Kazi Mohoshin Al Abbas
After the general elections and successful induction of a democratic government, there are many challenges Bangladesh is approaching towards at present and in near future to deal with. Experts and observers said that reorganizing Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), protecting economy from global meltdown and handling underground militant activities are some of the major challenges for the government of Bangladesh (GOB).
Reorganizing BDR, after last month mutiny, is an essential and emergency for the government for many causes. Firstly, BDR is the force that responsible to guard the border and resist smuggling. A disorganized force with less moral will never be able to dispense their responsibility in terms of guarding the border and helping police in enforcing law and order. Besides, government should make the Paramilitary force steadfast to the people. The February mutiny destroyed the reliability of the people on BDR, it could be said clearly. As present government is passing only its first year of 5-years tenure and the government has sincerity and strength to address the issue, it felt that this challenge would be overcome in proper manner and due course.
Recent global economic recession is one of the major challenges to be addressed by GOB. As part of this problem, labor forces working abroad, especially in Malaysia, are already facing the adverse impact of the global economic downturn. Although the foreign Ministry and labor ministry of Bangladesh said that this is not a very big crisis, initiatives have already been taken by concerned ministries to resolve concern. By the time GOB also constitutes a high power committee including ministers, high officials and prominent economists. Government also put its eyes on the labor force working in garment sector that almost filled up by women. It is apprehended that export in coming years could be reduced from expected level for the adversity of world economic recession. Cost of import, in many cases, could also be enhanced, government and economists assumed, in coming years for the same causes.
It is also assumed that rural and urban poor will be the worse victim of the inter-dependent world economic system. In Bangladesh, rural people are the major part of total population, who are mainly involved in agriculture and agro based economic activities. A few of the rural population are involved in non-farm activities as well. In view of these economic realities, GOB is going to face the challenges of feeding and protecting this section of population. The measures taken by GOB as its own and supported by external development and economic partners are mainly to look after the urban population. In consideration of global attitude, it is also to be mentioned that maximum portion of economic crisis management initiatives could be gone for the business owners. So, what would be the fate of vast poor, especially of the rural poor?
It is good to know that the Government has a keen intention to protect the farmers and agro based population. And of course, government must allocate maximum of fund from own earnings to protect the rural mass. Again it could be mentioned that external partners may not be willing much to spend for these poor. In any case, government is aware about the situation and experts concerned also feel government’s preparedness. Once more, if GOB failed to address the causes of villages it may create many social odds.
Anyway, one international organization, ESCAP, said recently that fallout from global recession to be less severe for Bangladesh. The organization mentioned in 2007 Bangladesh had a good growth rate of 6.4 percent, despite recession and a devastating cyclone in 2008 Bangladesh achieved 6.2 percent and in 2009 it is expected that, with all limitations, growth rate will be more than 5.5 percent. Experts said that it could be as the economy of Bangladesh has a unique character that help the country to survive; as example the Asian crisis of last century jolted Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and many more. But Bangladesh economy was intact with expected level of growth rate and to face that crisis agriculture sector’s contribution along with the indigenous survival technique of rural poor were the main factors active in economy and society. These factors are yet an important strength for the government to overcome the adverse impact of global recession on Bangladesh.
Militant activity, in terms of religion based militancy, is also a social and political phenomenon of Bangladesh now. Though in a recent press meet foreign minister of Bangladesh said that militancy is not the challenge for GOB yet. She argued that if fundamentalism and religion based militancy is that strong as of it talked about, the result of last parliamentary election must not go in favor of secular forces. With due respect to the statement made by the foreign minister, it also could be said that the militant outfits relating to religion based fundamentalism is enough to create a country wide panic. The news reports quoting sources mentioned that more than 30 outfits are active in Bangladesh; few of them have international link and highly skilled.
It is true that Bangladesh is a land of pious and secular people. It is the land of social and communal harmony. There is no tension among religions and faiths, rather all community observe and enjoy festivity of each other. But it is also true that for anarchy, it is not arsenical to be the whole nation militant. The government must take in to account that today’s eggs are the future crocodiles, which will make the lake fishless.
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