DHAKA, April 1 -- Bangladesh's Finance Ministry is tackling what it identifies as one of its most formidable challenges: significantly amplifying public expenditure to catalyse sustained growth within the private sector.

An official document from the ministry underscores that, in comparison to other economies, Bangladesh's government spending as a percentage of GDP markedly trails, thereby emphasising the urgency to augment investment.

Data from the World Economic Forum and the IMF (as of April 2023), reveal Bangladesh's public expenditure at 13.1% of its GDP, a figure that stands in stark contrast to countries like France at 58.5%, Sweden at 46.8%, and even neighbouring India at 28.8%. This discrepancy highlights the room for growth in...