Over the final decade, crony capitalism has spread from the parliament to the district, upazila and even union ranges, fostering an undemocratic angle within the government, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Chairman Prof Rehman Sobhan said this day (7 December).
He made the remarks whereas handing over a lecture at the annual world analysis convention organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Sort Analysis (BIDS).
Delivering a lecture titled “Agenda for Financial and Social Reform” all throughout the 2nd session of the convention, chaired by BIDS Director Total Dr Binayak Sen, Prof Sobhan highlighted key structural points within the nation.
“There is a structural mumble in our nation. For this motive, sustainable development might per chance perhaps well no longer be likely if institutional reforms are no longer implemented. Our export sector can no longer be restricted to attire handiest,” he said.
Rehman Sobhan burdened the necessity for export diversification, pronouncing, “When the market does no longer work in our construction commerce and other industries, alongside side the ceramic commerce, the inform has to intervene. However right here the inform itself is unable to play an effective characteristic.”
Prof Sobhan acknowledged improvements specifically social indicators, alongside side sanitation services and products, maternal mortality, and baby mortality.
He, nevertheless, expressed concerns over the rise of crony capitalism, which he said has resulted in undemocratic developments in governance.
Talking about anti-discrimination, he shared a non-public narrative: “I in actuality had been advocating in opposition to discrimination all my life, however how mighty development has been made stays a huge place a query to. I recall an incident when I was a member of the Planning Rate, attending a characteristic with the station of a inform minister, and my automobile’s starter stopped. I needed to push the automobile myself. Now, participants of the Planning Rate notify on having air-conditioned autos, and even branded autos value crores of taka are being ragged.”
Prof Sobhan also pointed to regional inequalities, noting that areas admire Rangpur undergo from essential disparities in comparison with Dhaka and Chattogram.
