Publications
1. An interview article was published in AmCham Journal Vol: 11, No:2 (a publication by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh). The interview dealt with likely failure of FY 19 budget to achieve both revenue and expenditure targets, measures needed to increase the contribution of the private sector to investment, need for enhancing the cost effectiveness of public sector investment and the imperative of undertaking a detailed study of trade and industrial policy in order to revamp the present tariff structure which creates an anti-export bias.
Other Activities
• 02 October: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam appeared on a TV program broadcast by ATN Bangla. The subject matter of discussion was the present state of the stock market in Bangladesh which can be characterized as a low level equilibrium trap. The causes underlying the present scenario were reviewed.
• 02 October: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam along with Dr. Mustafizur Rahman participated in a TV talk show broadcast by Ekushey TV. The discussion dealt with the credibility of GDP growth rate of 7.86% in FY 19 as announced by the Government in light of other relevant macroeconomic indicators such as export growth, remittance increase, investment etc.
• 08 October: An interview with Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam was broadcast by Ekushey TV. The interview reviewed export performance of Bangladesh in recent times and highlighted the actions needed to enhance export growth in order to contain rising current account deficit in balance of payments.
• 09 October: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam chaired a seminar organized by Bangladesh University of Business and Technology. Five papers dealing with microfinance, capital market, corporate governance and disclosure practices in corporate sector were presented in the session. There were two discussants on these papers: Dr. Towfiq Ahmed, Director General Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management and Dr.Swapan Kumar Bala, Commissioner, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission. The discussions focused on the current situation in Bangladesh in the aforementioned areas and policy implications for future improvement.
• 13 October: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam chaired an orientation program for 13th batch of students enrolled for Masters of Public Administration in Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management, an Institute affiliated with Dhaka University.
• 14 October: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam along with Mr. Benazir Ahmed, Former President of FBCCI. The discussions reviewed the progress in implementation of mega projects under the Annual Development Program and noted that the slow progress will lead to time and cost overruns which will undermine the anticipated benefits.
• 22 October: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam was the only discussant in a talk show broadcast by Ekushey TV. The discussion assessed the macroeconomic scenario of Bangladesh for the end of the first quarter of FY 2018. The indicators reviewed were exports, remittances, current account deficit in the balance of payments, exchange rate and stock market index.
• 24 October: Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam chaired a meeting of the Jury Board constituted by Institute of Chartered Secretaries of Bangladesh (ISCB). The meeting finalized the list of companies eligible for Corporate Governance Award of ICSB for 2017.