This was a few days ago. Jyoti Rahman, a co-writer of this column, spoke at a roundtable discussion organised by the Bangladesh Research Analysis and Information Network and Voice for Reform.

In the main article, he expressed optimism that, if everything goes well, Bangladesh might reach a trillion-dollar economy by 2035. In the same discussion, Professor Rashed Al Titumir referred to the year 2034 in his article. He also wrote about this in a book he published in 2023.

Recently, the discussion about a trillion-dollar economy has gained renewed momentum. The primary reason is that the BNP has announced a target to reach a trillion-dollar economy by 2034 in its electoral plan. This topic is being trolled on social media.

However, for those concerned with the economy, this issue is far more important than partisan debate. Regardless of political affiliation, it's crucial to discuss the realistic prospects and conditions for achieving this goal for the sake of the country.

According to the latest figures from the International Monetary Fund, Bangladesh's GDP will be approximately $519 billion in 2025. Real growth fell to 3.7 to 3.9 per cent in the fiscal year 2025, which is lower than the previous year. The growth projection for the fiscal year 2026 is set at 4.8 to 5 per cent.