Sector/Thematic Studies

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Economic and Sectoral Work are original analytic reports authored by the World Bank and intended to influence programs and policy in client countries. They convey Bank-endorsed recommendations and represent the formal opinion of a World Bank unit on the topic. This set includes the sectoral and thematic studies which are not Core Diagnostic Studies. Other analytic and advisory activities (AAA), including technical assistance studies, are included in these sectoral/thematic collections.

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 27
  • Publication
    Bangladesh: Political Economy of Right to Information
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-04-30) Ahsan, Syed Khaled; Hasan, Sadik; Imran, Nadee Naboneeta
    The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2009, was a milestone in the legal history of Bangladesh to ensure people’s right to obtain information from the government offices and other organizations. This act covers most bodies owned, controlled, or substantially financed either directly or indirectly by the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The act aims at giving citizens the right to hold the government accountable. In the 1990s, civil society advocated for the RTI Act as one of the best-fitted tools to establish good governance. The act was drafted by the government and civil society organizations (CSOs) together, following an analysis of a few other RTI Acts. A caretaker administration further cemented the path for the introduction of the RTI Act. The Council of Advisors of the caretaker administration approved the RTI Ordinance in September 2008, and it became formally recognized as a law from October 20, 2008. The democratically elected new government passed the RTI Act in March 2009, in the very first session of Parliament. The context of introducing a law for RTI in Bangladesh was different from that of India. The demand came from the grassroots level in India with a 40-day sit-in protest by a citizens’ rights body in 1996. In the case of Bangladesh, it came from Dhaka-based elites and lacked connection with the grassroots (Article 19 2015). The RTI Act, 2009, helps investigative journalism, but that is not the entire goal of this act. The goal is to empower citizens with information and make livelihoods easier for the ones who will otherwise have no means of getting answers from the state or other social actors.
  • Publication
    Bangladesh Right To Information Survey 2019
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020) World Bank
    The year 2019 marks the tenth year of the Right to Information (RTI) act enactment in Bangladesh. The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) has made good progress in implementing the RTI Act 2009 in the past decade. The RTI survey was conducted between January and March of 2019. The survey results reveal that the contribution of the RIT Act 2009 has overall been positive in the last decade. Especially, notable progress has taken place in making the supply side prepared in implementing the RTI Act. The survey will enable policymakers and RTI activists to identify and seal the pores and bring about the desired changes in perception, behavior, and actions of various stakeholders, including the citizens.
  • Publication
    Unpredictable Regulatory Practices
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-09) World Bank
    The current regulatory environment in Bangladesh discourages the entry of innovative businesses.Entrepreneurs face a myriad of regulatory barriers including an absence of laws and regulations that clarify the rules of the game for new activities (regulatory gaps), and conflicting definitions and interpretations (regulatory ambiguity).Typically, rules and regulations are announced without prior notice, consultation or impact assessment. As a result, they do not benefit from the practical knowledge that businesses have. Even welldesigned rules and regulations cause problems if announced suddenly and with immediate effect.There are inconsistencies and gaps in rules and regulations.Government agencies often impose their own rules and procedures without considering possible conflicts with rules and procedures imposed by other government agencies.Businesses find it difficult to find information on existing rules and regulations.Regulatory officials use undue discretion in dealing with businesses.Many regulatory areas lack an effective grievance redressal system.Insecure property rights also dis-incentivize businesses from making investments.Regulatory unpredictability hampers business entry and day to day business operations; however, the degree depends on the size of the business.
  • Publication
    Bangladesh Development Update, October 2014
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-10) Hussain, Zahid; Rizwan, Nadeem
    Progress on reducing extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity through human development and employment generation has continued. This needs to be further consolidated in the near-term by sustaining Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and remittances growth recovery, creating jobs, containing inflation, and making progress on improving the quality of service delivery in health and education. To sustain growth in the near- and medium-term, private investments need to increase significantly. At the same time, the quality of public investment needs to be substantially enhanced to alleviate the infrastructure constraints on private investments and to expand service delivery. Moving forward in the immediate future, stronger attention is needed to (a) swiftly complete the transition in the garment industry, (b) finish the critical ongoing road development projects, (c) enact the Public Private Partnership (PPP) law, and (d) award contracts to build Special Economic Zones (SEZs).
