Political Economy of Sustainable Development in Bangladesh
In: Journal of Bangladesh StudiesSearch for other papers by Amin U. Sarkar in
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Although Bangladesh has had a glorious past, it is one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world. It is lagging far behind its neighbors in terms of the human development index. This paper attempts to identify the major causes of underdevelopment, analyzes policy options in view of principles of sustainable economic growth and development, and recommends education reform as the number one choice that is politically feasible. Continuation and strengthening of the highly centralized colonial administrative and educational system; state owned corporations of commerce, finance and industry; and poor infrastructure, environmental degradation, political instabilities and high levels of corruption are considered the primary sources of underdevelopment. The paper presents guidelines for decentralized governance with clear demarcation of jurisdictions, privatization of all state corporations and supporting competitive markets, and education reform. In addition to requiring mass education, it argues for the production and export, after meeting domestic requirements, of highly qualified professionals. It recommends focusing on finance, management, computers, engineering, medicine, and nursing where there exists high world-wide demand. The proposed decentralization and privatization may not be politically feasible and fully realizable in Bangladesh as these measures are against the interests of the ruling class. Education reform is the only feasible option in the short run.
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Political Economy of Sustainable Development in Bangladesh
In: Journal of Bangladesh StudiesSearch for other papers by Amin U. Sarkar in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Although Bangladesh has had a glorious past, it is one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world. It is lagging far behind its neighbors in terms of the human development index. This paper attempts to identify the major causes of underdevelopment, analyzes policy options in view of principles of sustainable economic growth and development, and recommends education reform as the number one choice that is politically feasible. Continuation and strengthening of the highly centralized colonial administrative and educational system; state owned corporations of commerce, finance and industry; and poor infrastructure, environmental degradation, political instabilities and high levels of corruption are considered the primary sources of underdevelopment. The paper presents guidelines for decentralized governance with clear demarcation of jurisdictions, privatization of all state corporations and supporting competitive markets, and education reform. In addition to requiring mass education, it argues for the production and export, after meeting domestic requirements, of highly qualified professionals. It recommends focusing on finance, management, computers, engineering, medicine, and nursing where there exists high world-wide demand. The proposed decentralization and privatization may not be politically feasible and fully realizable in Bangladesh as these measures are against the interests of the ruling class. Education reform is the only feasible option in the short run.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 58 | 49 | 1 |
| Full Text Views | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 3 | 3 | 0 |
