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Democracy
and Development in Bangladesh
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Bangladesh
emerged as a sovereign independent state on 16 December, 1971
through the War of Liberation under the leadership of Father of the
Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He wanted to establish a
Sonar Bangla-free from poverty, exploitation, illiteracy and
oppression. But he embraced martyrdom on 15 August, 1975. Following
his assassination Banlgadesh plunged into autocracy and oppression.
The people’s voting rights were denied. Through a long arduous
struggle Sheikh Hasina established democracy through the general
elections held on 12 June, 1996 under a non-party caretaker
Government. Through the elections Sheikh Hasina, a daughter of the
father of the nation became the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
After having established the people’s right to vote through
elections Sheikh Hasina concentrated on fulfilling the people’s
basic rights including right to food. Within a period of four years,
her government made commendable achievements in the social, economic
and political sectors.
The most important features of the policies of Sheikh Hasina’s
Government are poverty alleviation and well-being of all citizens;
Empowerment of the people and democratic polity; Institutional
arrangement for participation and decentralisation; Peace in the
region and world as well; High growth rate; Economic liberalisation
in light of the free market economy.
Poverty alleviation:
Sheikh Hasina’s government has been pursuing pragmatic policies
for alleviating poverty in top most priority. The main philosophy of
this programme is to ensure five basic human needs - food, cloth,
shelter, education and medicare. Following massive programmes of the
government, the number of people below the poverty level has
deminished to 44.7% in 1999 from 47% in 1996.
Economic Progress:
This is for the first time in the economic history of Bangladesh
that the growth rate has crossed the bar of 5 percent in the
consecutive four years despite prolonged and devastating floods in
Bangladesh in 1998. The per capita income of the people of
Bangladesh has risen to US $386 last year compared to 280 dollars in
1996.
Asrayon:
Asrayon is a visionary project of Sheikh Hasina. The synonym for
“Asrayon” is providing shelter. Under the US $32.8 million
project, 50 thousand homeless families will be provided shelter in
five thousand barrack houses. The main objectives of the project are
to provide homeless and landless families with homesteads and to
promote income generation and poverty alleviation activities to make
them self-reliant. In addition to providing houses to the homeless,
Asrayon also seeks to provide education, health-care, nutrition and
family planning, credit facilities and community development. The
project commenced in July 1997 and will be completed in June 2002. A
number of 2079 barrack houses have been constructed where 20,790
families have been rehabilitated so far. 160 community centres have
been constructed in different project areas. 276 co-operative
societies have been constituted and 31, 398 persons of the
rehabilitated families are given package training for awareness
building. US $2.6 million has been disbursed for micro-credit to the
rehabilitated families.
Moreover, a housing fund has been established with a capital of US
$10 million for the rural shelterless people.
Model Village:
A model village project at a cost of US$72 million to create
employment opportunities in the rural areas and to reverse the
tendency of people’s migration from rural areas to urban areas has
been launched. Sheikh Hasina’s government has already
rehabilitated 5380 families under a project 30 thousand acres of
government land has been leased to 50 thousand landless families.
Return Home Project:
The government introduced “Return Home” project to motivate the
shelterless people to return home from the cities. So far more than
11,050 persons of 1933 shelterless families have been rehabilitated
in their respective villages covering 30 districts with US $600
thousand as micro credit.
Old-age Allowance:
For the first time in the history of Bangladesh, poor and distressed
elderly people are receiving monthly allowances from the state for
their subsistence. At present 5 women and 5 men from each ward are
getting allowance under the project. More than 403 thousand elderly
people have been getting the allowance. Moreover, 10 divorced or
destitute women of each ward are getting a lump grant.
Shanti Nibash(Peace Abode):
The government started setting up six ‘Shanti Nibash’ in six
divisions for safe accommodation of shelter elderly people having no
dear or near ones. One such Nibash at Faridpur district has already
been set up. In each above 60 old women and 40 old men would be
accommodate.
