Moalims

KARACHI: Bangladesh has solid developmental plans as part of its mission 2021, which if achieved, will transform it from a middle- to high-income country, said its high commissioner Suhrab Hossain on Tuesday.

Mission 2021 has development priorities ranging from broadband growth to effective governance, to elimination of poverty to sound infrastructure, and urbanisation to innovation in knowledge based society, he explained. Hossein was speaking to a crowd of businessmen, civil society and former army personnel at a lecture, titled ‘Bangladesh: Present and Future Outlook’ at Beach Luxury hotel.

Hossain shared how Bangladesh is aiming to become ‘Digital Bangladesh’ by the year 2021. “The use of information technology in poverty alleviation, health and education will be utilised,” he said. “Above all, we are working to bring government services to the doorsteps of citizens.”

The country also plans on introducing a ‘blue economy’ — a plan to harness the local economy through water resources especially through the Bay of Bengal.

In 1971, the country started from zero as it had nothing but 75 million people to feed and 10 million refugees to rehabilitate, he shared. “We were known as a bottomless basket,” he recalled. “We were open for trade when we had no mentionable resources and no foreign currency of our own.”

But now, Bangladesh has a GDP growth of over six per cent every year and it hopes to reach 7.5 per cent by next year. “Our foreign exchange reserves are the second largest in South Asia — by August 2015, we crossed $26 billion,” said Hossain, adding that their per capita income has risen from $800 to $1,300, which has brought them from least to lower middle-income country.

Being the second largest exporter of readymade garments after China, Hossain pointed out that a miracle has certainly happened in Bangladesh. “Within 30 years, the average life expectancy improved from 55 to 70 years, surpassing Nepal and Pakistan,” he said. “We pursued population control policy under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and now the population growth is only 1.2 per cent per year.”

Hossain proudly shared that Bangladesh is the first country in South Asia to achieve gender parity in primary education. Although primary education is free in Bangladesh, for girls it is entirely free until class 12, along with stipends awarded to reduce dropout rates.

Bangladesh follows a strict policy of non-interference in the internal matters of other countries, said Hossein. “The sea boundary dispute that included our neighbours, Myanmar and India, was resolved by the government of Sheikh Hasina through dialogue and negotiations,” he said. “We have the highest number of peacekeepers as 9,000 policemen, military men and civilians are working as UN peace missions. Our odds are big, our achievements bigger.”

On the issue of visas for Pakistani travellers, Hossain said that there is no problem in principle but he promised to look into the matter during this visit.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2015.