This book is a synthesis of the results and implications from a series of product-specific import and export process analyses conducted in selected Asian countries. It provides a unique set of micro-level information on the nature, as well as the time and cost, of trade procedures involved in...

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Asia and are effective job creators and income generators. In addition, SMEs play a key role in poverty reduction and inclusive economic growth. However, SMEs in the subregion often face considerable resource constraints and have limited capabilities...

With the ongoing customs reforms in Bangladesh, the possible future negotiations on trade facilitation in the WTO will have a profound impact on Bangladesh, as well as on other LDC and developing countries. These countries will benefit greatly from new trade facilitation initiatives....

This study assesses the strengths and weaknesses of reforms in the banking and insurance industries. Banking sector performance is analysed using various indicators as well as Principle Component Analysis techniques. A comparative case study of three banks with different ownership structures is...

This paper draws from three country case studies of the liberalization and development of the banking and insurance service sectors in Bangladesh, Nepal and Malaysia undertaken as part of an ARTNeT regional study on trade in services led by the author.

The analysis particularly focuses on the possible implications of Annex 2 and Annex 3 of the NAMA modalities for Bangladesh.

Under financial constraints, exporting may have less to do with productivity and more to do with financial resources. The established relationship between exporting and productivity would differ when examined through the lens of the working capital needs of the firm. I approach the hypothesis...

This paper studies foreign direct investment (FDI) spillovers on gender labor market practices of domestic firms, based on a unique firm-to-firm dataset of Bangladesh's textiles and garment sectors. We look at the female employment of domestic firms that are directly and indirectly related to...

This paper examines the relationship between trade openness and economic growth in Bangladesh. Contrary to the previous studies we use the data only for the period after the trade liberalization in the early 1990s. Both cointegration and Granger causality analysis are used to find the short-run...

This study focuses on Pakistan and Bangladesh trade relations, which have developed over the period of time. Both countries are the member countries of SAARC and are signatories of SAFTA. The empirical finding in the study revealed that for both countries, trade flows have increased over time,...