STRIVING TO
REALIZE THE
IDEALS OF MY
FATHER
SHEIKH HASINA
Are you going to wear those flashy, expensive sari and jewelry? Most people
these days can’t even afford a single meal—do you want to show off how rich
you are? Don’t wear them please, wear something simple and ordinary so that
you can identify yourself with the poor people of this land.
I can never forget those words of my
父亲, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the man
people fondly called Bangabandhu, 或者
Friend of Bangladesh—a title bestowed in
the 1960s that reflected how much they
loved him. It was not meant to be a lofty
title but, 相当, a simple reflection of peo-
ple’s love. I learned from my father how
to empathize with the deprived, the disad-
vantaged, and how to dream about build-
ing a prosperous future for them. 他
dreamt about creating, once again, A
Sonar Bangla, or Golden Bengal, as our
land was known in ancient times. 他
envisioned a prosperous country based
on the ideals of democracy, religious tol-
erance, and social justice. It ultimately
became his political philosophy and
lodestar all through his life. I have always
tried to follow his advice and example.
— Sheikh Mujib speaking to his daughter
During the previous two centuries,
our people had been colonized, impover-
已完成, and ruthlessly exploited by rulers
who came from outside. This exploitation
continued even after 1947, when the
British colonial rulers partitioned the
Indian subcontinent and established an
independent Pakistan. While the word
“Bangladesh” had been used by the people
of our country for centuries, our land offi-
cially became known as East Bengal only
在 1905. With the 1947 independence of
巴基斯坦, East Bengal became known as
East Pakistan—an arrangement that
brought no
to our nation.
Geographically separated from the west-
ern wing of Pakistan by a thousand miles,
the erstwhile East Pakistan was ethnically,
culturally, and socially different from
West Pakistan. While our people sought
greater autonomy in managing their own
joy
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affairs and development, the Pakistani
regime brought only authoritarian and
oppressive rule. 除其他事项外, 它
tried to impose Urdu on our people, A
language spoken only by a small minor-
ity in West Pakistan. Such insensitivity
and oppression sparked a popular
resistance, giving rise to a movement to
obtain the full recognition of Bangla as
our national language. I do understand
that Bangla is known as “Bengali” in the
西方, but I will refer to it as Bangla here,
as it is our name for our own mother
tongue.
THE MAKING OF
BANGABANDHU AND AN
INDEPENDENT
BANGLADESH
This language movement was spear-
headed by the young Sheikh Mujibur
law student at Dhaka
Rahman, A
大学, who stood boldly against
such injustice. The movement intensi-
fied when the Pakistani rulers impris-
oned him and his associates on March
11, 1948. Many more episodes of
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
imprisonment followed, as the people’s
demand for autonomy grew stronger.
Over the years, particularly as the cen-
tral government of Pakistan became a
military dictatorship, the economic
deprivation and political discrimination
against our people in East Pakistan con-
tinued to worsen. This only served to
stiffen my father’s resolve against dicta-
torship, deprivation, and discrimina-
的.
Among Sheikh Mujib’s many
extraordinary qualities, three stood out
above all others. 第一的, he naturally
empathized and connected with people
from all walks of life. His background
may have helped in this regard; 他是
not from a family of extraordinary
wealth, but from one in a rural farming
community that was economically com-
fortable. 第二, he was fearless in
protesting and resisting the forces of
oppression. 第三, he could articulate
and give voice to what the people need-
ed and aspired to.
People could see these genuine
qualities in him, which drew them natu-
Sheikh Hasina is the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, now in her fourth term. She is a daughter
of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding father and its first President. Sheikh Hasina is
well recognized now as a global leader for her influential work on peace, prosperity, 人类,
and climate change. Sheikh Hasina has been the President of the oldest and the most influential
political party of Bangladesh (Bangladesh Awami League) 为了 40 years and was first elected as
Prime Minister in 1996 for a five-year term. Subsequently winning three consecutive five-year
条款, she has engineered and presided over very rapid economic growth and development, 举起-
ing Bangladesh out of the status of Least Developed Countries. She has pursued many humanitar-
ian causes and works relentlessly to build a socially and economically inclusive country. Among
her many humanitarian causes, she concluded a peace treaty in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, gave
shelter to more than one million Rohingyas who were driven out of their homeland, and currently
chairs the 48-nation Climate Vulnerable Forum at the UN.
© 2021 Sheikh Hasina
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Sheikh Hasina
rally to him and encouraged them to seek
his leadership and guidance. Over a long
and arduous 20-plus year struggle—one
that involved building grassroots organi-
zations, facing trumped-up charges in the
law courts, and enduring numerous
imprisonments, yet pressing on for justice
and autonomy for our people—Sheikh
Mujib galvanized the nation into one
国家, winning the hearts and minds of
our entire people. Even after a landslide
victory in the 1970 general election of
巴基斯坦, and after being declared prime
minister-elect of Pakistan by the Pakistani
military regime, the military rulers sub-
jected him to a great deal of machination
rather than allowing a smooth transfer of
力量. 简而言之, over a period of nearly a
quarter century, the movement to recog-
nize Bangla as our national language was
transformed into a battle for justice and
平等, then into a demand for autono-
我的, and ultimately into a full-fledged lib-
eration movement.
最终, the moment of reckoning
arrived. At a historic mass rally in Dhaka
on March 7, 1971, Sheikh Mujib pro-
claimed, “The struggle this time is the
struggle for our freedom! The struggle
this time is the struggle for independ-
恩斯!” About three weeks later, in the
evening of March 25, there started a bru-
tal military crackdown on unarmed civil-
ians, students at university dormitories
and the police in their barracks by the
Pakistani army. Given this cruelty and the
people’s momentous aspiration for free-
多姆, Sheikh Mujib declared the country’s
independence on March 26, 1971, 和
called for the people to resist the brutality
of the Pakistani Army. During the tense
days between March 7 and March 25,
when the Pakistani military regime was
filling the barracks with soldiers from
West Pakistan, Sheikh Mujib had con-
templated various corresponding practi-
cal contingencies on his side. Just minutes
before Sheikh Mujib was arrested and
taken away by the Pakistani military, 他
sent a nationwide message to members of
the East Pakistan Rifles (EPR), the para-
military force serving as border guards
that was made up mostly of Bangladeshi
男人. Some of the EPR men were very
enthusiastic about independence, 和
four of them conveyed Sheikh Mujib’s
message of freedom and independence
over their wireless sets across the nation.
Four such EPR men carried the message
of Sheikh Mujib though their wireless sets
to all over the nation. It was later discov-
ered that they were arrested and killed by
Pakistan Army. These four martyrs’ con-
tributions were immense as that had
spread the
leader’s message rapidly
through radio stations and other means of
announcements around the country,
building up an effective solidarity and
resistance. Since Sheikh Mujib’s call for
independence resonated very deeply in
the hearts of people, they launched an all-
out war against the occupying Pakistani
军队, which continued to carry out
unimaginable atrocities that can only be
described as genocide. Victory came on
十二月 16, 1971, and Bangladesh
emerged as an independent and sovereign
国家, thus fulfilling the dream my father
cherished for a quarter century. 我们的
country’s name officially entered the
world’s vocabulary.
