Dhaka, Dec. 12 -- As Bangladesh approaches the end of 2025, the country faces one of its most serious socio-economic crises in decades. The decades-long trajectory of steady growth and poverty reduction is now under threat. Economic slowdown, rampant inflation, political instability, and climate-related shocks are combining to push millions of households-many of which had only recently escaped poverty-back toward deprivation.

Over the past two decades, millions of families in Bangladesh have moved just above the poverty line, through hard work, access to education, microfinance opportunities, and targeted social programmes. However, this progress is fragile. Economists describe a vulnerable group as the "New Poor"-households that can be ...