Bangladesh Is Moving Towards a Welfare State Under the Leadership of Sheikh Hasina

Hiren Pandit

The main theme of the Bangladesh Awami League Charter for Change in 2008 was to build a developed Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty. Bangladesh is now moving towards a Smart Bangladesh. According to the Prime Minister's promise, a universal pension scheme was launched. The universal pension scheme has been launched keeping in mind about 10 crore people of the four types of people of the country. Inclusive development refers to development that ensures access to facilities for all sections of society. Currently, Bangladesh is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

Due to the implementation of inclusive development policies, the country's economy continues to show positive growth despite the global economic recession. The USA online media Policy Watcher praised the economic success of Bangladesh and said that Bangladesh is a fast-growing economy. It has now become a case study of world economic development. Based on macroeconomic stability, currently, the economy of Bangladesh has grown 271 times in 50 years.

The economy of Bangladesh is mainly agricultural. 29 percent of Bangladesh's gross domestic product comes from agriculture and allied sectors. 92 percent of the total land of the plains is used for agriculture and 64 percent of the people earn their livelihood from agriculture. The agriculture sector occupies the majority of land in the country and this sector is one of the main sources of employment. In this context, modernization of the agricultural system, supply of seeds, inputs, fertilizers etc. help in the production of high-yielding crops, providing capital to the farmer on easy terms and his produce at a fair price.

Strengthening the agricultural system by overseeing the marketing system and strengthening agricultural research, development and extension activities, agriculture has been found to be one of the main contributors to the country's GDP. At the same time establishment of agro-based industries and developmental steps in agriculture; Water resource utilization and river governance and navigation in riparian countries; Converting the manpower of the populated towns into resources and creating employment, ensuring the appropriate use of domestic raw materials, increasing and investing local savings in taking development initiatives, development of individuals and private sectors, especially the development of small and medium industry potential is one of the economic development of Bangladesh moving desired and expected ways.

Bangladesh ranks ahead of India and Pakistan in the global peace index. World leaders are scrambling on how to stop this country. The Prime Minister started the 'Shelter Project' under the supervision of her office to rehabilitate the homeless and landless people across the country. In Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's unique humanitarian example shelter project, floating landless families are getting beautiful houses with space. Most of these families were 'below the extreme poverty line'. They did not have the basic right to housing. Now they own the place, owning the house. Women are also getting this ownership.

A total of 5 lakh 55 thousand 617 families have been given addresses through the shelter project. Until the month of August when the head is spinning. 27 lakh 78 thousand 85 people have been resettled and resettled families have been brought under the VGF program for three months.

We are a winning nation. As a victorious nation, we can stand tall in the court of the world. We will not bow down to anyone; we will not walk by bowing down to anyone. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu repeatedly said that by using that wealth, we will be proud of our own glory in the World Assembly, we will build ourselves and we will walk with our heads high to the whole world.

This will be the most important step for the people of this country. This is how our beloved motherland built by Bangabandhu will move forward. Bangladesh at the same time they are being given alternative employment in coordinated initiatives. Such as provision of VGF facilities, provision of technical training, formation of cooperative societies and disbursement of loans, construction of community centers, digging of ponds and fish farming, construction of internal roads, provision of free electricity and water connection, plantation of trees, installation of deep and shallow tube wells, health and family planning and Various other schemes including free education programs have been adopted.

The Bangladesh Awami League government has been consistently providing various types of allowances including old age and widow allowances under the social protection program aimed at the development of the poor and helpless people. Every year the government has been allocating a large part of the budget to this social security program, now 2 crore people are directly and indirectly covered under this social security. As before, the Awami League government has maintained the continuity of increasing the allocation to the social security sector in the current budget as well.

The 10 special initiatives taken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to continue the unprecedented progress in the country in the socio-economic sector are - Amar Bari Amar Khamar, Ashrayan, Digital Bangladesh, Education Assistance Program, Women Empowerment, House to House Activities to improve the quality of life and income of rural communities through the implementation of electricity, community clinics, social security programs, investment development and environmental protection. The government is implementing Vision 2021 and Vision 2041 under the dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister. Bangladesh is making unstoppable progress towards making Bangladesh a middle-income country by 2026 and a knowledge-based society and a developed country by 2041. After the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the country is moving towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

After the formation of the government in 2009, Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina gave priority to housing, education, medical and social security to ensure the basic rights of all the people of the country. At the same time, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took 10 special initiatives to reach people's doorsteps with digital services, empowering women, bringing electricity to homes, protecting the environment and increasing investment. Bangladesh is the world's model in development.

