Stamford University holds post-budget symposium
Stamford University Bangladesh has brought together policymakers, economists, academics, and industry leaders for a post-budget symposium to analyse the proposed national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year and its implications for the country's economic development.
Jointly organised by the Department of Business Administration and the Department of Economics, the symposium facilitated an exchange of views on budgetary priorities, investment prospects and strategies for sustainable growth.
Participants exchanged views on key budgetary priorities, investment prospects, energy development, and strategies for achieving sustainable economic growth through stronger collaboration among government, industry, and academia.
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Professor Dr Sharif Nafe As-Sabre, Vice-Chancellor of Stamford University Bangladesh, presided over the event, emphasising that effective utilisation of public resources is as important as the allocation of funds.
He said allocating funds alone was not enough, as effective utilisation of public resources was equally important.
He stressed that a successful national budget requires meaningful coordination among the public sector, industry and educational institutions.
Jalal Ahmed, Chairman of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission, expressed optimism about continued progress in the country's energy sector.
Dr Iftikhar Mostafa, Senior Agricultural Economist at the World Bank, said the national budget is more than a collection of numbers and reflects the aspirations and expectations of the people.
He underscored the importance of adopting a people-centred approach to budget formulation.
AKM Sohel, Additional Secretary of the Economic Relations Division, noted a significant increase in investment over the previous year, reflecting growing confidence among both domestic and international investors.
Mohammad Hatem, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, described the proposed budget as an improvement over last year's and said it would strengthen the industrial and export sectors.
Dr Nasir Uddin Ahmed, former Chairman of the National Board of Revenue and former Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, discussed challenges in implementing large-scale solar power projects in South Asia.
Faria Kabir, Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Administration, moderated the programme, which was jointly conducted with Susmita Banik, Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics.
The event opened with a recitation from the Holy Quran by Shamsul Islam Yasin, a student of the Department of Business Administration, followed by a reading from the Bhagavad Gita by Shuvra Bairagi, a student of the Department of Law.
Professor Dr Abdus Sattar, Chairman of the Department of Economics, delivered the welcome address.
Other speakers included Mohammad Nazmul Huq, Head and Associate Professor of the Department of Marketing; Mohammad Azizul Haque, Director of the Institutional Quality Assurance Cell and Associate Professor; and Farjana Sultana, Assistant Professor of the Department of Economics.
Md Golam Rabbani, Head of the Department of Management and Human Resource Management, delivered the vote of thanks.
Dr Mrityunjoy Acharjee, Proctor and Associate Professor; Mohammad Abdul Matin, Registrar; Prodeepto Mobarook, Head of the Public Relations Division; as well as deans, department chairpersons, faculty members and students, were also present.
The discussion concluded with a call for greater cooperation among government, industry and academia to ensure effective budget implementation and drive sustainable economic growth.