VGF Programme
Sheikh Hasina is a good manager and she performed well during
natural calamities. She personally organised, supervised and
coordinated the disaster management activities. She should be the
affected people and consoled them.
About 21 million people had been provided with food free of cost for
nine months through 4.2 million Vulnerable Group Feeding VGF cards
to face devastating flood situation in 1998. Besides, food has been
distributed free of cost for three months 2.8 million VGF cards in
1999.
Rehabilitation Programme for Homeless:
US $1 million has been allocated for the rehabilitation of slum
dwellers of the city. Work is on to construct 15 thousand flats at
Bhansanteak and Mirpur for the rootless people of Dhaka city. Steps
have been taken to construct 10 thousand flats at Duttapara for the
low-income group people and dormitory for garment workers. Besides,
Projects have been undertaken to construct 2100 flats for government
employees and 16,250 flats on hire-purchase system for the lower and
lower-middle class people.
Housing Programme
Twenty two thousand new houses at low cost are being constructed at
a cost of US $8.5 million for the poor people of rural areas in
three phases. So far construction of 2 thousand 802 houses have been
completed at a cost of US $5.1 million. The Housing fund has been
going on with its activities having a capital of US #20 million.
Homeless, slum dwellers and destitute people have been provided with
credit for housing. This is for the first time such house building
loan is being provided in the rural areas.
One Home One Farm
The government has taken a programme in 1999 to establish a
self-sufficient farm in each village home. The main objectives of
this programme are raising the standard of living, poverty
alleviation, rural development, eradication of illiteracy and
rendering health care services. About One million people will be
benefited after completion of the programme by 2005.
Employment Generation:
The government has created a fund of US $25million for employment
generation of the poor people. Under this scheme, government fallow
water bodies and lands are being leased out to the unemployed youths
on co-operative basis for pisciculture and rearing up of cattle and
poultry birds. The government has established an Employment
Generation Bank with an estimated paid up capital of US $60 million.
US $2.6 million has been distributed among more than 4 thousand
unemployed youths as credit of US $1 thousand each.
Micro-credit Summit:
Sheikh Hasina is particularly keen on the welfare of the women and
the children and in the promotion of their interest. She was
invited, along with the Queen Sophiya of Spain and US First Lady
Hillary Clinton, to co-chair the first ever Micro-credit Summit held
in Washington in February 1997. This summit aimed at changing the
lives of the poorest section of humanity, decided to provide, by the
year 2005, one hundred million families with credit and an
opportunity for self-employment. Hasina played a crucial role in
turning the Summit into an important humanitarian movement.
Women Employment:
The government has taken up coordinated programmes for women
empowerment through different ministries and government agencies.
“National Women Development Policy” has been formulated. Special
incentives including free education upto 12th class, and
scholarships have been provided for the girl students. The present
government has also created provision for direct election of women
in the Union Council, a local government institution at the
grassroots level. In the elections of 1997 to the local bodies of
46,000 women contested. Out of them 14,000 women were directly
elected as members of the Union Parishads. This local body election
have created massive awareness among the women of the remote
village.
Youth Development:
Total number of residential Youth Training Centre throughout the
country is 45. Out of this 24 have been set up during the present
government. The Upazila Youth Development Office rose to 470 from
270 during the period. So far 1.92 million youths have been imparted
training during the present government. Besides, about 327 thousand
youths have been imparted training on self-employment generation. So
far, 785 thousand youths have been engaged in self-employment. US
$3.51 billion as credit has been disbursed among 0.469 million youth
during 4 years of the present government.
People’s Right to Vote:
According to proposal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, introduction
of Non-Party Caretaker Government in the constitution established
people’s long-cherished right to vote freely in a democratic
environment. Now the people can vote according to their own choice
without fear or interference.
Parliament:
For the first time in the nation’s political history Sheikh Hasina
made Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) the centre of all state activities.
