critique of modern, neoliberal India from the perspective of studying the daily lives-livelihoods of marginalised, unsecured, informal vulnerable communities residing in the urban, peri-urban spaces across the nation. With case studies ranging from groups of pastoralists, fisher-folk, and handicraft workers of Kashmir to the weavers of Kutch, and the factory workers and artisans of the Delhi capital, this edited volume of feminist ethnographies cover previously undocumented geographical and socio-cultural contexts of vulnerable groups, put together by the Centre for New Economics Studies, O.P. Jindal Global University. The diverse range of ethnographic case studies further explore the invisibilisation of the growing informal sector in India’s labor market, studied through the applied concepts of Gayatri Spivak’s othering, Doreen Massey’s power geometries and Pierre Bourdieu’s (fractured) habitus. In addition to providing visual narratives of daily lifestyle, livelihoods of identified communities, our ethnographic analysis is rooted in discussing feminist paradigms from each study’s respondents. A useful read for scholars and policymakers interested in understanding intersectional applications of development studies in context of the unsecured workforce in India, with application across disciplines of social-economic anthropology of South Asia, using the methodological lens of experimental ethnography.