Premier Sheikh Hasina marks 72nd Birthday on 28 September this year. And good morning is to Hasina on this auspicious occasion.
by Anwar A Khan
POLITICAL LEADERS
A look at the political leader’s hall of fame would reveal names like Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill and present day’s PM Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina was born on September 28, 1947, is a Bangladesh’s politician. She is the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been the President of the Bangladesh Awami League, a major political party, since 1981. She is the oldest of five children of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
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| Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh |
Premier Sheikh Hasina marks 72nd Birthday on 28 September this year. And good morning is to Hasina on this auspicious occasion.
HASINA IS A STATESMAN AND A DEDICATED NATIONALIST
She is a statesman and a dedicated nationalist par excellence. Her life is entwined with Bangladesh. Her place in humanity was measured not in terms of the 21st century but in terms of history. By any means, she is a perfect leader.
POVERTY- FREE BANGLADESH
Sheikh Hasina has said, “I want to make Bangladesh poverty-free.” The country is a millennium development goals success story. Her government has remained focused on moving Bangladesh to fully recognised, middle-income country status by 2021. Her priority is to establish this country as a poverty-free country.
SHE IS A VISIONARY STATESMAN
Her bold measures have unleashed a growth trajectory and have taken us on the threshold of becoming a middle-income country. Under her dynamic and able leadership, we have come from far away and we are going far away. She is a visionary statesman and is standing on the core spirits of a true statesman.
HER TIRELESS WORK FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE COUNTRY’S PEOPLE
1. Sheikh Hasina has been working tirelessly for the well-being of the country’s people with enthusiasm, tenacity, and dedication. Her tireless work for people’s well-being is to better understand her people’s welfare-oriented politics. It is also a great pleasure to fathom our socio-economic development from 2009 like — GDP growth, Per Capital Income, increase of literacy rate, increase of life span, less dependence on importation of foods tuffs, Bangladesh's elevation from the index of LDC to a Middle Income Group, etc., that took place since 2009 when Sheikh Hasina came to power. Moreover, the mega-projects like the Padma Bridge, Metro-Rail, higher electricity generation… are of thoughtful attention. The country’s forex reserve, after making import bills towards the end of FY 2018-2019 sounds incredible. Economy marches towards record over 7.65pc growth in fiscal year 2019-20.
2.The BDT hits high against the US dollar very recently. It compares the taka-dollar exchange rate with the broad nominal trade weighted US Dollar Index, taken from the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis, Missouri. This broad currency index includes the euro area, Canada, Japan, Mexico, China, the UK, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brazil, Switzerland, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, India, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Sweden, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile and Colombia. It, therefore, shows how the USD-BDT has performed versus a broad basket of currencies. As is strong Bangladesh’s economy, so is strong Bangladesh’s Taka!
3. And very recently, taka has strengthened in spite of a stronger broad Dollar Index. That means the taka’s strength is based on domestic factors, with large portfolio inflows attracted by Bangladesh’s political stability, low current account deficit, lower inflation and growth prospects. All eyes will, however, be on Bangladesh. If it signals more rate hikes this year, then the dollar is likely to further weaken. It is believed BDT shall remain strong provided, of course, Bangladesh delivers on growth continually.
4. Bangladesh achieved remarkable achievements in ensuring ICT-based services to her citizens. It now boasts 12 crores (120 million) mobile subscribers and over 4.3 crores (43 million) Internet subscribers. This huge number of mobile and Internet users are reaping the benefits of digitalisation of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu Satellite 1 successfully launched on May 12th 2018. It is a very historical and exciting moment for the entire nation of Bangladesh to watch its very first satellite taking off for Space successfully. This telecommunications and Broadcasting satellite is targeted to narrow the digital divide, as it will take broadcasting and telecommunication services to rural areas and introduce profitable services, including direct-to-home services, across the country.
REVOLUTION OF ELECTRICITY SECTOR IN BANGLADESH
The utility electricity sector in Bangladesh has one national grid with an installed capacity of more than 15,379 MW as on February 2017. Recently Bangladesh started construction of the 2.4-gigawatt (GW) Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant expected to go into operation in 2023. As 2015, 92% urban population and 67% rural population have the access to the electricity for their source of light. On an average of 77.9% of the population have the access to electricity in Bangladesh. The country's energy sector is booming. A revolution has bechanced in this sector.
WOMEN MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND WOMEN’S CARE
About 100 women members are in the current Parliament of Bangladesh, while the Speaker, the leader and and the leader of the opposition all are women. And it is because of Hasina’s Involving distinctions based on leadership qualities and a great role she has been playing since long.