Throughout his political career,
Sheikh Mujib led a nonviolent movement
to achieve his goals. 然而, the military
regime again arrested him on that calami-
tous night of March 25, 1971, when it
started the genocide in Bangladesh and
imprisoned him in a dark solitary cell in
West Pakistan. In a secret military trial on
the prison premises, my father was sen-
tenced to death. He was about to be exe-
cuted, when Bangladesh succeeded in its
struggle for independence.
Because of his frequent imprison-
ment in the past, my sister, brothers, 和
I were deprived of our father’s presence,
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Striving to Realize the Ideals of My Father
but never his enduring affection. 我的
mother wholeheartedly supported him
through his long political struggles; 她
was also by our side, ensuring that all her
children received a proper education. 我们
dearly missed our father; his frequent
absences only deepened our loyalty to his
idealism. We were fully aware that he was
absent because of his imprisonment and
the reasons for it. His sacrifices made it
easier for us to make corresponding sacri-
fices. Our parents taught us about the
value of patriotism, and we shared his
deep love of the people and his steadfast
commitment to the liberation of our land.
They made it easier to never lose our way,
to never lose hope for a brighter, 更好的
未来.
After Bangladesh won independence,
the Pakistani military finally released my
父亲. He immediately and triumphantly
returned to Dhaka and was given a
tumultuous hero’s welcome by his
beloved people. As head of the new gov-
政府, he launched the daunting task
of rebuilding a country emerging from
the ashes of a devastating war. The gov-
ernment treasury was empty. Ten million
Bangladeshi refugees, who had taken
shelter in India to escape from the atroci-
ties committed by the Pakistani military,
had to be quickly rehabilitated as they
began to return home. The country’s rail-
方法, roads, and bridges had to be rebuilt
和
reestablished.
Firearms had to be recovered from citi-
zens who had spontaneously declared
themselves freedom fighters and resisted
the Pakistani military during
这
Liberation War. Law and order had to be
restored. Crop production, disrupted
badly during the war, had to be resumed,
and the availability of vital agricultural
supplies had to be secured.
通讯
As rehabilitation, restoration, 和
recovery were pursued in midst of chaos
and confusion,
形成的
Planning Commission began to prepare a
the newly
为了
comprehensive plan for the country. 这
most important task was to frame a con-
stitution for an independent Bangladesh,
one that truly reflected the aspirations of
those who had fought and sacrificed their
生活
freedom.
their cherished
此外, to secure support from
neighboring countries and the interna-
tional community, Sheikh Mujib sought
urgent diplomatic recognition
从
countries throughout the world. 他
accomplished these difficult tasks within a
very short time and was soon recognized
as a charismatic world leader, a statesman
with a clear vision. Many world leaders
visited Dhaka, and he was invited to many
of their countries. Through his historic
speech at the UN General Assembly in
New York on September 25, 1974, Sheikh
Mujib made all Bangladeshis proud of
their nation and their heritage.
THE TRAGEDY OF 1975
Then tragedy would strike, whose enor-
mity I still have not fully adjusted to! 我的
younger sister Rehana and I, along with
my two children, were visiting Germany,
where my husband, 博士. Wazed, 曾是
working as a nuclear scientist. During a
short trip to Belgium, in the early morn-
ing of August 15, 1975, I was awakened by
the harsh ringing of the telephone. 我们的
host received the call but did not want to
talk to me, only to my husband, who was
standing very close to me. My husband
turned to me and said that there had been
a coup in Bangladesh, but nothing more.
然而, the sense I got by reading his
脸, was I felt that something cataclysmic
had befallen my family in Dhaka. I was
shocked and stunned, and the only words
that came to my mouth were, “If there has
been a coup, then I have lost everyone.”
After going to Ambassador Humayun
Rashid Chowdhury’s house in Bonn, 我们
confronted the heartrending news that
my father, my mother, my newly married
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Sheikh Hasina
brothers and their wives, and even my kid
brother Russel had all been killed.
It pains me to list all 18 members of
my close-knit family who died that day,
and it may pain my readers to go through
列表. 然而, I am compelled to iden-
tify and honor the innocent people whose
lives were senselessly taken. In addition to
killing my father, Sheikh Mujib, the pres-
ident of Bangladesh, they killed my moth-
是, Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib; 我的
younger brother, freedom fighter captain
Sheikh Kamal and his wife Sultana;
another younger brother, freedom fighter
lieutenant Sheikh Jamal and his wife
Parvin Jamal Rosy; and our uncle, 自由的-
dom fighter Sheikh Abu Naser. 我的 10-
year-old brother, Sheikh Russel, was the
last victim of the killers. Others killed on
that night included Sheikh Mujib’s mili-
tary secretary Colonel Jamil and police
officer Siddiqur Rahman. At the same
时间, they had attacked my aunt’s house
and killed her son, Sheikh Fazlul Haq
Moni a freedom fighter, journalist, 和
编辑, and his pregnant wife Arzu Moni.
At another aunt’s house, the murderers
killed her husband, freedom fighter
Abdur Rob Serniabat, and her daughter
Baby, son Arif Serniabat, and grandson
Sukanta Babu; her nephew Shaheed
Serniabat, a journalist and freedom fight-
是; and a close family friend, Nayeem
Khan Rintu.
The usurpers of power wouldn’t allow
my sister and me to return home. Along
with my two infant children, we spent
about six years in wretched exile. We ran
as refugees from place to place, always
afraid that we would be hunted down by
the assassins and finally eliminated.
MY RETURN TO
BANGLADESH IN 1981
最后, we began to see some light at the
end of the exile tunnel. As limited politi-
cal activities resumed in the country, 这
Bangladesh Awami League, the political
party my father had built up since the
1950s, selected me to be its president—a
decision welcomed by our people. 我
returned to Bangladesh in 1981, 尽管
some resistance from the prevailing mili-
tary regime. This return did not automat-
ically lead to a smooth political ride for
the daughter of the country’s founder.
There were troubles, trauma, and turbu-
lence at every turn. I focused all my pas-
sion and energy on carrying out this
daunting political career; I saw no choice
but to go forward, as my father would
have done. I felt compelled to confront
and overcome the obstacles thrown at us,
not just to vindicate the cruel and sense-
less assassination of my father and family
members. In my mind, the crimes of the
conspirators were bigger than murders;
they had also killed the hopes of a bur-
geoning new nation, one that had been
subjugated by colonial rulers for cen-
turies.
In confronting these many difficult
问题, I followed a simple methodology. 我
asked myself, “What would my father
Sheikh Mujib do if he had remained
活?” The answer was always to remain
steadfast to the ideals of Bangladesh that
had inspired him and the entire nation.
