This document discusses key economic indicators and drivers of the regional economy of Sylhet, Bangladesh. It identifies GDP, unemployment rate, money reserves, remittances, poverty line, and inflation rate as important microeconomic and macroeconomic indicators. Several factors are highlighted as driving future economic growth in Sylhet by 2025, including natural gas reserves, an upcoming special economic zone, growth in remittances and establishments, and greater regional connectivity. Projections show increases in GDP growth, the public finance rate, remittances, and reductions in inflation, unemployment, and poverty by 2025.

1. Paper Presentation – (Predicting the regional
economy and identifying the key drivers)

2.  There are two types of economic indicators.
Microeconomic indicator Macroeconomic indicator
Consumer Price Index Real GDP
Remittance Unemployment Rate
Poverty Line Inflation Rate
Money Reserve Currency Exchange Rate

3.  GDP : Sylhet’s GDP is $49.6 billion. Per capita GDP is
$5,010. It clearly indicates a high production rate.
 Unemployment Rate: The unemployment rate is 7.8%.
 Money reserve: According to a report, there is around
11,000 crore (1.4 billion USD) idle money in different
financial institutions which is roughly 10% of national
budget in 2009.

4.  Remittance: About 35% of the total export earning
generates from remittance. Among them 90%
remittance comes from Sylhet region which is
$2433.879 million.
 Poverty line: Only 21% of the total population lives
under poverty in Sylhet region. This rate is decreasing
day by day.
 CPI Inflation : CPI inflation rate is approximately
6.0%.

5.  Remittance: Current remittance inflow is 14,000
crore taka. It will be around 20,000 crore by
2025.
 SEZ : A special economic zone will be established
soon at Srehatta, Moulvibazar. It will be a pioneer
for many establishment. It will provide job for
40,706 people and also a great source of foreign
investment.
 Natural Gas: Total natural gas reserve is 14
trillion cubic feet. This huge reserve is a great
opportunity for the establishment of many
industries.

6.  Money reserve: Only 21% of total money deposit of Sylhet
region is disbursed as loan. It will be 70%-80% by 2025 for
the increasing number of industrial establishment.
 Establishment: Total number of establishment by NRB’s is
14,171. It will be increased to 30,000 or more by 2025. ICT
based production establishment is 1,197. It will be increased
to a great number by 2025 because of the growing ICT
sector.
 Regional Connectivity: If the regional connectivity is enhanced
than our region will be benefited by Free Trade Area(FTA)
with the seven sister state of India.
 Others: proper utilization of other resources like silica, crude
oil, silica, coal, hard-rock, Auger, Rubber, tea, bamboo etc
will boost the regional economy in 2025 to a greater extent.

7.  Natural gas: There are about 14 trillion cubic
feet of natural gas which can be used for electric
power generation, industrial development.
 Crude oil : Haripur oil field reserves more
than153 million barrels of oil which will fulfil the
total 2 year demand of the country.
 Peat : About 2.5 million tons of peat reserve was
discovered in Moulvibazar of Sylhet division.
 Silica glass sand: Shahzibazar of Habigonj
district has glass and reserve of about 1.41
million tons which can be used for ceramic
industry.

8.  Hard-rock: Total estimated reserve is about 45.6
million cubic meters. (Jaflong, Tamabil, Sylhet)
 Tea gardens: Sylhet region produces over 55
million kgs of tea annualy from more than 150
tea estate spread over 40,000 hectors.
 Remittance: According to the embassy of
Bangladesh in London the total remittance flows
from 2009 to 2012 is estimated 2433.879
million USD.
 Tourism Industry: It is also a good factor of
economic growth in Sylhet region.

9. Factors Current 2025(estimted)
Annual real gdp growth rate(%) 6.0 10.0
Public finance (Regional) (% of
GDP)
20.0 25.0
Remittance (US$ billion) 10.0 25.5
CPI Inflation (%) 6.0 5.2
Unemployment rate (%) 7.8 5.0
Poverty Line (%) 21.0 15.0

10. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Annual real gdp
growth rate (%)
Public finance
(Regional) (% of
GDP)
Remittance (US$
billion)
CPI Inflation (%) Unemployment
rate (%)
Poverty Line (%)
2025(estimated)
Current