Editorial
CPD's ten challenges
Highest priority of incoming government must be the economy
THE press briefing given by the Centre for Policy Dialogue earlier this week, in which the organisation focused attention on the ten economic challenges that the incoming government will face, was a timely reminder, amid the electioneering and campaigning and sloganeering, of what is at stake in the upcoming election, and that the next elected government of Bangladesh will have its work cut out for it.
The country has so far weathered the global financial crisis reasonably well. However, with 2009 projected to be a tough year all over the world, it will only be prudent and timely government action and intervention that will keep the country's head above water.
At times like this, a laissez faire economic approach would be catastrophic, and the voters are keen to hear precisely what steps the government plans to take in order to bring prices down, boost employment, and ensure that the economy remains on an even keel.
There is much that the government can do to buoy up the economy, as pointed out by CPD in the press briefing (and, indeed, others), from guaranteeing delivery of timely and low-cost inputs such fertilizer and diesel fuel to the farmers to ensure that we have a bumper boro harvest and that food prices remain within reach, to improving the physical infrastructure to create a more conducive business climate, to generating enough power for a growing economy, to effectively managing the currency to keep inflation down and at the same time ensure that our exports are not hit.
These tasks, and others, are all of the utmost importance, and need to be addressed immediately by whoever takes office after the election. However, as daunting as the economic challenges facing the nation might be, we are firmly of the opinion that with careful stewardship, that keeps in mind both the public interest and is sensitive to public opinion, that the next government can steer the ship of state forward.
Of course, there are other issues that the incoming government will have to deal with, from security to foreign relations to the continuing process of reform, and we do not mean to down-play these, but, by far the highest priority, and indeed the one that is closest to the hearts, expectations, and needs of the voters, is to manage the economy effectively.
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