We needed to remain faithful to the ideals
of the Liberation War of 1971, for which
three million Bangladeshi people had sac-
rificed their lives.
To understand the needs of the peo-
普莱, particularly those who were down-
trodden, I had to have empathy for their
current problems and their aspirations
and dreams for the future. I began to meet
routinely with many people, 尤其
those from poor households in the vil-
lages, WHO
真实的
Bangladesh. I visited countless village
markets and grassroots centers. 在里面
过程, I learned firsthand about eco-
nomic activities in rural areas and became
familiar with their needs, especially dur-
代表
这
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Striving to Realize the Ideals of My Father
ing natural disasters such as floods or
cyclones. I extensively visited the areas
vulnerable to monga (“monga” is a word
used in our Rangpur district meaning
localized famine), which affected north-
ern Bangladesh, and tried to understand
the practical details of these situations.
My memories were filled with what my
father had told us about his own dreams
and specific plans for the development of
国家. He used to share with us his
ideas about how the endemic poverty that
had plagued the country since colonial
times could be eradicated once and for all.
I also realized that many of the party’s
leaders had been lost in the Liberation
战争; the party had been rudderless since
1975. Sheikh Mujib’s solution would have
been to undertake a systematic reorgani-
扎化. This led me to start reorganizing
the Awami League. There was resistance;
some insisted we did not need to fix what
was already working. The party had, 后
全部, swept the 1970 general election in
erstwhile East Pakistan, winning 167 座位
在......之外 169, and spearheaded the success-
ful Liberation War, proving its well-func-
tioning capabilities. I believed that it
needed to be strengthened to become our
political platform, starting with the lowest
units at the grassroots level. It was hard,
painstaking, organization-building work.
Here too Sheikh Mujib’s philosophy,
ideals, and aspirations were very helpful
in preparing the party to be ready for a
改变. The overwhelming desire at the
ground level was to infuse our people
with the spirit of the Liberation War and
with the basic principles of the country’s
宪法.
My knowledge and understanding of
my father’s thoughts and plans—stem-
ming from his lifetime dedication to and
thinking for the country—have helped me
translate his ideas into concrete pro-
克. The guiding principles involve
being steadfast, being empathetic to the
needs of the downtrodden, and being sys-
tematic about my actions.
My father’s dream was to build an
independent Bangladesh that would facil-
itate a better life for all the people in the
country and change their destiny. 什么时候
he was home, he would often discuss with
us his thoughts and plans on ways to
make each village self-sufficient by further
increasing agricultural output. He visual-
ized industrialization, road-building, 这
dredging of waterways, expansion of rail-
方法, and so forth. He imagined good
roads leading to every village, with rice
fields on one side and farmers’ settle-
评论, 学校, colleges, railway lines,
hospitals, religious institutions, and all
the social elements of life on the other. 他
dreamt of introducing various machines,
purchased either individually or through
cooperatives, which he asserted would
greatly increase productivity. He also
considered production-sharing (保持
land ownership intact) schemes in which
the current landowners would claim a
部分, the state-supported cooperatives
would claim another part, and the labor-
ers would claim yet a third part. He had
schemes for marketing the farmers’ pro-
duce. The important point is that he was
always thinking and believed that condi-
tions could be improved through innova-
系统蒸发散. His thoughts and beliefs became my
inspiration and education.
CHANNELING THE PAIN AS
A POSITIVE FORCE
the welfare of
The pain that came from losing virtually
all members of my family in 1975 有
been impossible to overcome. 然而,
为了
the people of
Bangladesh, I have tried to channel my
pain from losing my family members into
building Bangladesh, the cause for which
they perished.
There are many instances of wealthy
families who, after great loss, donated
their wealth to serve humanity by creating
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Sheikh Hasina
的
今天的
institutions of excellence. The Stanford
family donated more than 8,000 acres of
land when they lost their only child,
Leland Jr., to typhoid in 1884, creating the
基础
斯坦福大学
大学. The Widener family invested
in Harvard University when their son
Harry died in the Titanic disaster in 1912,
helping to create the university’s largest
library and one of the best in the world. 我
bring up these examples to point out that
the pain of a tragedy can be channeled for
good purposes. I believe that the loss of
my whole family was a tremendous
tragedy, but I did not have any wealth to
donate. 然而, I realized that I could
channel my tears, tenacity, and time into
building Bangladesh. My path since that
dark year of 1975 eventually led me, 21
多年后, to become prime minister for
a five-year term, 开始于 1996.
In the election of 2001, 然而, 这
Awami League party did not return to
力量. Rule by another party degenerated
into military rule, and many of our pro-
grams were disrupted and discontinued.
幸运的是, our party won overwhelm-
ingly in the 2008 general elections, 遵循-
lowed by two additional consecutive five-
year terms, the last one being at the end of
2018. This has given us a good amount of
time to follow up on our programs con-
sistently, which has enabled our society
and the people to become stronger in a
number of areas.
MEETING SEVEN OF THE
PEOPLE’S BASIC NEEDS
农业, Food, and Nutrition
We began our effort to develop agricul-
ture by prioritizing increased production
and food security. Several other benefits
arose from this emphasis. The largest part
of our workforce (43%) is engaged in this
sector; increased production and income
are good not only for them but for the
national economy. Their purchasing
power translates into the creation and
expansion of factories, 行业, 三月-
kets, 和, possibly, exports. More produc-
tive farms and rural areas also reduce
rural-to-urban migration. With these
thoughts, we have allocated more
resources for rural and grassroots devel-
opment so that we ultimately leave none
of our precious arable land uncultivated
or unused. We have helped farmers in at
least four ways.
Inputs. We have provided them with
high-quality seeds, fertilizers, and other
产品, along with support for irriga-
的.
Finance. We began to give share-
croppers agricultural loans at low interest
rates without requiring any deposit from
他们. We also increased certain subsidies
and provided cash
为了
increased production. 现在, 一个 80%
subsidy is being given for agricultural
mechanization.
激励措施
研究. We continue to search for
ways to diversify production of grains,
vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, and fruits. 这
overall goal is increased food security and
improved nutrition. New varieties of
maize, wheat, vegetables, and fruit have
been introduced. We have allocated
resources to develop saline-tolerant rice
物种, restore native fish, and devise
ways of raising fish and growing rice
simultaneously in the same plot of land,
so that when paddy fields that get inun-
dated during the rainy season, rice and
fish can be grown at the same time. 我们的
scientists are working not only on
improving nutrition but also making peo-
ple aware of innovations and their bene-
fits.
运营. We continue to educate
farmers about crop diversification, 模组-
ern farming methods, soil-testing to iden-
tify fertilizer needs, product marketing,
constructing silos for food storage, 建造-
ing warehouses, and good ways of storing
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Striving to Realize the Ideals of My Father
食物. We also advise them on various
other issues. As a result, even though
Bangladesh is comparable in size only to
the US state of Wisconsin, in terms of
actual annual production, Bangladesh
ranks third in the world in inland fish,
second in rice, and third in vegetables.