Members of parliament, and not the ministers as in the past, now
head all the Parliamentary Committees for a check and balance and to
ensure people’s leadership in every sphere. In the parliament
Prime Ministers question hour has been introduced. The Transparency
and accountability in governance have been established through
Parliamentary System of Government.
Local Government:
To ensure people’s participation in the administration through
representative democratic institutions, the government established
four-tier local government institutions comprising of Village
Council, Union Council, Upazila Council and District Council.
Election of President:
When the time came for election to the office of the President,
Sheikh Hasina nominated a distinguished person, who was a Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court earlier and had headed the caretaker
government after the fall of General Ershad, to contest for the
office. He was a candidate who was not a member of any political
party and was held in high esteem widely. He was elected
uncontested. The choice of a neutral person for the high office of
the president is a tribute to HasinaŐs political outlook and to her
ability to rise above partisan politics.
Repeal of indemnity Ordinance:
Following the brutal killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15 August, 1975 along with the most of the
members of his family by the disgruntled army men, the democratic
institution and the spirit of War of Liberation were ruined. The
military rulers violated the constitution and the nation witnessed
coup, conspiracy and killing. Rigging in elections became the usual
practice for the next two decades. Sheikh Hasina as President of
Bangladesh Awami League continued long arduous struggle for
restoration of democracy. She succeeded in establishing a system
where national elections would take place under Non-party Caretaker
Government. This has ensured peopleŐs voting right. After assuming
the office Sheikh HasinaŐs government made all possible
arrangements to safeguard and strengthen democratic practices and
values and establish rule of law. The black law ‘Indemnity
Ordinance’, which was promulgated to protect the self-confessed
killers of Father of the Nation from trial, has been repeated by the
parliament. The self-confessed killers have been tried and given
sentence to death.
Trial of Killers of Bangabandhu:
Another important political achievement of the present government is
historic verdict of the case of killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman, Father of the Nation, after long twenty years. With
this, the nation has advanced another step towards establishing the
rule of law and to ensure a civil society.
Foreign Investment:
The government is pursuing the liberal industrial policy in light of
the free market economy. This has enhanced both local and foreign
investment in Bangladesh. At present the quantum of foreign
investment is over US $13.30 billion during the last four years. A
total of 6232 projects have been registered. Attractive package of
incentives are being offered to the foreign investors. The
government allowed 100% foreign investment excepting four reserved
items/areas like production of arms, forest plantation, nuclear
energy production and security printing.
Micro-Credit:
The micro-credit which was introduced in Bangladesh in 1972 made a
tremendous contribution to the socio-economic life of our people.
The government, Grameen Bank and Voluntary organisations including
commercial banks have so far disbursed about US $6749 million as
credit among nearly 14 million people.
Three National Business Summit:
Sheikh Hasina is keen on the promotion of trade, business and
investment in the region. This is what had led her to take a
personal initiative to organise what has come to be known as a
Business Summit between the three countries of the
sub-continent-India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The Summit was held in
Dhaka on 15 January, 1998 and was attended by Prime Ministers of all
the three countries. The Summit boosted trade and business relations
between the three countries and gave these a new impetus. It had
three objectives: first, to create an environment in which political
differences between the countries participating in the Summit would
not stand in the way of regional cooperation between them to improve
the economic lot of the peoples of these countries; secondly, to
secure the participation of the private sector by the side of the
public sector in strengthening efforts to improve the life-style of
the people and to bring about a qualitative change in it; and
thirdly, to remove differences in the investment related laws,
rules, procedures and practices in these countries and to bring
about harmony between these. One outcome of the Summit was a
resumption of talks between India and Pakistan on bilateral issues.
These talks had halted some time back and their resumption is of
crucial importance in the political context of the sub-continent.
The resumption of talks between the two countries is a testimony to
Sheikh Hasina’s commitment to promotion of peace in the region.