Women are receiving education free of cost in public institutions up to class twelve and they are also provided with easy access to micro-savings. Currently, there are 20 million women employed in the agriculture, service and industrial sector. Women are holding high positions in judiciary, military and administration. Bangladesh’s women are making history in the United Nations peacekeeping operations.
HER PROVEN POWER IN THE RECENTLY HELD POLITICAL DIALOGUES
She has set a rare example in the change of power through elections and disciplined it aright in a constitutional framework under a democratic culture.
A COMPOSER OF POLITICS
She has enlivened people to make a difference in whatever way they can. To be the change-maker she wants, to be kind to everyone, and to always be ready with a hug, but most of all she has taught us to light up every day with a smile! She has never backed down from a challenge. We admire her perseverance; she always has kept her head up during the hardest times. We look up to her because she has the strength to never give up hope. She is a composer of politics in the landscape of Bangladesh.
THE MODERN DAY JOAN OF ARC
Because of her unflagging work for her people to improve their lot, many international observers have also hailed her as the modern day Joan of Arc. She may be called the "Idol of the Masses.” It is aptly said, “If Rabi Thakur is the poet of thinking, reflection and thought, if Bangabandhu is the poet of politics, then Sheikh Hasina is the poet of development.”
HASINA GOVERNMENT’S DESIRES THAT HAS REMAINED UNFULFILLED AND NEED TO ADDRESS
Despite the above developments, many problems are still prevalent in the country which calls for dire emergency needed actions for Bangladesh to master over them including all aspects of the environment, such as, corruption, job creation for innumerable numbers of unemployed people, climate change, deforestation, water-logging and an increase in CO2 emissions.
COMBATING CORRUPTION
Corruption is a breeding ground in the country. Instead of lessening, it is growing day by day. Illegal casino business has grown tremendously though they are now being dismantled and the culprits are being booked for justice. Corruption reduces the effectiveness of efforts to reduce poverty and assist growth. A vigorous and credible programme is needed to combat corruption in Bangladesh. And she has already started the fight to wipe out corruption from Bangladesh. A strong-boned war against the corrupt people, irrespective of political affiliations including her corrupt leaders is now going on in the country. We hail her for this bold step.
EMPLOYMENT GENERATION
Many government offices are of serious dearth of manpower to run their offices well and comfortably to provide necessary services to the people. Besides that, office spaces are found very scanty. So, there is a large scope of employment of hundreds of thousands of unemployed youths there to deliver services for the betterment of country. Building up massive office buildings with all amenities is also a dire emergency needed one. These have remained untapped the right way as yet.
DECENTRALISATION OF GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATIONS UTTERLY IGNORED
The spread of power away from the centre to local branches or governments is not taken as yet by Hasina’s government. So, everything is centralised to the Metropolitan Dhaka City. Dhaka is now an unfit or unsuitable to live in it.
TO MOVE BACK FROM SECULARISM
Bangladesh was created in 1971 for people of all religions to live in peace and harmony. PM Hasina has retreated from this core spirit to a great extent (refer to Hefazat…). If that is so, then one may not be able to distinguish AL, being a superior political party, with other religion trade base political parties in the country. This does not sound good. It has also hurt many in the country.
EDUCATION SECTOR STILL DEFICIENT TO PRODUCE QUALIFIED PEOPLE
Education is not trade. It is a cardinal necessity for the nation as a whole to develop it in tune with time in the spirit to cope up with other developed nations. Many science and technology based educational institutions for quality educations are not grown-up as expected.
ROAD SAFETY, TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK, WATER-LOGGING, ETC. ARE NOT TAKEN PROPER CARE
Above state of difficulties centre round the Metropolitan Dhaka City need to have been resolved long before, but these are no-hopers for the government. Despite some large projects being implemented, establishing more train lines, fly-overs, roads, by-pass roads have failed to draw the attention of Hasina’s government.
TERMINUS REMARKS
In short, to become a middle-income country by 2021, Bangladesh has a long way to go. Its track record of growth rather makes people hopeful of achieving the status. Bangladesh showed significant development in many sectors that need to properly manage and nurture. To ensure growth, and faster improvement, there’s no alternative to robust investments, development of manpower and increased productivity. One may hope to address the above-noted predicaments shall find a place in AL’s action plans sooner for the public in general. And Bangladesh’s unbeatable butt in the direction of development will continue if Sheikh Hasina remains in power.
On her 72nd Birthday, we should say PM Sheikh Hasina is not only a politician, but also a composer of politics. Long live Sheikh Hasina in good health and in good spirits to serve the nation of Bangladesh wiping out all corruptions which have posed a serious threat to the country and her government. And Joy Bangla.
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The writer is a senior citizen of Bangladesh, writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs
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