Our country has achieved this productive
capacity by wisely using the space left over
after accommodating a population that is
half that of the United States.
健康
To improve the health of our people, 我们
have worked on a wide range of activi-
ties—building hospitals and clinics, 亲-
viding healthcare services to people of all
年龄, and disseminating knowledge about
prevention of diseases and maintenance
of health. Our facilities may not meet
Western standards, but our reach and
effort are quite significant; given the
country’s rising income level, we are
increasingly able to do more.
Community Clinics. Free medical
treatment and medicines are provided
通过 18,000 community clinics and
healthcare centers across Bangladesh.
They provide first aid and refer people, 如果
必要的, to upazila (subdistrict) hospi-
tals.1. Special arrangements are in place
for serving children and mothers, 和
names and addresses of all patients are
registered so that they can receive regular
treatment.
Step-by-Step Healthcare System.
Community clinics are the smallest grass-
roots healthcare units. Medical facilities
are the larger centers, such as maternal
and childcare centers, upazila hospitals,
district hospitals, and divisional medical
大学.
Maternity Care. Women receive var-
ious services during the prenatal period
and while breast feeding. Working
women are given a maternity allowance
so that they can eat nutritious food and
give birth to a healthy baby. We also have
introduced a monthly allowance of $10 for lactating mothers. Hygiene. Children are regularly vac- cinated and taught about hygiene, 手- washing, and other health issues. We are constructing separate hygienic wash- rooms for boys and girls in the schools. Awareness. Clinics and upazila hos- pitals carry out awareness training and counseling for midwives, nurses, and other female health counselors, as well as for patients. Families are given consulta- tions about services for expectant moth- ers and newborns. As a result, people have become more health conscious, and maternal and child mortality rates have significantly dropped. Sensitivity to Women and Senior Citizens. 女性, particularly girls, bene- fit the most from these clinics, as they can walk in for health check-ups without depending on others. Older people also have access to regular health check-ups. Hospital Size. The government has decided that every upazila and zila will have a hospital, the number of beds in these hospitals being determined by the population size. Recently the number of beds in 152 upazila hospitals (在......之外 421 upazila hospitals) have been increased to 50 从 31. At the same time, 在 34 zila hospitals (out of a total of 63 zila hospi- tals), the facilities have been increased to 250-300 beds. There used to be 100 beds in these zila hospitals until recently. Modernized Equipment. Modern equipment has been provided to every hospital and skilled technicians have been appointed to operate them. Similar opportunities have been provided in the health sector as in the industrial sector to attract domestic and foreign investment. Web cameras have been installed in every upazila hospital so that doctors unable to visit the patients can get connected and discuss the issues the patients face. 相似地, we also have created opportuni- 创新 / 体积 13, 数字 1/2 9 从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023 Sheikh Hasina ties for online medical services and con- sultation with medical specialists abroad. Upgraded Nurse Training. Nursing colleges and institutes are being estab- 列出, as we wish to lift up the nursing profession and recognize the greater respect nurses deserve. Nurses are recruited through the Public Service Commission. 现在, they are expect- ed to have a degree (not merely a certifi- 美食) and to have taken college-level courses. The number of nurses, as well as their salaries and benefits, have been increased. We are also encouraging the establishment of nurse training institutes through private initiatives. Private Hospitals. The government is encouraging private initiatives, and as a result, some world-class hospitals are being established in Bangladesh. Doctors and nurses have been given the opportu- nity to receive training and higher educa- tion both at home and abroad. Scholarships for higher education and special grants for research are being pro- vided. Specialized Hospitals. Thematic institutes have been established to train specialist physicians and ensure treat- ment of all diseases. 例如, we have set up separate institutes for eye, 鼻子, ear, throat, cancer, kidney, 心, pedi- atrics, gastro/liver, burns, 神经科学, and trauma so that those who need spe- cialized care can receive it. Public and pri- vate diabetic hospitals and separate hospi- tals for women have also been established. Addressing the Pandemic. Covid units have been opened in specialized hospitals to treat coronavirus patients. Bangladesh has shown greater resilience than many other countries where medical facilities not only meet higher standards but also are more readily available. Despite our limitations, I believe our per- formance is better because our programs and initiatives are focused on prevention rather than cure. Education Soon after forming my government in 1996, we undertook initiatives to massive- ly expand universal education. Since peo- ple are our focus and our only resource, their education is the best means of upgrading the economy and managing the country’s problems. many of Educated citizens can devise creative and robust solutions to their problems, and make it easier for the government to dis- seminate information. In addition to K- 12 and tertiary education institutions, we have extended our activities to include adult education and those based in reli- gious institutions that belong to all faiths prevalent in the country. 因此, our population has become more appreciative of the value of education and how the children can advance by acquiring educa- 化和培训. Literacy Rates. We started a project to make every district literate, which led to a rise in the literacy rate from 45% 到 75.6%. 很遗憾, that rate faltered while we were not in power from 2001 通过 2008. 然而, 自从 2009, when we formed our government for the sec- ond time, the literacy rate has been rising again; it is now at 74.3%, another conse- quence of our consistent focus during the three consecutive terms. Financial Support. Thirteen million primary school students are supported by stipends, which eases the financial burden on parents. Stipends reach the mothers or legitimate guardians directly through their mobile phones. We also provide scholarships for secondary and higher education. As a result, 关于 23 million students have advanced from primary school to higher education. Educational Materials. Free books are now distributed to all students up to the secondary school level. School lunch- 英语 (also known as tiffin) have also been arranged. As a result, dropouts have decreased. During the global pandemic, 10 创新 / Bangladesh at 50 从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023 Striving to Realize the Ideals of My Father educational activities have continued online, and via radio and television. Science Emphasis and on Technologies. Starting in my first term, we have adopted laws and policies to establish 12 science and technology uni- versities in order to upgrade our people’s science and technology-based skills. Technical education has spread through- out the country, which has enabled grad- uates to get jobs more easily. Technical education institutions are currently being opened in all 492 upazilas. Building More Tertiary Institutions. With public and private initiatives, 在- marily since 2009, we have begun to establish universities, technical education institutes, and medical colleges in every district, especially the large ones, with medical universities in each of the eight divisions. Female Students. Four academic institutions have been built exclusively for women. In the general schools and uni- 大学, the number of female students is greater than the number of male students, and the percentage of female students continues to increase. Our extensive efforts on this matter, after being re-elect- 编入 2009, are bearing fruit in the form of increasing female student enrollment and decreasing dropout rates at all levels. These efforts have helped raise female enrollment for secondary, higher second- 和, and university levels to 55.07%, 50.27%, 和 35.21%, 分别. The secondary school dropout rate has fallen from 64.92% 到 34.86%, and the higher secondary dropout rate has dropped from 42.48% 到 22.02%. Higher female enroll- ment is having other positive ripple effects, including a significantly lower rate of child marriage, and parents seeing girls’ education as helpful to their fami- 谎言. Girls are no longer perceived to be a financial burden. The Pandemic. The worldwide pan- demic is affecting the whole country, but our students are facing its worst effects. We have rapidly adopted digital plat- forms and public television channels to provide online education. Shelter inequities that exist Of all the in Bangladesh, the greatest is housing. 