Abstract: This study investigates the relationship between national income and tourism expenditure, framed within the context of the Engel curve, for six South Asian nations with significant potential for Halal tourism: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Utilizing a Generalized Least Squares (GLS) model on panel data from 2000 to 2024, we analyze the impact of GDP per capita on outbound tourism expenditure. Our findings indicate a positive and elastic income elasticity of tourism demand (0.989), signifying that tourism is a luxury good and that financial outlay on travel increases more than proportionally with income. The results underscore the critical opportunity for these countries to develop their Halal tourism sectors to capture a share of this elastic expenditure, thereby fostering economic diversification and employment generation. The study concludes with targeted policy recommendations aimed at leveraging this income-elastic demand for sustainable economic development.
Abstract: This research report provides an in-depth analysis of the persistent liquidity crisis within Bangladesh's banking sector. Characterized by a severe shortage of available cash to meet obligations, the crisis threatens financial stability and long-term economic growth. The study identifies the multifaceted causes of the crisis, which are predominantly rooted in systemic governance failures rather than external shocks. Key factors include alarming levels of Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) driven by poor credit governance and willful defaults, a declining trend in deposit growth, significant capital flight, and foreign currency mismanagement. The report assesses the profound impacts of this crisis, including constrained credit flow to productive sectors, erosion of public trust, and heightened systemic risk. It evaluates recent regulatory interventions by Bangladesh Bank, such as the unification of weak banks and the introduction of the Bank Resolution Ordinance 2025. Through analytical review, the report concludes that while these are positive steps, their long-term efficacy depends on rigorous implementation. The study recommends a holistic strategy encompassing stringent governance reforms, aggressive NPL resolution through asset reconstruction companies, monetary and fiscal policy coordination, technological integration for transparency, and confidence-building measures to attract deposits. The findings underscore that a sustainable solution requires unwavering political will to address deep-seated institutional corruption and mismanagement.
Abstract: Digital evolution of payment services has been a crucial and evolving trend that has been witnessed in the Indian financial market. Technological advancement, government support, and a rise in smartphone devices have encouraged people to opt for more digital means of transferring money and changing the structure of financial and money markets. This paper attempts to provide an empirical analysis of how consumer behavior is shaped by the evolving nature of digital payment services, especially in Meerut districts of Meerut, a Tier-2 city that constitutes a mix of both urban and semi-urban class consumer crowd. This paper attempts to provide an empirical analysis of how consumer behavior is shaped through a structured questionnaire covering a sample size of 100 people and employed statistical methods for hypothesis testing and analysis. Findings show that demographic characteristics are not a significant factor in changes in consumer expenditure behavior and shape and are shaped by aspects such as trust, ease of convenience, and perceived usefulness of services. Additionally, it was found that ease of services of digital payment further contributes to an improvement in consumer satisfaction levels.
Abstract: This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the components and effectiveness of the money supply process in Bangladesh, with a particular focus on its underlying determinants, trends, and policy implications. The primary objective is to evaluate whether the existing money supply mechanism, as implemented by the Bangladesh Bank, is effective in meeting the country’s macroeconomic objectives of price stability, economic growth, and financial stability. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, integrating both descriptive and econometric analyses. Descriptive statistics and trend analysis are used to examine the historical patterns of monetary aggregates namely the monetary base (H), money multiplier (m), narrow money (M1), and broad money (M2) over the past two decades.
The results reveal that the money supply process in Bangladesh exhibits both short-run volatility and long-run stability, with the monetary base and money multiplier jointly influencing the expansion of M2. Co-integration tests confirm the existence of long-term equilibrium relationships among monetary aggregates, while ECM results suggest a moderate speed of adjustment toward equilibrium following shocks. However, structural break analysis indicates that global financial crises, domestic policy shifts, and recent pandemic-related disruptions have caused significant short-term deviations.
The findings highlight that although the Bangladesh Bank’s monetary policy framework has been largely effective in steering the long-run trajectory of the money supply, challenges remain in managing short-run fluctuations and in aligning monetary expansion with real economic growth. The study concludes with policy recommendations aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the money supply process, including improving forecasting models, strengthening monetary transmission mechanisms, and enhancing coordination between monetary and fiscal policy.
Abstract: Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) play a crucial role in the Indian financial system by complementing banks in providing credit, promoting financial inclusion, and offering specialised financial services. The present study aims to evaluate the performance of selected NBFCs in India using key financial indicators. This research analyses profitability, liquidity, solvency, and efficiency ratios to assess the overall financial health of these organisations. Secondary data has been collected from annual reports and published financial statements of the selected NBFCs for a specific period. The findings reveal performance variations among NBFCs, highlighting strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This study conducts a comparative performance appraisal of two major Non-Banking Financial Companies operating in the National Capital Region (NCR) of India: Bajaj Finance Ltd. (Gurgaon) and Tata Capital Financial Services Ltd. (Noida). Using key financial metrics such as Assets Under Management (AUM), profitability ratios (Return on Assets - ROA, Return on Equity - ROE), net interest margin (NIM), asset quality (non-performing assets - NPAs), and capital adequacy, this paper evaluates the financial health, operational efficiency, and performance dynamics of both NBFCs. The findings highlight significant differences arising from their business strategies, asset quality, and scale of operations, providing actionable insights for investors, regulators, and stakeholders.
Abstract: In the last decades, the Korean Peninsula has remained a region of constant political conflict and worrisome instability. In recent times, the tension between North and South Koreas has gathered momentum following North Korea’s nuclear development programmes and subsequent display of military prowess by both Koreas in a fashion that is characteristic of arms race of the Cold War era. The United States has wielded into the situation in the Peninsula to the effect of ending the catastrophic nuclearization. This has ballooned the historical conflict between the United States and North Korea. The paper examines Military Presence of United States in Korean Peninsula Conflict and Intensification of Nuclear Development Programme by North Korea, in order to ascertain if the continuous military presence of United States in the Korean Peninsula as sustained by Biden’s Presidency contributes to the intensification of catastrophic nuclear weapons development programme by North Korea. The study adopted the ’Realist Theory’ as its anchor blue-print in a pragmatic effort to explain why the engagement between the two states remain largely hostile. The study adopted content analysis for the purpose of analyzing documented materials generated through secondary sources of data collection as well as the qualitative method of data analysis. The findings show the serial and catastrophic worsening of United States and North Korea conflict with the unabated military presence of United States in Korean Peninsula and how it has intensified nuclear development programme by North Korea. Recommendations were proffered along these findings as follows, the need for reduction in the high military presence of the US in Korean Peninsula which the government of North Korea perceived as a threat to the national security of North Korea. The facts shows that North Korea will continue to feel threatened so long as the US heavy military remain in the Korean Peninsula.