Introduction

Abstract

Bangladesh, like most developing countries, has been experiencing a moderate but steady structural transformation (ST) moving the economy away from traditional agricultural activities to relatively modern manufacturing and services sectors. The challenge for Bangladesh is to manage the ST process and economic institutions to increase and diversify incomes, reduce risks and uncertainties, lessen poverty and inequalities, and enhance social achievements. The key for Bangladesh is to integrate three development dimensions of desirable structural changes, growth to reduce income and productivity gaps (convergence), and enhanced equality. The interactions between ST and social development are critical for Bangladesh since technology has radical impacts on social interactions, leading to adaptation and regeneration of social relations. New ICTs are changing social relations, and rising overseas labour migration is transmitting social relations across geographies providing new ways of adaptation. These developments indicate the need for embracing a multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary view on ST in Bangladesh to include institutional changes that mediate social outcomes.