期间 2020, the centennial year of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib’s birth, we pledged to build homes for the landless and to provide everyone with a proper home address. Eliminating homelessness alleviates poverty, creates more equity, and results in a healthier citizenry. It has been inspired, like many other initiatives, by Sheikh Mujib, who set up clusters of villages for landless people and began the distribution of state-owned land for building better housing. We have upheld his paradigm and are currently imple- menting it. For the Homeless. We initiated the Ashrayan-1 project, through which land- less families can obtain modest housing; 然而, they cannot sell it to other fam- ilies. 最初, we built small barrack houses, each with one room and balconies on two sides. The claim to each house is given jointly to husband and wife; if they ever split up, the woman will have the pri- ority claim. Clusters of houses are gov- erned by cooperative societies, while maintenance is provided by the govern- 蒙特. The residents of Ashrayan-1 are being encouraged to pursue careers as blacksmiths, potters, fishermen, and bar- bers. Religious institutions, 学校, healthcare facilities, and community cen- ters have been provided along with this housing. An improved design and con- struction scheme is being pursued in the Ashrayan-2 project. We have already built half the number of homes we set as our goal, and the remainder of the hous- ing needs will be met in the next two years. 创新 / 体积 13, 数字 1/2 11 从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023 Sheikh Hasina Lacking the Means to Build. A hous- ing fund has been set up by the central bank for those who have land but cannot afford to build a dwelling on it. Any NGO or other institution is allowed to borrow money from the central bank, 只有一个 2% service charge and an interest rate capped at 5%. 迄今为止, 关于 29,000 fami- lies have built houses using these loan facilities. Hostels for garment workers have been built separately. Housing for Slum Dwellers. The gov- ernment is constructing small flats for slum dwellers. These flats can be rented on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Special loans are being arranged through a program titled Return Home for dwellers who want to return to rural areas. Those who return to a village will be given a house, six months’ free food, and a low-interest loan so that they can take time to resettle without being pressured to earn a living immediately. Women and Marginalized Groups We have created a social safety net to pro- vide allowances to meet a variety of diffi- cult circumstances: old age, widowhood, extreme poverty, 失能, and destitute freedom fighters. For the current fiscal year, we have allocated BDT 956 百万 (close to US$12 million) for this purpose.
关于 95,000 people from the transgen-
这, gypsy, and other hitherto neglected
communities are included. 关于 45 米尔-
lion people have come under social secu-
理性, directly and indirectly. We distribute
food free of cost.
Affirmative Action. Training has
been arranged and special employment
opportunities have been created for
女性. 后
独立, Sheikh
Mujib made women’s education free of
成本. He reserved a 10% quota system for
女性
in government workplaces.
今天, 60% of teachers’ job in the pri-
mary schools is reserved for women. 这是
meant to encourage women to form the
majority of the primary school teachers
who are naturally from the local commu-
实体; primary school teaching does not
require much specialization. This has
encouraged women’s participation in
teaching jobs and, at the same time,
encouraged families to send girls to
学校.
Policies and Recruitment. 这
National Women’s Development Policy
was formulated in 1997 with the aim of
empowering women; this effort was dis-
rupted from 2001 到 2008. Since forming
our government in 2009, the participation
of women has been ensured. Unlike any-
thing that has taken place before, we start-
ed recruiting women at all levels, 包括-
ing higher and lower court judges and a
secretary in the administration; a deputy
commissioner and superintendent of
police at the district level; an upazila nir-
bahi officer at the upazila level; officers
who are in charge of police stations, army,
navy, air force, and the Bangladesh border
guard; and a university vice-chancellor.
Local Governments. Women’s par-
ticipation at various levels of local gov-
ernment has also been ensured. It is now
mandatory to elect women at every level,
from unions to city corporations. As a
结果, opportunities have been created
for women to play a role in overall devel-
opment activities. 今天, Bangladesh
tops the nations in South Asia in women’s
empowerment.
Child Welfare
My father loved children. He had five
children himself, and greatly missed them
during his many periods of imprison-
蒙特. My youngest brother, who was
killed in 1975, spent a great deal of time
和他一起. In the 1970s, my father under-
took several initiatives for children’s wel-
fare. During his short tenure, he enacted
the Children’s Act and made primary
education free and compulsory. I am, 的
12
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Striving to Realize the Ideals of My Father
课程, very inspired by him on this front
还有.
Establishment of Laws during My
Tenures. Several additional initiatives
have been put in place to make the abu-
sive treatment of women and children
非法的: the Domestic Violence Prevention
and Protection Act-2010, Children Act-
2013, and the Child Marriage Restraint
Act-2017.
Plans and Policies. There also are
policies and plans that cater to the welfare
of children: the National Children Policy
Act of 2011, which aligned with interna-
tional charters, children’s laws, 和骗局-
机构, and the Women and Child
Abuse Prevention Action Plan 2013-2015.
Child labor has been banned since 1996,
especially in hazardous environments.
Laws and plans on paper may not go far
足够的, making it sometimes necessary
for the government
to get directly
涉及.
Facilities for Childcare. Various pro-
grams and activities were also undertaken
to create educational opportunities for
poor children, who are more vulnerable
to abuse. We have established childcare
centers and breastfeeding corners in every
department in the government and for
women workers in garment factories.
Programs against Violence. 那里
是 5,292 adolescent clubs, involving vir-
tually all upazilas, that exist to prevent
gender-based violence against adolescent
boys and girls: the National Academy for
Autism
and Neuro-Developmental
Disabilities, the National Helpline to pre-
vent child abuse, 60 one-stop crisis cen-
ters across the country to prevent violence
against women and children, and mini-
stadiums in every upazila, where children
can exercise and play.
Sports and Tournaments. State-sup-
ported programs are available to promote
tournaments and sports competition. 在
2019, a total of 110,354 students involving
6,142 teams at the upazila level participat-
ed in two national football (soccer) tour-
naments for boys and girls.
Direct Financial Help. My govern-
ment also lends a helping hand to young
学生, their mothers, institutions of
different religions, and NGOs that are
engaged with children. As already men-
tioned, 13 million students get financial
help that is delivered through their moth-
ers’ cell phones; scholarships are provided
到 7.3 million students in secondary or
higher education; and students with spe-
cial needs receive stipends. Students also
receive school lunches, textbooks, 和
other educational materials free of charge.
