Dr Fahmida Khatun
Dr Fahmida Khatun
Executive Director
Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)
Phone: (+88 02) 55001184
Expertise and Interest
Macroeconomic policy, climate change, environment, energy economics, green economy, international development financeaid effectiveness, international trade and WTO issues, digital economy, youth employment, health issues, interests of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and women’s contribution to the economy
Dr Fahmida Khatun is the Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a leading think tank in Bangladesh and South Asia. Dr Khatun is also a Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, think tank based in the USA (https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/fahmida-khatun/).
She has done PhD in Economics from UCL, University of London UK. She did her post-doctoral research at Columbia University, USA as a Fulbright Scholar. At Colombia University she undertook joint research with Professor Jeffery Sachs. She has also participated in a Leadership Decision Making programme at Harvard University, USA.
During December 2022-December 2023, Dr Khatun served as the Co-Chair of T20 India Task Force on “Accelerating SDGs: Exploring New Pathways to the 2030 Agenda” to the G20. She is a member of the High-level Advisory Board on Productive Capacities Index (PCI) of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). She is a member of the Governing Body of BRAC, largest non-government organisation in the world working for the cause of the poor and left behind.
Prior to joining CPD she worked as a Research Fellow at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS); as an Environment Specialist for the UNDP; as an Economist for the USAID Mission in Bangladesh. She taught economics at universities in Bangladesh and England. She was a Visiting Fellow at the Christian Michelsen Institute (CMI), Norway, at the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), India, and at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade (KIIET), South Korea. She is a member of the editorial board of Indian Journal of Human Development (JHD).
Dr Khatun was a member of the Panel of Economists for the Eighth Five Year Plan (2021-25) formed by Bangladesh Planning Commission. She served as a member of the Advisory Committee for the National Human Development Report prepared by the Economic Relations Division, Government of Bangladesh. She was a Director of Janata Bank Limited, the second largest state-owned bank of Bangladesh (2008-2011) and a Director of the SME Foundation of Bangladesh (2011-2013).
Dr Khatun’s research interests and expertise include macroeconomic policy, climate change, environment, energy economics, green economy, aid effectiveness, international trade and WTO issues, digital economy, youth employment, health issues, interests of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and women’s contribution to the economy.
She delivers lectures on economic issues at several reputed institutions in Bangladesh. The pre-eminent ones include public and private universities, National Defence College, Defence Services and Staff College, Bangladesh Police Academy, and Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre.
She has published widely at home and abroad. She is a columnist of the Daily Star, a leading daily in Bangladesh (www.thedailystar.net/author/dr-fahmida-khatun). She is also a contributor to the East Asia Forum (www.eastasiaforum.org/index.php?s=fahmida+khatun). Dr Khatun hosted popular talk shows in the national televisions on economic issues. She was a regular contributor to BBC Bangla at BBC World Service during 1991-96 in London. Dr. Khatun regularly speaks on economic issues in the national and international media including The Econmist, BBC World Service Television and Radio, Voice of America Radio, and Al-Jazeera Television.
Govt must control inflation, increase private investments to tackle poverty – Fahmida Khatun
Urgent measures must be taken to control inflation, though the government should have taken steps to control it way earlier. A World Bank projection states that extreme poor will increase by 5 lakh and moderate poor by 8.4 lakh within FY24. These numbers are deeply troubling.
How can Bangladesh manage its external debt? – Fahmida Khatun
Recently, Bangladesh’s external debt situation has become a topic of discussion—and for several reasons. While Bangladesh’s external debt is deemed comfortable according to the IMF’s Debt Sustainability Report, there are concerns about the significant increase in debt servicing liabilities.
A snapshot of macroeconomic correlates
The national budget for FY2024-25 (FY25) will be the first budget prepared by the incumbent government. It will also be prepared under new leadership at the Ministry of Finance.
Why is WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference important for Bangladesh? – Fahmida Khatun
The 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) held in Abu Dhabi from February 26 to March 2 has significance for Bangladesh.
Time for exporters to shed the cocoon of cash incentives – Fahmida Khatun
In a move to adapt to changing global economic dynamics, policymakers in Bangladesh recently announced significant changes to the country’s cash assistance rates for various export items.
সুশাসন প্রতিষ্ঠা করতে না পারলে অর্থনৈতিক সমস্যা দূর করা যাবে না – ফাহমিদা খাতুন
দ্বাদশ জাতীয় সংসদ নির্বাচনের পর দেশে নতুন যে সরকার এসেছে তার জন্য বেশকিছু চ্যালেঞ্জ রয়েছে। বিগত বছরগুলোয় মূল্যস্ফীতির ফলে দেশের অর্থনীতিতে যে অস্থিতিশীলতা তৈরি হয়েছে, সেটাকে নিয়ন্ত্রণে আনার পাশাপাশি রাজস্ব বৃদ্ধির লক্ষ্যে ঋণখেলাপিদের থেকে ঋণ আদায় করা, ব্যাংকিং খাতে যেসব অনিয়ম চলছে তা বন্ধে কাজ করা নতুন সরকারের জন্য বড় চ্যালেঞ্জ হবে বলে আমি মনে করি।
Last year’s macroeconomic strains showing no signs of letting up – Fahmida Khatun
The strains on the macroeconomic landscape in 2023 have only intensified over the preceding year, and there is no evidence of any improvement in the prevailing conditions in the new year 2024.
হয়ে উঠুন বন্ধু – ফাহমিদা খাতুন
সামাজিক যোগাযোগমাধ্যমে অনেক সময় চলে যায়। মেধাবিকাশের ক্ষেত্রে তা অন্তরায়। মেধা কোনো সৃজনশীল, সৃষ্টিশীল, উদ্ভাবনমূলক কাজে ব্যবহারের সুযোগ থাকে না। চিন্তা করার সৃজনশীল মনন তৈরি হয় না।
Effective market management could contribute to a moderated inflation rate – Dr Fahmida Khatun
Addressing the challenges of the economy requires a comprehensive approach, encompassing improved fiscal management, timely project implementation, enhanced accountability, and an environment conducive to private sector growth
The biggest risks facing our world in 2024 – Fahmida Khatun
The World Economic Forum (WEF) just released its annual Global Risks Report 2024, ahead of its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The report presents a sobering assessment of current and future socio-economic and political situations, signalling a global risk landscape that is gradually eroding human development progress.