CHT Peace Treaty:
The growing success of Sheikh Hasina’s political career is the
historic Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord which her government
signed with parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghat Samity (PCJSS),
representative tribal body on 2 December, 1997 bringing to an end
nearly two decades of unrest, confrontation, hostility and violence
in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and ushering in an era
of peace. Following the Treaty the insurgents surrendered their arms
and the refugees returned home. Massive development works are going
on and peace descanted on the hills. Sheikh Hasina has been awarded
the UNESCO’s Felix Houphouet Boigny Peace Prize for 1998 in
recognition of her contribution to ending national conflicts in
Bangladesh through signing Peace Accord “No more blood - We want
peace” was the driving fore in her. It was her political wisdom as
well as quest for peace that made the accord possible within a short
span of time.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, located in the
South-Eastern corner of the country, is an area where the majority
of the tribal people of Bangladesh live. Sheikh Hasina took a
political approach and solved the two decade long ethnic conflicts
through dialogue without any third party mediation. Her quest for
peace have been widely appreciated by the world leaders like Henry
Kissinger, Keizo Obuchi, Bill Clinton, Kofi Anan, Nelson Mandela,
Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schredor.
Ganges Water Sharing Treaty:
Sheikh Hasina discussed the Farakka issue when West Bengal Chief
Minister Jyoti Basu visited Bangladesh on 28 November, 1996.
Following their fruitful discussion the historic Ganges Water
Sharing Treaty for 30 years was signed on 12 December 1996 when
Sheikh Hasina visited India. The effect is clear now. This enabled
Bangladesh take up longterm water development programmes including
the proposed Padma Barrage Project.
Sentinel of Peace:
Sheikh Hasina is a champion of peace. Following the nuclear tests by
India and Bangladesh in 1997 she visited Delhi and Islamabad to ease
tension between the two countries. She urged upon them to give
priority to poverty alleviation programmes rather then neuclear arms
race.
Bangladesh has decided to be a signatory to the convention on the
prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of
anti-personnel mines and on their destruction. Bangladesh is the
first country in South Asia to do so. This is another testimony of
Sheikh Hasina’s commitment to peace.
International Recognition:
During the present government, Bangladesh’s image increased. The
21st February has been declared as an International Mother Language
Day. Bangladesh has got membership of the UN Security Council.
Moreover, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been awarded UNESCO’s
Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Award, Pearl S. Buck Award and CERES
Award. Sheikh Hasina has been conferred honorary doctorate degrees
by Boston and Bridgeport Universities of the USA, Waseda University
of Japan, Abertay Dundec University of the UK, Visva-Bharati of
India, Brussels Catholic University of Belgium, Australian National
University and Dhaka University of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina has been nominated as Chairman of the Association of Asian
Parliament for Peace.
Bangabandhu Bridge:
The Bangabandhu Bridge having a length of 4.8 km on the Jamuna River
was opened to traffic on 23 June, 1998, marking the completion of
two years in office by Sheikh Hasina’s government. The bridge
comprises of road and rail facilities as well as gas and electricity
transmission line facilities to the north-western region of
Bangladesh. With the successful completion of the Bangabandhu
Bridge, the largest ever project of the country and the eleventh
largest bridge of the world, a major barrier in the economic
development of Bangladesh has been removed.
Roads and Highways:
During the last four years the Road and Highways Department
constructed 2532 kilometres of metalled road and laid bricks on 1793
kilometres of road. They constructed 20,946 metres of permanent
bridges.
The local government Engineering Department constructed 8450
kilometres of metalled road and 10, 864 kilometres of rural road.
Besides they developed 5,655 kilometres of road and constructed 3094
bridges and culverts.
Telecommunication:
The present government installed more than 200 thousand telephones
during the last four years compared to 250 thousand during the
previous 21 year . The government has a plan to install 1.2 million
telephone lines by 2001. A number of 51 V-SAT stations have been
installed in private sector and through this a new dimension has
been opened up for internet and e-mail services. Four mobile phone
companies have been given permission to operate.
