Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organised a discussion with journalists on issues related to public policy interventions in the pandemic period in Bangladesh, based on a CPD study titled “COVID-19 and Bangladesh Macroeconomic Impact and Policy Choices”, prepared under a programme in association with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London and supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa. The discussion was held on Monday, 18 October 2021, at the Santoor Restaurant, Dhanmondi, Dhaka. It was attended by a select group of leading media professionals to share their views and opinions on this study.
Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow, CPD and the study team leader, presented the study findings. Dr Debapriya reviewed the impact of the pandemic on macroeconomic correlates, the magnitude and nature of public policy response, and the implications of policy choices for disadvantaged people, women, youth and climate affected people. He also shared two policy scenarios derived through a modelling exercise.
The journalists present at the discussion were of the opinion that data constraint had been a critical issue during the pandemic times. Despite raising this issue numerous times, no concrete follow-up was evident on the part of the policymakers. The participants present at the event also opined that quality public expenditure should receive heightened importance in the coming days, particularly in the context of pandemic response.
The media professionals expressed the optimism that they would continue to follow up on the issues discussed at the event with dedicated interviews, op-eds and budgetary reviews.