& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Bangladesh and South Asia — Priorities for the Nineties

by Dr. Kamal Hoauun
BANGLADESH enter* the decode of the nt nettea *• it compete*
The year, 1001. marked an end of a period of long
democratic governance. Tht* change was the result of a mass movement fuelled by widely shared perceptions that a democratic framework of govcrnatx'c wus Imperative for survival
A transition to democracy In Bangladesh coincides with similar transitions In our own region and In other parts of the world. The scale of the change globally suggests that we might be al a juncture of history, which marks a trans) tion from one historical epoch to another.
How will these tidal waves of global change impact on our society and pur region In a question with which we must necessarily be concerned Caught up in the midst of Iran •Ition and change In our own societies, wc are engaged in stock taking and soul searching, seeking new direction* and strategies, which would help us to move towards fulfilling the survival needs of our people, and also their larger aspirations, which remain unfulfilled
This South Asian dialogue, which we are Initiating, provides a timely opportunity to share our concerns and In particular to assess the impact of these changes on our societies. Al the global level there are assessments being made as to who will be the winners and losers In the emerging global dispensation. In these assessments most, If not all. of us in this region are counted among the losers. This should Impel us to concert our efforts with a sense of urgency to make our own assessments. Together we need to explore the potential and possibilities that exist in our societies, and in our region, for strategies of regional cooperation, which might improve our chances of being among the winners, or al any rate to shape things tn a way. that the gains and loaacs from global change arc more evenly distributed
We need to evaluate our post-colonial experience the high hope* and aspirations with which we welcomed Independence and the dlsap Cnlmcnts and frustrations
ling In some case* to the disillusionment that Is visible today
In each of our societies, in dependence had promised freedom, equality and social justice. The post colonial state
was to represent people and promolc the greatest good of the greatest number* of bringing about social and eco nomic change within a demo cratic political order.
As we evaluate four decades of experience, we find that there Is a considerable gap between what was expected and what has been achieved Wc need to ask whether the post-colonial state Itself has measured up to expectations. White In some of our countries ihe st - Ie shed even the pretence •of- democracy and assumed ar. authoritarian character. tn others though the democratic framework was preserved ft has faced pressures from time to time from authoritarian tendencies and ethnic and sectarian conflicts.
Today wc need Io assess our experience and In order to identify tc main impediments to nurturing democratic values and an environment In which the rule of law, respect for human right*, a free press and other democratic Institution* can gather strength. To make the State more responsive to people's priorities, we need to adopt strategies to empower disadvantaged sections of the population We need to explore ways in which we can cooperate In strengthening demo-cratk- institution* In our re-•pcctl <• countries. A recent practical step was the exchange of regional teams of ob-•ervers In the elections held tn
a number of our countries. Some of us had the privilege of being election observers tn more than one of our neighbouring countries. A regional human rights organization to monIto- human rights and the observance ol certain shared values stemming from our common commitment to upholding universally recog-nlrcd human rights might be another useful initiative that may be added to our agenda
What are the basic common objectives on which we could arrive at a consensus? Clearly the first on the list must be peace and stability in our region. This would be followed by a commitment to development in the Interest of the people In each of our societies. Development today must mean sustainable development, development which must be sensitive to environmental and so-rial concerns. A text of development put forward by one of our economists may well be commended: To what extent does such development Improve the conditions of the bottom 50% of our populations?
These strategies of development would call for a greater degree of regional cooperation than political realities in our region has so far permitted Unresolved issues and ethnic and sectarian con fhets have vitiated the political climate Political tensions have contributed to growth of milt
tary expenditure* to unacceptable levels. In some of our societies It has critically contributed to the breakdown of democracy and the emergence of authoritarian structure* In other* It continue* to divert resources away from priority area* of social and economic development.
This I* why our effort should be directed to improving the political environment In our region. Wc should move our governments to attach the highest foreign policy priority. If this not already being done, to a resolution of outstanding Issues and removal of sources 6f tension. Ethnic conflict* and revival of fundamentalist tendencies tn some our societies not only threaten political stability. but by their very nature, also have a negative Impact on relations between countries In our region. This is why high priority needs to be given within our countries to resolve ethnic conflicts and to contain the growth of fundamentalism.
These efforts towards building an environment for regional cooperation are premised on the conviction that such an environment would open up enormous possibilities for all-round cooperation. Cooperation in generating the technologies of the future, in shared RAD and the development of South Asian centres of excellence must be an integral part of our survival strategies for the further.
on global and regional issues will enable us to secure our goals, national and regional, more effectively. Co-ordinated development strategies will help us to optimise use of resources and more effectively serve the shared goals of development for the benefit of al! our peoples.
The challenges that face us and the possibilities that exist arc well encapsulated in the words of George Verghese in his inspirational study on the WATERS OF I lore: The gjar Ing contradiction of the largest concentration of the world's most poor unable to garner the bounty of one of the world’s richest natural resource regions tn which they live is an Indictment that can no longer be evaded. Not a little has been achieved over the past 40 years. But not enough. Political stability and the social fabric are threatened as populations multiply and justly demand equity and opport unity."
His recommendation that on a large canvas the Basin of the great rivers has to become gion tn order to secure ecological security for all* can be extended to urge that we would better secure peace, security and progress for all our peoples by promoting cooperation within the broadest possible frame
Thus while the problem which faces us are daunting and the record of the last four decades to one of many failures and missed opportunities, nevertheless, through these four decades, we have through experience arrived at a point where in each of our countries we are renewing our commitment to the common goal of peace and stability within our region and. In our own societies. to economic and social change In the Interest of our peoples within a democratic political order. In pursuing these objectives, we believe more dialogues and increased interaction between our people and nongovernmental or ganlzatlons at all levels could significantly contribute towards building an environment
operation in South Asia.
A former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and a noted lawyer. the writer to a member of the presidium of Awaml League. The article here is based on a talk dettuered by Dr Hussain at the South Aslan Regional Dialogue (SARDI a non official forum of inlellec tuals from SAARC countries. held in Delhi on December 18-18. At this meeting, Bangladesh was represented by Dr Hussain. Prof. Rehman Sobhan. Dr Meghna Guha Thakurta. Dr PasA Uddin Mahtab and Mr Fakbaruddln