Financial Inclusion
Inclusivity is deep in our ethos. 这是
because the consciousness of our nation
emerged against the discriminatory rules,
first under the British and then under the
Pakistanis. Sheikh Mujib was the champi-
on of inclusivity and the best articulator
of this ethos. Development must engage
our entire society. It must be inclusive. 它
must be participatory. My government is
committed to reflecting this ethos in the
world of finance, as shown by the follow-
ing few examples.
Mobile Financial Services. Once dig-
ital communication devices became wide-
传播, we realized that they could be har-
nessed for financial inclusion. 因此,
my government endorsed the idea of
mobile financial services immediately
after my second term started in 2009.
今天, 多于 80 million people in the
country are using mobile financial servic-
英语, and we are a proud world leader in this
sector.
Bank for Small Enterprises. 我们
established the Karmasangsthan Bank—a
bank dedicated to facilitating small enter-
prises—where young men and women
can obtain loans without a deposit for
sums of BDT 200,000 (大约
US$2,400) or above to run a business or farm. Other startup programs are provid- 创新 / 体积 13, 数字 1/2 13 从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023 Sheikh Hasina ing training and access to low-interest loans. in Micro-Savings. I conceptualized a savings scheme and created what is now known as the My Home-My Farm project for rural people. The aim is to encourage savings, facilitate productive activities and cooperation among rural people, and overcome poverty the process. Through this program, those who have houses and adjoining open spaces or ponds are being harnessed for increased production of food. Initiatives have been undertaken to implement production- oriented programs by harnessing the tal- ents of the household members. The areas selected include cottage industries, 手- icrafts, fruit farming, vegetables, spices, vegetables, mushroom farming, and other non-conventional conventional income-generating programs, such as fish, poultry, pigeon, and quail farming. Our philosophy is to not leave an inch of our precious land unproductive. With appropriate incentives, we are encourag- ing the formation of cooperative societies to procure inputs and market outputs col- lectively. or Matching Incentives. To encourage greater productivity and saving, we first provide training and advice to those who will be involved in productive activities. They can then obtain loans to engage in those activities. If a person saves from their profits, the government doubles their savings by providing a matching amount as a gift. 例如, if someone saves BDT 200 from profits made by sell- ing manufactured goods, another BDT 200 is offered as a gift from the govern- ment and is deposited in the producer’s savings account. This scheme is being implemented by a bank we have set up, called Palli Sanchay Bank in Bangla, which translates to Rural Savings Bank. MAKING THE COUNTRY MORE CONDUCIVE TO PEOPLE’S ADVANCEMENT In addition to the programs described above, there are at least seven areas where we are doing our best to enable people to help themselves. Conflict Resolution Almost immediately after starting my first term in 1997, we negotiated and signed a historic peace agreement with the indige- nous population in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area, putting to an end to the long- running conflict there. The lack of peace in the area had reminded me of the mar- ginalization Bangladeshis faced under British rule and under the Pakistani mili- tary. This agreement, which ended a long- festering armed insurgency in the eastern region of the country, recognized the rights of the local people and ethnic tribes. It also established a regional devel- opment council to promote greater pros- perity in a region that had been held back. Water Supply The 1996 Indo-Bangladesh agreement for sharing the water flowing through the Ganges River was another major mile- stone event. It ensured an adequate flow of water during the lean season for crops and quickly boosted agricultural growth in the southwestern region of the country. To deliver the benefits of this or other water deals with India, we have created various irrigation projects that have helped boost agriculture. At this point, 72% of our arable land is under irrigation, allowing us, as mentioned elsewhere, to become the world’s second largest pro- ducer of rice and third largest of vegeta- 布莱斯. We also started implementing vari- ous programs to ensure that people had clean water, sanitary latrines, and overall household cleanliness. At the moment, 14 创新 / Bangladesh at 50 从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023 Striving to Realize the Ideals of My Father 98.5% of our population receives safe drinking water; 85.7% is through tube well/boreholes, 和 11.7% is through piped water. 然而, something that needs significant improvement in my country is the rate of piped water in urban areas, which remains low at only 38.1%. Communications When we began governing in 1996, Bangladesh had a very underdeveloped infrastructure. To reach the remote vil- lages, it was necessary to construct bridges and a rural road network. 这, 当然, involved large investments and required years to implement. In the world of physical infrastruc- 真实, the most important accomplishment during my first term was to complete and open the 5.8-kilometer bridge over the Jamuna River. This bridge linked the northern and western regions of Bangladesh with the country’s eastern region; the latter was comparatively more developed. The country’s first mega-pro- ject, the bridge ushered in a new era of agricultural development in the northern districts, which had hitherto lacked access to the bigger markets in the eastern dis- tricts and to Chittagong port, the gateway for most of the country’s imports and exports. While the bridge was an important achievement, Bangladesh still lacked world-class roads and highways, and the existing ports and airports had limited capacity. Dhaka and Chittagong have become large cities but they have no mass rapid transport system. We are experienc- ing some of worst traffic congestion in the world, which reduces our productivity. 然而, Bangladesh is the world’s largest river delta, crisscrossed by many large and small rivers. Even after bridging the mighty Jamuna in 1996, there were many more bridges and roads to be built. During my second term, 开始于 2009, we started much of the unfin- ished work. We are currently construct- ing a new multimodal bridge over the mighty Padma River, known as the Ganges outside Bangladesh. It should be inaugurated next year, which will usher in a serious transformation of the southern part of our economy, just as the Jamuna bridge boosted the economy of the north- ern region. Massive new investments in mega- projects for the modernizing of physical infrastructure, including a rapid transit system in Dhaka, are now taking place, many to be completed by 2025. Digitization and Modern Technologies Within months of taking office in 1996, I endorsed three digital mobile licenses for nationwide services. These networks now provide mobile access to virtually every- one in Bangladesh. 在 2009, to capitalize on the widespread availability of mobile phones, to complement the phenomenon, and to catapult the country into a digital future, we the Digital launched Bangladesh initiative. This vision includes e-governance (bringing doorstep delivery of government services through digital platforms), creating a technology-centric knowledge-based economy, 并发展- ing a world-class ICT sector. We set our- selves the ambitious target of achieving our first phase of Digital Bangladesh by 2021, and I am pleased that our achieve- ments have exceeded our expectations. 今天, government services continue their rapid digitization, our ICT sector is a booming export industry, and our IT freelancers are in demand all over the world. Some of the initiatives we under- took are outlined below. Embrace of Technologies in General. Although digital technologies rightfully get a lot of attention these days, we are mindful of other beneficial technologies that are also being increasingly adopted in innovations / 体积 13, 数字 1/2 15 从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023 Sheikh Hasina Bangladesh. Examples include vastly expanded the use of television, radios, 空气- 飞机, helicopters, and more. Much of this proliferation has been encouraged through initiatives. private Correspondingly, we have encouraged and incentivized their use in hospitals, 学校, colleges, 大学, and media. Grassroots Organizations. Digital centers have been set up in each union council (community-based governance group) 地点; there are 5,275 union councils across Bangladesh. In a typical case, a small entrepreneur runs each cen- 特尔. These union council-based centers have started getting broadband access, a project that will be completed soon. Arrangements are also being made to accomplish government work using digi- tal centers and digital devices in 6,500 post offices and 18,500 government offices in the zilas and upazilas. We also are establishing 13,000 Sheikh Russel dig- ital labs for children (8,000 have already been established) across the country. Similar agricultural data centers have been established, through which farmers can obtain information of interest to them via their own mobile devices. 最后, NGOs are promoting online trade, purchasing, imports, and exports through digital systems. Information and Communications Technology Parks and Incubators. The grassroots organizations described above are complemented by relatively large information and communications tech- nology parks, incubators, and world-class data centers across the country. People in remote areas are already benefiting from Bangabandhu-1, a satellite recently launched by Bangladesh. We are also preparing, 通过 31 specialized labs, to harness new opportunities now on the horizon: artificial intelligence, 机器人技术, cyber security, and the internet of things, among others. My government has invested US$300 million in funding, 帮助-
英, and promoting startups.