  • Publication
    Bangladesh Development Update, April 2014
    (Washington, DC, 2014-04-01) World Bank
    Bangladesh moved closer to achieving the sixth five year plan target of reducing extreme poverty to 22.5 percent by 2015 as it sustained healthy gross domestic product (GDP) growth and moderate single digit inflation in FY2014. However, growth this year slowed relative to last year with declining remittances and losses due to political turmoil. Sound macroeconomic management kept inflation in check, although it increased somewhat due to the one-off effects of supply disruptions and wage increases. Official foreign exchange reserves increased to an adequate level as Bangladesh Bank intervened to keep the exchange rate stable. Weak demand for credit reduced interest rates. Monetary policy remained prudent while fiscal management challenged by shortfall in tax revenue, demand for support from sectors adversely affected by the political turmoil, and under-utilization of development budget. The fund's extended credit facility (ECF) is on track. Immediate challenges are to boost investments in power and roads; manage the transition in readymade garments; and stem the decline in remittances.
  • Publication
    Bangladesh - Revenue Mobilization Program for Results: VAT Improvement Program Technical Assessment
    (Washington, DC, 2014-01) World Bank
    This operation will support the VAT Improvement Program to assist the National Board of Revenue (NBR) in streamlining and modernizing Value Added Tax (VAT) operations and establishing an integrated VAT Management System for the purposes of implementing the new regime. The primary focus of the program is to prepare the administration to be able to administer the new VAT, which is to be introduced in July 2015. The new VAT Act, 2012 provides for a modern VAT scheme based on few exemptions and self-assessment. The Act provides the legal basis for the new VAT administration, and the impetus for a shift from manual to automated and modernized core tax business processing. The program is part of the government s broader tax reform agenda as articulated in the Tax Modernization Plan 2011-16 (endorsed by Parliament in June 2011), which envisages policy and institutional reform alongside a program for automating NBR operations to improve services to taxpayers, reduce administrative costs for taxpayers, and improve compliance. The VAT improvement program aims to widen the tax base by enhancing voluntary compliance, and reducing non-compliance. The ultimate goals are to increase VAT revenues and enhance the transparency of the VAT administration in Bangladesh in order to achieve its medium-term revenue target of a tax-to GDP-ratio of 12.2 percent by FY 2016; and to enhance the VAT compliance. Towards this objective, the program will also address those structural weaknesses embedded in the tax system that result in skewed tax bases and provide wide opportunities for evasion and corruption. Importantly, the VAT improvement program will support the strategic reform agenda, also supported by the IMF s Extended Credit Facility to enable NBR to fully implement the new VAT law.
  • Publication
    Bangladesh Development Update, April 2013
    (Washington, DC, 2013-04) World Bank
    Weak exports and investments resulting from the impact of the euro-area crisis, domestic supply constraints, and intensified strikes and unrests underpin the growth slowdown. Strong remittances and robust service sector performance are expected to help maintain growth at a still healthy level. Increasingly fragile political stability does not bode well for revival of investment needed to accelerate growth. A broad-based declining inflation trend appears to be gaining ground. Average (twelve-monthly-moving) inflation has declined steadily over the past ten months, from a peak of nearly 11 percent in February 2012 to 8 percent in March 2013, reflecting declines in both food and non-food inflation. Favorable international commodity prices, a stable exchange rate and monetary tightening contributed to lowering inflation.
