People's development: A local perspective
TWO messages are most frequently heard; develop Digital Bangladesh and transform Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2020. How meaningful are these messages, or are they pertinent for achieving development in Bangladesh? Instead of giving a short and curt answer to this query, it is preferred that we search a logical and rational response. If we are pursuing development, for whom are we endeavouring? Obviously for the general population, most of whom are not literate, live in rural areas and are already shackled by poverty and multitudes of social, cultural and programmatic shortcomings and impediments.
Over and above these, there are problems of segmented population; women face problems different from those of the men, the poor face problems which are not the concern of the rich, and the rural and urban populace face certainly altogether different problems. On top of that, there are regional shortcomings, like a youth from Nilphamari may not be as smart as a youth from Feni in availing or accessing the different types of opportunities for future investments and enterprises.
Now we may again focus on how viable and pertinent those two messages are in the pursuit of development goals. Messages are obviously important to move a society from the morass of inaction and backward economic status to a dynamic development process. But will a message that fails to provide insight or shed light on the operational indicators to be pursued as follow-up steps be useful to inspire the population to move forward to achieve any goal, let alone the goals of development?
Messages like "combat illiteracy," "combat poverty," "create job opportunities," "remove unemployment," "establish justice against torture and crimes," "empower the poor and women," "eradicate corruption" are simple, but they could communicate some meaning to a population no matter how uneducated or constrained by their living environ they may be. At least they would find a defined set of indicators to start with and to initiate actions. These may even bring their head and heart in unison to understand and empathise with the concerns and issues.
One cannot but praise the efforts of individuals and people who have already achieved near miracles in terms of achieving development, like reducing infant mortality and earning huge remittances for the country from abroad. Instances are numerous of the commitment and initiatives of the men and women, young and old, who are now engaged in many sectors (agriculture, horticulture, pisciculture, export etc.) and are demonstrating their talents (which are mostly self-motivated and generated) to achieve remarkable soci- economic targets benefiting the nation.
These individuals, instead of being assisted with technical skills (through training) or supported with finances or other resources, face insurmountable obstacles as they often become victims of the profit-hungry business community and the uncooperative bureaucrats controlling resources of the government.
The country has a people's government which is firmly committed to ensuring pro- people development, alleviating poverty and raising the standard of living. What will expedite development at the grass root level? What is impeding development, which, if removed, can generate energy and momentum for development at the grass root level? The factors holding back development momentum at that level are in the area of people's participation in development. They are:
The disconnect of people with a system of governance which they could relate to and associate with spontaneously;
Misunderstandings between the people and the governing institutions --bureaucratic, political and the local government; and
Level of people's participation, and the commitment of those representing the government, in the people's interest and priorities.
In the modern system of governance a strong, effective and truly representative local government with support of civil society or people's associations are the best functional operatives, which can fulfill the above three conditions needed to expedite people's development at the grass roots level. What is happening in the areas of local government and people's groups (or the informal pressure groups representing people's interests) are matters of serous analysis.
The only local government that used to be somewhat functional so far was the Union Parishad and the recently established Upazilla Parishad through franchise. But these are mired with serious problems. The Upazilla Parishad is currently stuck in legal and administrative conflicts regarding the tasks and status of the elected representatives and the bureaucracy headed by the UNO. Election for Union Parishad is rare and the institution is locked in traditional functions like disbursing funds/wheat for construction works, and most of the members are unaware of their role in the community and are often influenced by the local elites.
The government is trying to get funds from the Copenhagen Funds for Climate Change, which is praiseworthy. But, if the government succeeds in obtaining the fund, who will spend it and how will it be spent, and will the people be benefited?
For people's development there is no need to rush for resources, instead the priority ought to be to establish a functional relationship between the people and the local governance system. And for that, the target will be to fix the local institutions and connect the people with the system of local governance.
Dr. Syed Jahangeer Haider is Managing Director, Research Evaluation Associates for Development (READ).
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