Future vision of Bangladesh

Bangladesh came into being in 1971 through the war of independence with a vision to be a democratic, a non-communal and an equitable society. After 15 years of parliamentary democracy, it is reasonable to take stock of the country’s achievements so far, and more importantly of what the country should accomplish in another 15 years. Furthermore, for the generation which was 18 years of age at the time of independence in 1971,

the next 15 years would mean approaching the completion of their working lives. It will be natural to ask what the country will have achieved over the full working life of a generation.

  To prevent falling behind in the global economic prosperity race and the subsequent disappointment of our future generations, today’s citizens have chalked out a vision for Bangladesh - a vision that encompasses their present aspirations for a better future and that is based on the demonstrated tremendous energy and potential of the people to fulfill those aspirations. This paper delineates such a comprehensive vision for Bangladesh in 2021 when the country will celebrate 50 years of independence.

The vision for Bangladesh in 2021 is composed of eight goals:

 Goal One: To be a true democracy

1.  Democracy and legal supplies

2.  Role of political parties

3.  Role of public representatives

4.  A strong and neutral Election duty         

5.  A neutral, merit based and professionally oriented public administration

6.  Human rights

7.  Rule of law

8. Transparency and accountability at all levels of national and local administration, with necessary institutional reforms

9.  Separation of the Judiciary and the Executive

10. Judicial reforms especially in lower courts

11. Strong local government system with resources and accountability

12. Compassionate welfare arrangements for social protection of the vulnerable at all levels as stated in the Constitution.

     Goal Two: To have a publicly accountable and transparent government

                               A.    Economic

1. Fiscal discipline and Fiscal Responsibility Legislation

2. Budgetary reforms

3. Revenue administration and generation of public savings

4. Implementation of Public Investment Programme/ADP, and optimum use of foreign aid

5. Transparent procurement system

6. Access to information

7. E-governance

                                   B.    Monetary Policy

1. Independence of the Central Bank in formulating monetary policy, and in administration of the financial sector institutions

2. Coordination of fiscal and monetary policy through an active and effective institutional arrangement to maintain a healthy investment climate

                                   C.  Balance of Payments

1. Transparency regarding ‘management’ of the exchange rate

2. Keeping the exchange rate competitive globally and regionally

3. Policy regarding access to international financial markets

3.      Goal Three: To be a middle-income country

1. Coordinated and complementary roles of the public and private sectors in all areas of the economy

2. How has the existing arrangement, i.e. the relative roles of the public and the private sectors, worked? Where it has not, how to optimize the benefits for the economy and the society?

3. Poverty, income and employment

4. Agriculture

                      a. Land management,

                      b. Diversification of agriculture, agricultural research, extension and communication

                      c. Agricultural input supply, including irrigation

                      d. Issue of subsidy

                      e. Trade liberalization and agriculture

                      f. Food security and social safety nets

5. Rural infrastructure and rural non-farm sector

6. Industry

                a. Domestic industry

                b. Export oriented production

                c. Physical infrastructure

                d. Financial sector, financial infrastructure and capital markets

                e. Role of multinational corporations, foreign private investment and level playing field

                 f. Revival of the jute industry

                 g. Privatization of state-owned industries

      Goal Four: To be more balanced society        

a. Income inequality

b. Regional inequality

c. Gender inequality

d. Equality of opportunities irrespective of religion or ethnicity

e. Equality of access to education and health facilities

     Goal Five: To have skilled, creative and healthy people

                 1.  Education

  a. Universal scientific education for all

   b. Basic literacy, Primary, Secondary and Higher education

   c. Science and technology

   d. Curricula of all educational institutions & quality of education at all levels

   e. Extra-curricular activities at all levels of education

   f. Public-private controversy

   g. Gender balance at all levels of education

   h. Appropriate measures to generate a large base of low skilled/semi-skilled workers; a supporting base of vocationally trained labour force; and a growing pool of world-class professionals trained in science and technology

                           2.  Own Culture

  Protection and promotion of inclusive Bengalis cultural heritage

                           3.    Health and Population

a. Primary health care

b. Promotion of sports and fitness for all ages

c. Disease control

d. Immunization

e. Safe water and sanitation

f. Population planning and reproductive health system

g. Child and mother care

h. Nutrition

i. Quality of service delivery and supervision at all levels of health and population planning

  Goal Six: To offer necessary infrastructure to be a regional hub

                 1.    Infrastructure

a. Roads and highways – rural, regional, national, international

b. Railways

c. Inland water transport

d. Ports: sea and air transport

e. Telecommunications, internet, ICT technology, and development of facilities for exporting services in this sector

                  2.    Energy

a. Gas – exploration, development, estimation of reserves, principles of pricing of gas

b. Electric power –

 i. Stock-taking of generation, transmission and distribution

ii. The optimum and alternative ways of bringing a reasonable balance between growth of demand, existing unprecedented shortfall in supply, and development of short-term and medium term plans

iii. Principles of pricing of power

c. Private-public interface and investments in the energy sector

Goal Seven: To be environmentally sustainable

1. Maintenance of soil quality for a sustainable agricultural system

2. Irrigation and protection of water bodies

3. Forestation

4. Coastal area protection

5. Solid, air and water pollution

6. Urbanization, rural-urban migration, infrastructure and utilities to cope with urbanization

7. Development of renewable energy

8. Disaster management

9. Tracking of climate change

               Goal Eight: To be effectively integrated in the regional and the global economy

1. Trade relations and negotiation of trading arrangements

2. Regional cooperation: economic and political

a. Strengthening of the SAARC – Prospects

b. Cooperation in the development of cross-country infrastructure such as roads, railways, waterways, energy, and in the use of port facilities

c.Taking advantage of globalization and making Bangladesh a regional hub.

3. Transparent foreign policy and defense policy objectives – emphasis on non-alignment, peacekeeping, and popular aspirations for greater economic cooperation with neighbors in South Asia and South-East Asia.

              Futures vision of the health sector

   The government has formulated a perspective plan keeping in view the needs of the health sector for the future. The formulation of a national health policy would provide strategy directives on major health issues. The future vision for the health sector would include universal access to basic healthcare and services of acceptable quality; improvement in medical education; improvement in nutritional status, particularly of mothers and children; prevention and control of major communicable and non-communicable diseases; strengthening planning and management capabilities; improvement in logistics of production/procurement, supply and distribution of essential drugs, vaccines and other diagnostics and therapeutic equipment; increase in overall life expectancy of the population; survival and healthy development of children; the health and well being of women; protection and preservation of the environment; disability reduction; and the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyles.

     The reach the vision besides our government we should conscious and help the govt. to complete her mission. If the government is able to build up digital Bangladesh I hope we are able to find out a new nation and the nation we be free from all the corruptions.