The ERD preparatory work now under way will determine how forcefully Bangladesh presses its own priorities when the two sides sit down later this year.
Analysts project that without such investments, ongoing global risks – geopolitical, climatic, and logistical – could keep prices elevated and margins tight for farmers into 2026 and beyond.
The simultaneous provincial wheat-release programme may ease some pressure on millers, but bakers say the benefit will only reach them if official roti rates are adjusted accordingly.
Timely community action and strengthened health services will determine how many more young lives are placed at risk before cooler weather arrives, health workers say.
In Upper Kohistan, 98 out of 718 babies – roughly 13.65 per cent – were born underweight, making it the most affected district in the province. Kolai Palas followed with a 9.04 per cent rate (34 out of 376), while Upper Chitral recorded 76 such cases out of 1,212 births, translating to 6.27 per cent.
As families search for loved ones and casualty verification continues, the incident risks further destabilising an already volatile region. Diplomats and rights monitors are watching closely, with calls mounting for de-escalation and dialogue.