The government has played a major role in the overall development of various sectors, including the Amar Bari Amar Bari project, and women's empowerment. Almost 100% electrification, bringing in a record number of remittances to the country, reduction in poverty rate from 40 to 18. Raising the literacy rate to 75.6 percent, delivering free new books to students on the first day of the year, mainstreaming and recognizing madrasa education, establishing medical universities and modernizing the medical system. These development activities should be presented to the public. The government is working to successfully implement four foundations to build a smart Bangladesh. These are Smart Citizen, Smart Economy, Smart Government and Smart Society. Apart from this, the plan of how the delta will be in the year 2100 has been undertaken. All in Smart Bangladesh work will be done through technology. Where every citizen will be proficient in using technology. Smart Bangladesh of 2041 will be a cost-effective, sustainable, intellectual, knowledge-based and innovative Bangladesh. Smart healthcare, smart transportation, smart utilities, urban administration, public safety, agriculture, internet connectivity and disaster management will be ensured for the implementation of smart cities and smart villages.

The way Sheikh Hasina has been leading the country in the last 15 years as Prime Minister and Bangladesh is different even in the current global economic crisis one of the reasons for not falling into any major economic crisis like other countries is that she has managed to take the economic base of the country in a strong position at this time. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult to save the country of 17 crore people from disaster even during this crisis.

Just as the father of the nation Bangabandhu did not hesitate to give his life for the development of the people of this country, similarly as a blessed daughter of a worthy father, she is constantly working hard to change the fate of the people of Bangladesh by risking her life. The contribution of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his daughter Sheikh Hasina in achieving independence of Bangladesh, achieving economic prosperity and changing the fate of the common people is extraordinary.

Awami League stands by the people in any calamity. This is Awami League and this is the teaching of Awami League. The history of Awami League is like the history of struggle, and at the same time, Awami League can improve or move a country forward, as Bangladesh is moving forward now. No matter how evil forces conspire against Bangladesh, no one can stand in the way of Bengali progress. There is no alternative to come under the sense of national responsibility that foreigners are coming and taking remittances from the country under the burden of unemployment if quality education, development of ethics, and skilled human resources are not created. The causal relationship between law and order and personal security, personal security and social security, and social security as well as income-generating activities. In the fight against poverty, we want a healthy and normal environment of income-earning. Education efficiency, health care efficiency, efficiency and performance are expected to expand in production and trade.High GDP growth, increase in average national income per capita, increase in export earnings, and increase in the amount of remittance collection, only if they happen cannot be called real and balanced economic development. How much has the social status of common people changed, and how much has the education system improved? We have to focus on quality education, and a working environment for all. A situation has arisen in our country where rich people are getting richer and poor people are getting poorer.

Every sector of the economy needs to be reformed in such a way that the earned income is available to the common man on a fair basis. Basic human rights are five. These are food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care. A person can claim these five rights from his country of residence and the state is committed to ensuring these benefits for each of its citizens. These are the five fundamental rights. Only if this is ensured can the real economic development of a state be achieved.

Nationally universal to ensure old age protection under a sustainable and well-organized social safety net framework. The commitment to introduce a pension system was to provide pensions to all citizens of the country except government employees under the universal pension scheme included in the facility. Currently, four schemes have been launched. These are named migration, progress, protection and equality. Immigration (Probas) is just that for Bangladeshi citizens working or staying abroad. Pragati is a scheme for employees of private companies. The scheme of Protection (Suraksha)For self-reliant persons. Equality: The subscription rate in this scheme is, one thousand taka. However, in this case, the individual will pay five hundred taka per month and the government will pay the remaining five hundred taka. A National Identity Card (NID) is mandatory to come under the pension scheme. Expatriate Bangladeshis who do not have NID, can do so on the basis of a passport.

A 'Universal Pension Authority' has been constituted under the Finance Department. This completely IT-based organization will manage the pensions of people across the country. This is a remarkable achievement for the Bengali nation. The introduction of the Universal Pension System is Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's gift to the nation. Today, Bangladesh has become a role model for development from a bottomless basket. The Prime Minister has instilled a sense of security among the people in the future by launching the Universal Pension Scheme along with other exceptional initiatives. Today, older people will no longer think about their future in the same way and for this reason, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is known as a people-friendly Leader to the Bengali nation.

Writer: Columnist and researcher.

Courtesy: Daily Asian Age