Fulfilling our potential

With the 47th anniversary of our country’s independence on the horizon, it is only befitting that the world recognizes Bangladesh as the developing nation it is. Our nation’s struggles in the past 47 years have been daunting, to say the least. But, as a nation, and as a people united, we have shown the world what we are capable of, and have worked together in paving our path towards progress. To be recognized as a developing nation, Bangladesh must fulfill certain criteria, such as increasing gross national income, and improving the human resources index and economic vulnerability index scores. The fact that we have met the SDGs and MDGs far beyond expectations just goes to show that, given our current trajectory, it is only a matter of time before this status is achieved. In this regard, the current government deserves praise. Under the auspicious leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s place on the world stage has never been more prominent. However, the real heroes of our success are the people, who have faced tremendous hardship in the last five decades to propel Bangladesh where it is now. But we must remember that the United Nations’ recognition of our status as a nation is merely that, a title. What matters is that we ensure that the people of this great nation are taken care of and that development does not come at their expense. As it stands, three million people still live below the poverty line, corruption is rampant in our governance and bureaucratic infrastructure, and we are over-dependent on one single sector for the sustenance of our economy. Moving forward, we must seek to perfect the way our nation functions, and ensure that every single individual who contributes to making this country what it is, is taken care of.