  • Publication
    Bangladesh Economic Update, October 2012
    (Washington, DC, 2012-10) World Bank
    Despite an unfavourable global economy, economic growth in Bangladesh is projected at close to 6 percent in fiscal 2013 (FY13). Adverse external demand and domestic supply constraints continue to be a drag on growth. Shortfalls in exports and investments due to a possible protracted crisis in the euro area and internal supply constraints may underpin the moderation of growth. Investment targets of the medium term budget framework 2013 to 2017 face major obstacles in shortage of electricity and gas supplies, and poorly functioning roads and ports. One positive prospect on the investment front is the increase in foreign direct investment in FY12, which surpassed the US$ 1 billion for the second time in Bangladesh's history. Fiscal policy is back on track. Fiscal performance in FY12 was favourable, notwithstanding increasing subsidies. The overall budget deficit in FY12 is estimated at 4.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Domestic financing of the deficit declined to 3.2 percent of GDP, from 3.5 percent in FY11. Lower government borrowing from the banking system in the second half of FY12 was a welcome reversal from worrying trends in the first half of the year. The FY13 budget deficit target 5 percent of GDP is modest, though higher than the estimated 4.5 percent of FY12, and is likely to be undershot primarily because of a shortfall in the implementation of the ambitious Tk 550 billion annual development programs, by now a familiar pattern. However, the financing of the deficit may be a challenge with a projected US$2.2 billion net external financing need, substantially more than the $1.4 billion of the revised FY12 budget. The rest of the deficit is projected to be financed from domestic sources, with a still heavy 69 percent reliance on bank borrowing. Bangladesh's economic outlook is subject to several near-term risks. Possible intensification of the euro area crisis may deepen Bangladesh's export slump of the last six months; escalation of global food prices may reverse the recent decline in food inflation; global oil price shock will place the balance of payments under pressure again and shrink fiscal space; banks are susceptible to credit and market risk and the global economic vulnerabilities; and increased political instability and labour unrest may depress investments further.
  • Publication
    Strengthening Bangladesh's Public Service Commission
    (Washington, DC, 2012-01) World Bank
    Bangladesh's Public Service Commission (PSC) is a constitutionally mandated custodian of merit-based recruitment to the civil service. In practice, however, it is perceived to be a weak organization that has not always well-managed the recruitment process. Since the 1990s the media has reported politicized appointment of its members. Recently there have been allegations of examination irregularities, including leakage of question papers of the civil service examinations. The management of the PSC and its role in civil service recruitment has departed from comparative administrative practice. This note argues that the PSC's independence from micromanagement by the executive, and its improved management of the civil service examination are critical for its credibility to uphold the merit principle. It lists short- and medium-term actions that could help in restoring the PSC's intended role and functions. PSCs are common in administrative traditions where the appointed executive is meant to be permanent, politically neutral and unaligned to any particular political party or group of elected officials. A PSC forms a critical piece of the public sector's good governance framework by providing a check and balance between the government's interest and its employee's interests. In recruitment, which is an important element of civil service management, the PSC protects the government's interest by selecting the best among available candidates for a particular position.
  • Publication
    Best Practice Spectrum Renewal and Pricing : A Review of International Best Practice and the Lessons for the Government of Bangladesh
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-06-02) Friend, Graham
    The 15 year licenses of four mobile operators in Bangladesh; Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi, and Citycell are due to expire in November 2011. The remaining two other mobile operators, state owned Teletalk and Airtel, were issued licenses in 2004 and 2005 and these are not due for renewal until 2019 and 2020 respectively. The World Bank has asked Coleago Consulting Limited (Coleago) to prepare a report on international best practice for spectrum renewal and pricing and to analyze the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) proposals in light of best practice. The mobile industry has changed dramatically in the intervening years and so license renewal provides regulators with the opportunity to update relevant regulation to better align the licensing framework and license conditions with the mobile industry of today and to accommodate future developments. In this report the author have surveyed a number of jurisdictions and examined both successful and not so successful spectrum renewal processes in order to derive a set of international principles of best practice for spectrum renewal and pricing. In doing so the author have also sought to identify best regulatory practice in a broader sense as successful spectrum renewal processes depend, in part, on being conducted within a robust and effective overall regulatory regime. This report covers: the process of spectrum renewal including both administered and market based approaches; and alternative methods for pricing spectrum.