Health Services:
In order to achieve "Health for All" 18,000 community
clinics would be established. The construction of 6 thousand
community clinics has already been completed. Mother and Child
Health Training Institute has been inaugurated recently in Dhaka
with Japanese assistance.
Education:
The next priority is being given to education. Following pragmatic
measures the literacy rate rose to about 65% from 47%. Special
measures have been taken with a view to eradicating illiteracy from
the country by the year 2005. Massive formal and non-formal
education programmes are under implementation. At least one primary
school at every village will be set up to help eradicate illiteracy.
The Education Policy has already been announced. The rate of child
enrolment has gone up to 96 percent and the rate of passing out is
65 percent. Bangladesh has got "UNESCO International Literacy
Award" in 1998.
Science and Technology:
Sheikh Hasina’s government has a plan to establish 12 Science and
Technology Universities to build up 1 million skilled manpower.
Bangabandhu Planetarium is being established. Sheikh Hasina has laid
especial emphasis on Computer and International Technology. For the
development of IT sector all sorts of tariff have been exempted from
Computer and Computer related equipment. The government allocated
US$ 25 million in the national budget of 2000-2001 for training up
programmers of international standard.
Games and Sports:
Bangladesh has already achieved One Day Status and Test Status in
Cricket. The government has been giving special incentives for the
development of games and sports.
Food Production and Agriculture Development:
Before we took over Bangladesh had a deficit of 4.4 million metric
tons foodgrains. We have been able to produce bumper crop in
consecutive four years. And now we are self-sufficient in foodgrains.
Steps have been taken to remove fertilizer crisis, ensure
availability of agricultural input, modernisation of agricultural
research system, change of old agricultural extension service,
increase of investment in agricultural sector, ease or disbursement
of agricultural loan. Tariff on agricultural input has been
exempted.
Power Generation:
The power generation of the country was only 1700 megawatt when
Sheikh Hasina government took over. By taking massive measures the
present government enhanced generation of power upto 2690 megawatt
during its period. More 1879 Megawatt electricity would be produced
in the private sector power generation policy. Following the policy
local and foreign investors are now establishing various power
generation plants in Bangladesh. Specific measures have been taken
to raise power generation according to demand of the country. The
government is now pursuing a policy of power for all by 2020.
Oil and Gas:
Bangladesh has a vast potential of oil and gas exploration. At
present about 1000 million cubic feet of gas is being produced.
World reputed oil companies including those of the USA are now
investing in Bangladesh.
Law and Order:
The government of Sheikh Hasina took massive steps for the
development of law and order situation in the country. She asked the
law enforcing agencies to act against the criminals irrespective of
their political affiliation and identity. Public Safety Act has been
enacted in this regard.
Restoration of Spirit of Liberation War:
The Silver Jubilee of Independence of Bangladesh was celebrated on
26 March, 1997. The Eternal flame went around the country and
finally it was placed in Dhaka. At the invitation of Sheikh Hasina
the President of South Africa Nelson Mandela, President of Palestine
Yasser Arafat and President of Turkey Suleman Demirel attended the
function. For restoration of the spirit of the war of liberation the
government of Sheikh Hasina took massive programme for projecting
the true history of the war of liberation and repealed the infamous
Indemnity Ordinance. The Flame Eternal has been installed and the
Bangabandhu Bhavan has been converted in a museum. At Tungipara, a
commemorative museum is being constructed over the graveyard of the
Father of Nation. The freedom fighters have been given allowance and
their children are enjoying reserved quota for employment.
A Nation with Vision:
The present government believes that democracy provides the basis of
the political system and institutional arrangement for peopleŐs
empowerment as well as a responsive and accountable government. The
present government is working hard to establish democracy on strong
foundation in Bangladesh for socio-economic development. During
three years and nine months the present government has implemented
massive well co-ordinated programmes for the welfare of the people
and the development of the country. This has created confidence
among the people of Bangladesh. They are now working hard with the
government to fulfill the version of a happy and prosperous nation
free from poverty, hunger exploitation and deprivation in the new
millennium.
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