A Dedicated Leader for Changing People’s Destiny

(Concluding Part)

The poverty rate dropped from 40 to 18. Raising the literacy rate to 75.6 percent, delivering free new books to students on the first day of the year, mainstreaming and recognizing madrasa education, establishing medical universities, and modernizing the medical system. 14,500 community clinics are providing healthcare at people's doorsteps, providing 31 types of medicines free of charge. Bangladesh has been praised in many ways at home and abroad through the development of healthcare. This development work should be presented to the people.

The government is working to successfully implement four foundations to build a smart Bangladesh. These are Smart Citizens, Smart Economy, Smart Government, and Smart Society. Apart from this, the plan of how the delta will be in the year 2100 has been undertaken. All work in Smart Bangladesh will be done through technology. Where every citizen will be proficient in using technology. Smart Bangladesh of 2041 will be a cost-effective, sustainable, intellectual, knowledge-based, and innovative Bangladesh. Smart healthcare, smart transportation, smart utilities, urban administration, public safety, agriculture, internet connectivity, and disaster management will be ensured for the implementation of smart cities and smart villages.

In these four decades, he fought for democracy, human rights, and economic self-reliance. This course of struggle was unfavorable. Sheikh Hasina, who miraculously survived the 2004 grenade attack. Under his leadership, Bangladesh received the final recommendation of the United Nations to move from the list of least developed countries to developing countries. We can take a look at our economy and overall development. The gross domestic product (GDP) in 2008-09 was only US$ 103.5 billion. It increased to USD 330.2 billion in 2019-20. Export earnings in 2008-09 were $15.56 billion and in 2018-19, it increased to $40.54 billion. Foreign exchange reserves have increased from $8.46 billion in FY 2008-09 to $44.03 billion today. In 2001, the poverty rate in the country was 47.9 percent and the extreme poverty rate was 34.3 percent. In 2020, the poverty rate fell to 20.5 percent and the extreme poverty rate to 10.5 percent.

Bangladesh is being called an Emerging Tiger by various development partners, especially the World Bank, IMF, ADB, JICA, Goldman Sachs, Wall Street Journal, HSBC, Citibank NA, and others. This is why it is ahead of many countries in the world including neighboring countries in terms of consistently high GDP growth, poverty alleviation, education, infrastructural development, reserves, remittances or remittance income, exports, per capita income, income, social security, and other key indicators of the economy. Bangladesh is now a surprise to development partners.

According to the data, the Post-Independence Annual Development Program or ADP size of just taka 501 crore has reached taka 2.25 trillion in the current financial year. Then the per capita income was 129 taka and now it has exceeded 2765 dollars. While GDP growth was below 3 percent, it has now reached 8 percent. In the year after independence, exports of goods from just US$ 348.4 million increased 111 times in five decades to US$ 3.85 billion. Expatriate income, which was nominal 50 years ago, has reached 25 billion a year.

Bangladesh is the third largest producer of rice in the world and is self-sufficient in fish, meat, eggs, and vegetables. Bangladesh ranks second in terms of the growth rate of inland open-water fish production and ranks first among 11 hilsa-producing countries. Today the benefits of 'Digital Bangladesh' have spread from cities to villages.

The eighth Five Year Plan has been adopted. Several mega projects including Metrorail, Elevated Expressway, Karnaphuli Tunnel, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, and Maheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Development Project are being implemented. 100 Special Economic Zones, 39 Hi-Tech Parks, and IT Villages have been built.

Agriculture, industry, trade, modern technology, new plans, and ideas have to be made to make a wonderful combination of everything. Bangladesh is changing radically; this country has set a shining example of sustainable development. The economy of Bangladesh has reached a strong position from a weak, underdeveloped, shaky state. The modern transformation of conventional infrastructure is opening up new aspects of possibilities every day. There is a renaissance in sectors or businesses that were previously languishing in neglect. Her handiwork is making the people of this country motivated and interested. Those potential sectors that have been neglected and nurtured are gradually waking up. The concerned government departments, offices, and ministries are performing more important duties from time to time. As a result, new sectors of potential are developing. Promising new sectors are playing a very strong role in achieving the prosperity of Bangladesh, in the irresistible progress. The people of Bangladesh are not in any way incapable, weak, or untalented. They can work hard. Men and women of various classes and professions who had previously imprisoned themselves in the net of unemployment, poverty, and helplessness, are now using their talent, intelligence, strength, courage, and hard work to set new paradigms of possibilities. Making her debut as an entrepreneur, she is building her fortune anew. In this way, the image of different areas and townships is changing with the collective initiative of all. Bright flashes of potential are spreading across the country. Economists say that Bangladesh's achievements in 52 years are incredible. Bangladesh is currently ranked 35th in the world economy.

After the brutal killings of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members on August 15, 1975, they (Sheikh Hasin and Sheikh Rehana) could not return to the country for 6 years after losing their entire family due to the conspiracy of assassins and insecurity.

Improvement in education, communication infrastructure, women's education, health care, distribution of free books to students, providing social safety net support for socially disadvantaged, helpless, elderly, widows, persons with disabilities, support for widowed women, autism, Prime Minister's Government's major initiatives are important for the development of Bangladesh and played a major role. Giving status to freedom fighters as national heroes, 27 lakh 13 thousand people out of 5 lahk 55 thousand 617 families have been sheltered through the shelter project. Amar Bari Amar Khamar project, women empowerment, and overall development of various sectors are the contributions of her government.

Awami League stands by the people in any calamity. This is Awami League and this is the teaching of Awami League. The history of Awami League is like the history of struggle, and at the same time, Awami League can improve or move a country forward, as Bangladesh is moving forward now. No matter how evil forces conspire against Bangladesh, no one can stand in the way of Bengali progress.

Continuity is necessary in any country for the development of the country. It is also very important to choose the right leadership of the countrymen so that the progress of development does not stop. If the economic and political stability of a country is maintained, the progress of the country is maintained.

If the next parliamentary election is participatory, fair, peaceful, free at any cost. All arrangements should be made to conduct it impartially. The whole world is watching this election. It is also important to take a credibly tough stance against corruption and money laundering. Awami League, which has come to power for the fourth time after being in power for three terms, has to face the upcoming challenges. The twelfth parliamentary election will be held as per the schedule announced by the Election Commission.

We must always remember;that this country is ours. We will not let anyone play with the fate of the people of this country. Due to the support of the people, the country's progress has been made possible by the relentless efforts of the government and Bangladesh has become a role model for development. Bangladesh will move forward as a role model. When the country is moving forward with the relentless efforts of the Awami League government, the allies of the defeated forces of the liberation war are trying to create instability and anarchy.

We have won. We are a winning nation. As a victorious nation, we can stand tall in the court of the world. We will not bow down to anyone; we will not walk by bowing down to anyone. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu repeatedly said that by using that wealth, we will be proud of our glory in the World Assembly, we will build ourselves and we will walk with our heads high to the whole world. This will be the most important step for the people of this country. This is how our beloved motherland Bangladesh built by Bangabandhu will move forward.

We have to build a modern Bangladesh in the spirit of a secular, democratic, and liberation war. This is the expectation of the present new generation. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the last hope and shelter of the people of this country.


Hiren Pandit is a columnist
and a researcher.