***As Bangladesh approaches another general election and takes weary steps towards building democratic institutions and a democratic culture, the theme of human development through strengthening democracy has a particular resonance.***

MUCH attention lias been focussed on the report that Bangladesh ranks

lowest among the SAARC countries in the rating on human development index (HDI) according to Human Development Report 2000. released by UNDP on 29 June. Bangladesh's position in the world league table actually improved slightly from number 150 in 1999 to number 146 this year.

Evidently. Bangladesh's neighbours in South Asia also made progress in respect of human development index. Consequently, Bangladesh's relative position remained unchanged. The index is a composite measure that combines values for life expectancy at birth, educational attainment (represented by adult literacy rale and the average years of schooling of the population), and an adjusted value of per capita income. HDI is designed to represent a proxy measure of national development reflecting the well-being of people rather than per capita GNP. the conventional Indicator of development which is an aggregate economic measure. Other factors such as people's participation. overcoming gender discrimination. Increasing civil and political freedoms and success in alleviating poverty have been identified as key elements of human development and presented In past reports. These factors, however, are not taken Into account directly In the construction of the human development Index.

It is possible, as the Minister of State for Planning, Dr. Mo-hluddln Alamglr claimed, that the rating did not take account of recent statistics, such as the very rapid Improvement in

adult literacy statistics, being reported periodically by the government. HDR 2000 shows the adult literacy rate of Bangladesh for the year 1998 for the population aged 15 years and above to be 40 per cent (28.6 per cent for females and 50.1 per cent for males.) By comparison. the Ministry of Education claims that the combined rate for males and females has now reached 60 per cent as a result of the Total Literacy Movement. Many knowledgeable observes laud the intention and the effort of the government in adult literacy, but are skeptical about the statistics reporting rapid rise in literacy rate and the declarations about "Illiteracy-free” districts. Questions about validity of official literacy statistics arise because of the very nature of literacy as a skill, the requirements of an effective programme and the conditions necessary for acquiring sustainable literacy skills. But that Is another story.

Another recent UNDP report titled Overcoming Human Poverty notes that South Asia (except Sri Lanka) lias failed to reverse the trend of Increase In the absolute number of people living In poverty. The annual average increase of population

living in poverty in a decade from mld-80s to mid-90s has been 0.8 per cent in Bangladesh. This increase has been at about double the rate of Bangladesh in India (1.9 per cent) and Pakistan (1.4 per cent) and almost four times in Nepal (3.1 per cent). This by no means Is a reason for complacency or satisfaction. but it throws a different light on the poverty alleviation efforts of the countries in the region, not reflected in HDR 2000.

This is not to suggest that the league table rating of HDR 2000 is inconsequential. It does show, for example, that several countries in the world with per capita Income level close to that of Bangladesh (reported as USS 348 for 1998) are doing much better than Bangladesh in human development. Examples Include Vietnam (per capita income S 331. HD1 rank 108); Tajikistan (per capita income S 345. HDI rank 1 10); Ghana (per capita income $ 399. HDI rank 129): and Madagascar (per capita Income $ 238. HDI rank 14 1). HDR 2000 also puts Bangladesh among the group of 35 countries, which is the lowest among three groups in human development ranking. A small consolation may be

drawn from the fact that 29 countries in the world have a lower rank than that of Bangladesh.

The most Important and relevant message for Bangladesh from HDR 2000. however, has received scant attention in media reports. This message is about the inextricable link between human development and human rights—the theme of HDR 2000. This message has also not been highlighted in the presentations made on the occasion of the launch of the report in Dhaka. The report proclaims that “any society committed to improving the lives of its people must also be committed to full and equal rights for all its citizens.” The report underlines that elections and similar trappings of democracy are not enough to promote human development. The report advocates a model of “inclusive democracy’ that protects citizens from the brute electoral force of the majority." The principal coordinator of the report. Dr. Richard Jolly, said with the establishment of more than 100 multi-party democracies in the last 20 wars in the global wave of freedom bullying and bullets have been giving way to the ballot box

Now tt is time to build on that foundation."

Inclusive democracy embraces all minorities, explains the report. It is based on the dispersal and sharing of political power. The rituals of elections are not enough, il the rule of law is not vigorously and consistently upheld and large sections of the population, especially women, continue to face discrimination. The report presents a 10-point agenda for advancing rights through strengthening democracy." The agenda have to be implemented through leadership and supportive actions by national legislatures. Judiciary, executive authorities. NGOs. media, academics. the business sector and international organizations. The agenda inter "alia call for launching Independent national human rights assessment: protection of the independence of the Judiciary and the media: the inclusion of minorities in major institutions of society and the nation, such as the cabinet, the army and various elected and powerful bodies; reform to protect the police from political interference and increase in their public accountability; and promotion of human rights norms through the education system.

As Bangladesh approaches another general election and takes weary steps towards building democratic institutions and a democratic culture, the theme of human development through strengthening democracy has a particular resonance.

The ivriter is special adviser to UNICEF. The above are his personal comments.