Development of village on the cards
Cities in Bangladesh may have developed rapidly with the characteristics of mega cosmopolitan centres, but the heart of Bangladesh is in the villages where the majority of the people reside. Though in recent times there has been a flow towards the city, making the villages self-sufficient may inspire many young people in rural areas to start an enterprise in their own localities.
The capital has always been a main draw for people across the country but this Dhaka centric move creates a gap between the city and rural Bangladesh. The PM has righty called for a move to make our villages equipped with modern facilities so as to ensure a boom in rural socio economic structure. The governments Land Acquisition and Bio-diversity plan is a timely move; with a cost of Tk. 375 crore this will include a complete overhaul of rural Bangladesh with construction of canals, bridges, tree plantation and other ecologically beneficial projects. Priority must also be given to the expansion of the digital revolution in rural Bangladesh because once Internet and computer are available in the villages, the overall zeitgeist will go through a transformation.
Through Internet, many harmful social habits like early marriage, stoppage of girls education and the culture of dowry taking can be countered. At the same time, Internet and computer can bring rural women out of years of regressive concepts, allowing them to get modern knowledge about parenting, education, hygiene, sanitation, family planning and so on. The governments initiative can also be linked to the development work carried out by development agencies. However, to get results, the unnecessary bureaucracy needs to be discarded.
Once the infrastructure is ready, the large multinationals plus local business giants can be asked to set up plants in rural areas so employment is generated for the young in the villages. Currently, most people come to Dhaka in search of employment but once villages become self-reliant, the young can stay in their areas, earn a living and transform the face of rural Bangladesh. For local industrial giants which set up rural factories and training centres there may be tax incentives plus other facilities. Bangladesh is already on a stable economic plateau; once the momentum is spread across the nation, countrywide prosperity will be a reality.