Employment Opportunities. Area-
based employment opportunities have
been created by small shops (largely con-
venience stores) selling stationery items,
tea, foodstuffs and snacks, over-the-
counter medicines, and other items; 这
employment so created is largely in the
use of digital technologies in these con-
venience stores. Now these stores offer
printing, photocopying, and mobile
financial services. Another source of
income for the digital centers comes from
expatriate workers who want to make
video calls to their families at home.
People with disabilities can arrange their
own employment after they get training
arranged by the government.
Training. Multimedia classrooms
and computer education are being pro-
vided in most schools, which encourages
children to learn through digital devices.
Expanding training in information and
technologies will
通讯
require further revamping of our school
curricula at the primary, 中学, 和
tertiary levels. It also will require expand-
ed teacher-training programs. Trained
and skilled Bangladeshis employed over-
seas can become a major source of foreign
income and a primary resource for pro-
pelling economic development. To date,
more than two million young people have
received training in various ICT-related
trades.
Freelancing. We have introduced
learning and earning programs, whereby
youth are able to learn technical skills
(such as coding) and then earn money
while working at home as freelancers.
Foreign companies seek out these free-
lancers when they want to outsource their
software development. A large share of
Bangladesh’s educated youth is earning
through this outsourced work. To recog-
nize their work, the government is regis-
tering freelancers and giving them certifi-
cates to make it easier for them to obtain
16
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Striving to Realize the Ideals of My Father
outsourcing jobs.
Exports. 眼下, Bangladesh
is exporting US$1.3 billion in software and other digital services. 此外, 关于 650,000 freelancers are earning more than US$500 million a year. 我们是
aiming to boost exports to US$5 billion by 2025. As developed countries experience population decline, demand for highly skilled people in their service sectors is likely to increase. We are working on this great potential to further increase our earnings. Addressing the Pandemic. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, digital technologies are becoming more appreci- ated as a safer way of living and earning. Meetings among government officers and cabinet members, court activities, and business activities have continued during the pandemic. Our e-commerce activities were around US$100 million at the begin-
ning of 2020, a figure that has doubled
during the pandemic.
Electricity Supply
I have always considered energy to be a
major pillar of economic development.
因此, starting with the Private Power
Generation Policy in 1996 and my efforts
to privatize power generation that year,
we have increased both the generation
and diversification of energy sources. 我们
formulated several other policies, 包括-
ing one creating incentives to mobilize
private capital and foreign investments
for this capital-intensive and technology-
dependent sector. Our diversification
efforts have embraced different fuel
选项, including nuclear and renew-
埃布尔斯. 此外, we have initiated
regional cooperation with India, Bhutan,
and Nepal for the export and import of
力量, including hydropower.
The results of these efforts are now
quite apparent, thanks to the support of
the people, which has enabled us to stay in
power for three consecutive terms and to
build this pillar of economic development
consistently since 2009. Electricity has
reached almost every village; 99.5% 的
population is now connected to the elec-
tricity grid. While reaching virtually all
70,000 villages does not necessarily mean
we have reached all our people, the num-
ber of people receiving grid power has
risen from fewer than 11 million to nearly
35 million since 2009. Electricity has been
ensured to reach the country’s island
areas through submarine cable or by solar
panels. The number of solar panels in use
in the country has risen from fewer than
one million in 2009 到 55 million today.
Sustainable and quality transmission lines
are being set up, so no household will
remain without electricity. In terms of
power generation, we have increased our
capacity from 4,900 MW in 2009 到
25,235 MW at present. Power generation
used to be completely state owned; at this
观点, more than 50% is coming from
joint ventures with private companies and
imported from India. We are projected to
达到 40,000 MW by 2030 和 60,000
MW by 2041.
Foreign Investment,
Industrialization, and Job Creation
Many industries in Bangladesh would
welcome investment and, I believe, 亲-
duce good returns. These include agricul-
ture and food processing, leather, 光
engineering and manufacturing, automo-
tive parts and batteries, pharmaceuticals
and medical equipment, 建造
materials and chemicals, textiles, 和
electrical devices and electronics. 这
domestic demands in these areas are mas-
西韦. 这是, 毕竟, a country of 165 米尔-
lion with an economy that was growing at
an annual rate of 8% just before the pan-
demic (6% during the pandemic).
In the pre-pandemic years, our for-
eign direct investment (FDI) 增加
steadily, reaching close to US$3.9 billion innovations / 体积 13, 数字 1/2 17 从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023 Sheikh Hasina in 2018-19. It fell to US$2.4 billion in
2019-20 and to US$2 billion in 2020-21— most likely due to the pandemic. We think our FDI will pick up after the pan- demic, especially since more infrastruc- 真实, including the expanded power sup- 层数, is coming on board, along with other kinds of incentives for FDI. Investments relative to GDP, both public and private, have been holding at 30% during the pan- demic. 尤其, private investments as a percentage of GDP are holding above 21%, which highlights local investors’ (including foreign ones who are already here) ongoing confidence in the econo- 我的. This should be a good signal to poten- tial new foreign investors. To promote industries and facilitate greater FDI, we have been working and continue to work on several fronts. Physical Infrastructure. In addition to building better communication facili- 领带, we have created special economic zones (SEZs) or industrial estates to attract both foreign and domestic invest- ments and set up new technology-based industries. These zones have improved infrastructure (例如, gas and power con- 连接) and specialized ecologies suit- able for specific types of industries. We now have 88 SEZs, 59 of which are owned by the government and 29 by private par- 领带; five more will be added by 2030. Within these SEZs, 38 countries have made investments. Legal Infrastructure. We have been enacting laws and promulgating regula- tions to provide a consistent legal land- scape and remove the possibility of unex- pected changes in policy, tax, and duty structure. We are establishing systems to expedite licensing processes, removing procedural complexities that cause delays in certifications, payment of taxes, and standardizing regulations. Financial Incentives. Our various financial incentives include a 10-year exemption from taxes in certain geo- graphic areas and sectors; accelerated depreciation allowance; cash incentives for certain exports; duty-free import of machinery; double taxation avoidance treaties with 34 国家, including the United States; 100% foreign ownership; and full repatriation for capital and prof- 它是. Human Resource Development. We have established vocational training schools in order to mitigate concerns that our labor force lacks adequate skills, In any event, 有 150 higher education institutes in the country at the moment. There is long list of efforts underway to train young people. 诚然, Bangladesh has attracted less FDI than East Asian countries. This should improve in the post-pandemic world and as more modern infrastruc- tures come on board. What is important to note about Bangladesh is that we did not window-dress our country to attract FDI; 反而, we built an inclusive econo- my by addressing the needs of the lowest- income people. This has brought Bangladesh to a new stage with much greater capacity to put large amounts of FDI to good use. Let me elaborate a bit on the power sector, which could be using the largest amount of FDI. 我们的 2041 target of 60,000 MW will require about US$100 billion to
cover power generation, transmission,
and distribution. There are at least three
reasons why the scale is profitably sus-
tainable. 第一的, in terms of handling the
speed of expansion, we have quadrupled
power generation in the last dozen years
(自从 2009) and thus have proven our
ability to handle rapid growth. 第二,
this planned increase in the power supply
will buttress our projected economic
growth of 8% per year (the actual pre-
pandemic level), which in turn will sup-
port the capital cost with good returns.
