Finance and Economy

Fernando cautioned that declining leaf quality, driven by erratic weather, could soon trigger a broader collapse in quantity and output.

In a sobering assessment released this week, the United Nations has painted a complex portrait of Afghanistan under Taliban governance, where a dramatic increase in security incidents coincides with fragile stability, devastating cross-border violence with Pakistan, and a deepening humanitarian and human rights crisis.

Experts argue that investment in agriculture, mining, manufacturing and transport infrastructure could help improve export performance and reduce dependence on imports.

The government has projected growth of around 4 per cent for the next fiscal year, while aiming to keep inflation under control and continue fiscal consolidation.

International mediators, including Qatar, continue to play pivotal roles. The coming weeks will test whether this ceasefire evolves into a comprehensive framework for Middle East security or remains a fragile pause.

For now, development agencies, implementing partners and beneficiaries across Bangladesh face an uncertain future as one of the country’s most significant sources of international development assistance comes to a sudden halt.

As India aspires to become a “global food basket,” initiatives like this position it as a leader sharing expertise with neighbours. Paswan’s vision aligns with Viksit Bharat, where food processing drives employment, nutrition, and sustainable development.

Sri Lanka continues to grapple with the legacies of structural poverty even as the nation navigates a fragile economic recovery from the devastating 2022 crisis.