Scorecard on Bangladesh - last ten years

Here are some information on Bangladesh, during the last ten years of Sk. Hasina's rule:


Let's look at some of the Pros:
In gender equity the country is the second best in Asia after the Philippines.

The country has slipped only one notch to the 48th position, but is still ahead of all other countries in the continent except the Philippines, according to WEF’s The Global Gender Gap Report 2018 published on Monday.

The nearest country from its South Asian neighbours on the index is Sri Lanka on 100th with 0.676 points, followed by Nepal on 105th with 0.676 points. 

India is on the 108th position with 0.665 points while the Maldives is 113th with 0.662 points.

Pakistan is ranked 148th scoring 0.550 points, ahead of only war-torn Yemen.  

Bangladesh has closed over 72 percent of its overall gender gap while Pakistan managed under 55 percent.

The WEF has ranked the United States 51st, the United Kingdom 15th and Canada 16th.

Iceland tops the list, followed by Norway, Sweden, Finland, Nicaragua, Rwanda, New Zealand, the Philippines, Ireland and Namibia.

Earlier in a report in September, the WEF said Bangladesh made improvements in creating equal opportunities for legislator, senior official and manager roles, as well as professional and technical roles.

Greater parity exists in the country’s Estimated Earned Income and Wage Equality for Similar Work indices, despite seeing the healthy life expectancy gender gap widen slightly, according to the previous report.

Expatriate Bangladeshi workers sent home $15.54 billion in 2018 – a nearly 15 percent rise on the previous year and experts have ascribed it to the depreciation of the taka against the US dollar and a rise in manpower exports.

Money sent by the non-resident Bangladeshis makes up about 12 percent of Bangladesh’s GDP.

Bangladesh Bank’s foreign currency reserves was $30.99 billion as of Sunday.

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The government has had big success in infrastructural development. These include beginning construction of the much-cherished Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project, which has already been finished 50% and is expected to be opened for traffic within December 2018. Also, this government has completed the 190.48-km Dhaka-Chittagong Four-Lane Highway, Bangladesh’s third seaport Payra at Kalapara of Patuakhali; and several flyovers in Dhaka, Chittagong and Feni. The construction of first metro rail (MRT line-6) service is underway. It is expected to be opened for the passengers travelling from Uttara to Agargaon in 2019 while the rest [Uttara to Motijheel] will be opened in 2020.

During its four years, the government has set up 28 power plants with a total of capacity 4,086 MW between January 2014 to December 2017 through public and private entrepreneur initiative. Besides, the government has started importing 100MW power from March 2016 and 60MW from July 2017 from India. At present, 17 government power plants with a total capacity 7,338MW and 23 private power plants with a total capacity 5,564MW are under-construction. The government has successfully brought 26 upazilas under 100% electricity coverage as part of the Electricity for All by 2018 programme during this period.

 

Bangladesh’s fight against militancy and terrorism in recent years has been lauded globally. After the targeted killing of secularists, foreigners and members of ethnic minority and the deadly Gulshan café attack, a massive anti-militant crackdown was launched. The security forces have conducted about 70 operations across the country, successfully killing at least 83 militants. Besides, several hundred militants of different outfits were also arrested. The concept of “Digital Bangladesh” was first floated by the ruling Awami League in its Vision 2021 manifesto before the 2008 general election. To make it a reality, the government has come forward with innovative ideas and been jointly working with stakeholders. Young Bangla has teamed up with Microsoft to provide technological support among the rural people. They will offer basic computer training to 50,000 students in different educational institutions across the country. Young Bangla is also collaborating with the government’s ICT Division to set up countrywide computer and language training labs. So far, 2,800 labs have been established, while another 1,000 will be set up this year. Around 20% of all government procurements are now being done through e-system. Bangladesh is set to launch its first commercial satellite Bangabandhu-1 in March this year.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been conferred with the prestigious ‘International Achievement Award’ and the ‘2018 Special Distinction Award for Outstanding Leadership’ for her humanitarian and responsible policy in hosting the Rohingyas.

Inter Press Service (IPS), a global news agency, conferred the ‘International Achievement Award’ on her, while the Global Hope Coalition, a network of three not-for-profit foundations based in New York, Zurich and Hong Kong, honoured the prime minister with the ‘2018 Special Distinction Award for Outstanding Leadership’.

Bangladesh joined the Space Age by successfully launching the Bangabandhu Communication Satellite in May 12, 2018.

 
As to the Cons:
Independent rights watchdog Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) estimates that at least 293 abductions have taken place during the tenure of the current government, and the law enforcement agencies have hardly made any progress in rescuing the abducted individuals or apprehending the abductors.
Bangladesh is an illiberal democracy with acute symptoms of one-party autocratic rule.
 
Bangladesh’s ranking in media freedom is very bad. Currently, the country is ranked 146 out of 180 countries, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). 
 
Suggestion: The government may like to ease upon the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) that has been accused of spreading a climate of fear. 
 

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