Dhaka, Aug. 24 -- Despite the remarkable growth of Islamic finance as one of the world's fastest-expanding financial sectors, a striking paradox persists: approximately 86% of Muslims worldwide remain financially excluded - a rate twice that of non-Muslim populations. This division signifies a critical challenge in determining the full potential of Islamic financial services to promote economic development and social equity within Muslim-majority regions and beyond.

Islamic finance recorded a robust 14.9% growth in assets last year, reflecting increasing global interest and investment. However, this impressive expansion is concentrated in a handful of countries - primarily the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations and some Southeast Asi...