Dhaka, July 8 -- Bangladesh is witnessing a troubling resurgence in poverty and inequality, with recent World Bank data warning that extreme poverty could rise to 9.3 percent in 2025, pushing an additional three million people below the poverty line. The sobering forecast comes amid political uncertainty, sluggish industrial growth, and mounting structural challenges following the interim government's assumption of office.

According to the World Bank's Poverty and Equity Brief, while overall poverty in Bangladesh had declined to 5 percent by the $2.15/day international threshold in 2022, current economic stagnation is expected to undo part of that progress. Inequality is also worsening: the Gini index for income inequality is projected t...