Present situation and relation between donor agencies and Bangladesh

l by Swadesh Roy

(26 July, 2012, Dhaka, Sri Lanka Guardian) World Bank and other donor agencies are our development partner. They are working with us after the birth of our country. In 1971, we were 700 million people but it was also dense population. Now we are 1500 million people, so we are over populated country. According to our wealth, we cannot bear this population so we need help as a poor country, and we get help from the world donor agencies. It is reality. If we disagree with this reality, it is not a real judgment for ourselves. However, it is true, our economy is increasing fast day by day, and it will increase more in near future. We have much potentiality. We have got right in vast sea area and we will get more sea boundary very soon; that will give us to look at more wealth. On the other hand, we are doing better in our agricultural sector; we will do better in this sector. But it is true, in 2021 our population will touch near 2000 million. On the other hand, in 2021 we have to reach at the middle-income level country. So, next ten years, we have to run fast in our socio economic sector; even if we walk fast that will not be perfect; we must have to run fast. That’s why, if we have to walk fast in the way of socio economic development, we need to develop more infrastructure that will help us to run fast in economy sector. If we would like to build up more infrastructure, it is not possible by our own funding. We need more cooperation of our development partners. 

In the present world donor agencies of the world have to expand their area. Therefore, their agenda is mainly to develop the economy of democratic world and eliminate the poverty of democratic world. Africa is a big field for the donor agency now. Europe is anguishing an unbelievable economic recession. Middle East is now transforming in democratic world. Even then, our close neighbors Afghanistan and Myanmar have transformed in a democratic country. So, reconciliation of Afghanistan, Myanmar and new democratic Middle East is a big challenge for the donor agencies now. On the other hand, donor agencies have to work more for Europe and the poorest area of Africa. 

Now it is 2012, the area of World Bank has expanded more. Arab Spring has given a new Middle East on the other hand Myanmar is now the new member of democratic world. Therefore, area of world donor agencies have expanded; but in this situation world is suffering in a big economical recession; in spite of that, world donor agencies have to do their works and Bangladesh should do its all works with them.

In this circumstance, Bangladesh has to work with the donor agencies. So we need more efficiency to do work with the donor agency as a development partner and work with the democratic world as a member of democratic world. First, we have to project us why our development is necessary in this present context. Firstly, we are the strategic partner of the democratic world so our development is mainly the development of the democratic world. On the other hand, for a future balanced economic development, a suitable Asian economy is now needed for the world. For this suitable economy of Asia, Bangladesh is also a good hub. In South Asian context and the East and South Asian context Bangladesh is more important. The manpower and the road transit are more potential for East and South Asian economical context, it is important also in the context of world economy. Such as, Bangladesh is going to be the top garment exporter country in the world. On the other hand, Bangladesh produces its own main food. If Bangladesh gets opportunity to do work in mineral and agricultural sector with Myanmar and North East India that can change the scenario of agricultural and some industrial sector of the East and South Asia; and Bangladesh will be the route to it to reach the result of it for the rest of the world. So the road transit and the infrastructure of the communication sector of Bangladesh are so much potential for the world economy. We know that, the American ambassador in Bangaldesh Dan Mozena has said several times that, Padma Bridge is the silk route of this area. So our Padma bridge is not only essential for our own economy it is also important for regional and the world economy. 

In 2010, when World Bank agreed to be a lead donor of Padma Bridge then I was in the World Bank annual summit as a delegate member of Bangladesh. We got this essence that, World Bank is going to do this for the purpose of world economy. In this summit World Bank president gave his remarkable speech. In that speech he said that, poor people of the world have increased in Africa so, the area of the work of World Bank has expanded. World Bank has to utilize its every penny properly. He also added that the reconciliation or reform of Afghanistan and Iraq. Now it is 2012, the area of World Bank has expanded more. Arab Spring has given a new Middle East on the other hand Myanmar is now the new member of democratic world. Therefore, area of world donor agencies have expanded; but in this situation world is suffering in a big economical recession; in spite of that, world donor agencies have to do their works and Bangladesh should do its all works with them. 

However, people of Bangladesh are getting an indication that, there is something wrong with the donor agencies and the government. As we know in the inside of the government and the donor agencies both are walking in right track. But our popular politics are making some mistakes. A portion of the popular politicians are giving the picture to the people that, Bangladesh is going to take decision, they will be another Cuba or Venezuela. It is not true at all, Bangladesh and its present government represents a liberal democratic norm. Strategically Bangladesh and its present government is the partner of democratic leader of the world, United States of America and the mother of the democratic world Europe. So, which has happened with the World Bank about Padma Bridge, is not a war between Bangladesh and the democratic world. It is a technical matter between the leading donor World Bank and Bangladesh. But which has happened it is not the final word till now because the door of negotiation is not closed already. Besides that, other donor agencies who are the partner of the World Bank in Padma Bridge project are still with Bangladesh; that indicate, they want a settlement between Bangladesh and World Bank on Padma issue. They are working in favor of this. So it will be very wrong step for anyone who thinks or say anything that, now we are going to fight against donor agencies. 

Rational people of Bangladesh can hope now that, their politicians should walk in a right track, because we are living in a new and changed world. We are not living the age of post second world war or at the time of cold war. We are now the citizen of a global village and a global unified economy. 

Swadesh Roy, Executive Editor, The Daily Janakantha, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He can be reached at swadeshroy@gmail.com