An increased power supply will empower
people to achieve more economically and
18
创新 / Bangladesh at 50
从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023
Striving to Realize the Ideals of My Father
improve their ability to pay for power,
哪个, 反过来, will provide proper
returns to the capital deployed—particu-
larly because they also will enjoy the sup-
port of my government. 同时,
the government stands on sound financial
footing to play that supporting role. 为了
实例, the foreign exchange reserve
today is at US$47 billion, and Bangladesh has been maintaining a relatively low rate of borrowing, 以下 30% of annual GDP. In short, the power sector will require large capital investments, and my govern- ment will welcome FDI with adequate protection and returns foreign investors. for Natural Environment Perhaps the greatest long-term threat Bangladesh is facing is climate change, which is bringing warmer temperatures and rising sea waters. We have the largest delta in the world, and much of our coastal region is likely to be inundated. It is indeed a global issue, and we hope that wealthier nations will take concerted con- crete action to reduce carbon emissions and meet the agreed-upon targets of the Paris Agreement. We have formulated our own long-term delta development plan to mitigate the adverse effects of global climate change. To protect people in coastal areas from cyclones and tsunamis, we have built thousands of multi-storied and multi-purpose cyclone shelters, designed by our engineers. We also have erected embankments along the coast to protect people and their farms from the incursion of sea water. We are developing a comprehensive plan that focuses on sustainable economic growth, environmental and enhanced climate resilience. conservation, CONCLUSION In conclusion, I wish to stress that our nation has literally risen from the ashes of the devastating 1971 战争. Today’s Bangladesh is a transformed country, one that is economically self-reliant. Formerly food deficient, today it is self-sufficient and even has surplus production of vari- ous food crops. Rice production has increased more than three times since independence, a time during which the country’s population doubled. Our healthcare infrastructure has gradually increased, and extensive family planning campaigns have begun to produce results. Healthcare has been brought to the doorsteps of people, even in remote rural areas, through the establishment of com- munity clinics. Our rapid population growth in the early 1970s was a demogra- pher’s nightmare. The fertility rate has now come down to a replacement level that is lower than that of our neighboring countries. Power has increased greatly and now reaches 99% of rural households. 几乎 100% of school- age children are going to school, and pri- mary immunization has reached the entire child population. To encourage children and their families to go to school, the government has taken the initiative to distribute cost-free textbooks and a large number of stipends to students up to the secondary level. 关于 23 million stu- dents from primary school to the higher levels have been given various stipends and scholarships. generation We have accomplished a great deal in the last 50 年. When we emerged as an independent nation at the end of 1971, our war-ravaged country of 75 million was mired in widespread suffering. The per-capita GDP was only US$133 and
growing minimally, if at all, and life
expectancy was only 47 年. Bangladesh
is now a vibrant economy of 165 百万,
with a per-capita GDP of US$2,554 and growing fast, and life expectancy has risen to 73 年. Taking into account the rela- tive cost of living—that is, adjusting for purchasing power parity—Bangladesh is innovations / 体积 13, 数字 1/2 19 从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023 Sheikh Hasina hard labor, 血, toil, and tears of enter- prising farmers, garment workers, and expatriates abroad. Prudently coordinat- ed and encouraged by the government, it is a result of enterprise, big and small. The last two years have, as we all know, been extremely trying for the entire world. 然而, during this pandemic, Bangladesh celebrated two major mile- 石头. Last year would have been my father’s 100th birthday, and this year is Bangladesh’s 50th. As I look back at all we have achieved, I can’t help but wish my father could see us now. I know how proud he would be of how far we have come, and I know he would remind us that there is more work to be done. It is the indomitable spirit of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman that drives us forward, and we dare not rest till we achieve all his dreams. 1. For administrative purposes, Bangladesh is divided into eight divisions, with each division being subdivided into a number of zilas or districts. Each of the districts is further subdivided into upazilas or subdistricts. 有 64 zilas (districts) 在 492 upazilas (subdistricts). now close to being a trillion-dollar econo- 我的. Bangladesh is certainly one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. GDP has grown consistently since 2010 at more than 6% 每年; it exceeded 8% 在 2019, but there has been a small setback due to the pandemic. • Once in a situation of chronic food deficit, the country is now one of the world’s top three producers of rice, inland fish, and vegetables; it is still rap- idly diversifying its crop production. • The country is the fifth largest producer of vegetables in the world and the fourth largest in production of freshwa- ter fish. Marine fish output from the Bay of Bengal has also increased in recent years. We are self-sufficient in livestock and poultry. • Bangladesh garments have become popular globally; it was the second largest exporter of ready-made apparel in 2020. • Remittance earnings from expatriates working abroad hit a record US$21 bil-
lion in 2020, the eighth highest in the
世界. The country’s foreign exchange
reserve stands at US$47 billion.
• More than 100 public and private uni-
versities provide tertiary education in
information and communications tech-
nology and other new technologies.
Eight thousand union-level digital cen-
ters provide one-stop services to the
vast rural population.
• The UN has recently adopted a resolu-
tion that Bangladesh will soon graduate
from the status of Least Developed
Country to a Developing Country.
This amazing transformation within
a decade has taken place neither acciden-
tally nor by a miracle. It has happened
because of planned efforts, grassroots ini-
tiatives, and the entrepreneurial spirit of
our people, who are determined to over-
come our adversities. It is the result of
20
创新 / Bangladesh at 50
从http下载的://direct.mit.edu/itgg/article-pdf/13/1-2/2/1980905/inov_a_00279.pdf by guest on 07 九月 2023
