The long path of seizing the sun of freedom for Bangladesh was at times full of struggle, sometimes bloody and at other times razor-sharp with the intensity of non-cooperation.
This political and administrative movement for liberation was conducted under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
However rugged the path of triumph might have been, the unambiguous ideal of achieving economic emancipation lay above everything else with unwavering assurance. The resolve to build a Bangla of gold by bringing smiles to the distressed humanity in a welfare state was the economic philosophy of Sheikh Mujib. It is not known to me whether any other country in the world was born with such as assured ideal for achieving economic freedom or climbing the ladder of prosperity. Bangabandhu had said in his March 7 speech, “The struggle this time is for our freedom.”
The defeated and fleeing Pakistani forces had destroyed all kinds of infrastructure, industries, mills-factories, educational and financial institutions as much as they could in order to turn war-ravaged Bangladesh into a graveyard. The task of reviving, rebuilding and in some cases reviving the economy through reforms from these destructions was started from the very first day. Sheikh Mujib and his Government also started to import and distribute food and essential commodities through state initiative for a short period.
The state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) was established for importing food, edible oil, sugar, kerosene, pulses etc. The Consumers’ Supplies Corporation (COSCOR) was launched to distribute commodities essential for day to day living throughout the country. Statutory and in some instances rectified rationing system were introduced in accordance with clear-cut directives of Sheikh Mujib. The war-wounded freedom fighters were sent to friendly countries, including East Germany, for their treatment and rehabilitation. The deadly mines planted by the defeated and fleeing Pakistani forces were deactivated with the assistance of the Soviet Union. The sea-port was also reactivated with Soviet assistance. Some friendly countries, including India and Iraq, sent food and essential commodities. The central bank was launched with grants of foreign currencies from Sweden and Canada. The Netherlands gave an agricultural aircraft. The UNDP sanctioned Bangladesh’s share from the resources allotted for Pakistan.
With the objectives of economic emancipation, Sheikh Mujib attached the highest priority to reducing the income inequality between the urban and rural areas through developing agriculture, education, health and industries sectors, and rural development. He took initiative to rebuild the agriculture infrastructure that was destroyed. Agriculture equipment was supplied to the farmers at reduced price and 16,125 tonnes of rice-seed, 454 tonnes of jute-seed and 1,037 tonnes of wheat-seed were supplied on an emergency basis, either-free of cost or at a token price, for increasing agricultural production within 1972.
The peasant community was absolved from the 1 million certificate cases lodged during the rule of occupying Pakistani forces and all their arrear loans and interest were waived. Taxes for land of up to 25 bighas were waived. Minimum fair prices were fixed for ensuring sufficient remuneration to farmers for their produce like paddy, jute, tobacco and sugarcane. The low-priced ration facility was brought within the purchasing power of the poor farmers in order to save them. Arrangements were made for educating the children of poor peasant families free of cost through government expenses.
After West Pakistani owners of industries, bank and insurance companies that were shut down during the liberation war, fled, the Bangabandhu Government revived them. Administrators were appointed at abandoned enterprises, but they were inexperienced in management and therefore they could not succeed in most cases. Corruption also emerged. In this backdrop, the government created the industrial management service cadre.
Efforts were made to prevent the centralisation of economic power by reviving the banks and insurance companies under the public sector. The central bank was established. The services were democratised, the number of levels were reduced, and the disparity between the highest and lowest salaries was decreased.
More emphasis was given to the small and cottage industries so that they could flourish in rural Bangladesh, agro-based industries could be set up, poverty could be alleviated and disparities between the towns and villages and the rich and the poor could be reduced. But the Bangabandhu government was also aware that visible progress could not be made without large industries. Especial attention was paid to the health and education sectors as progress in these sectors raises the life expectancy of people, generates human resources and enhances responsibility as well as productivity at the work-place.
The Government took the initiative to build infrastructures for long-term benefit of the economy. The Father of the Nation started preliminary work for building the Jamuna Bridge with assistance from his old friend and Japanese parliamentarian Hayakawa. He made an arrangement with India under the historic Ganga water-sharing agreement to get 44,000 cusecs of water for the lower riparian Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujib refused to take responsibility for the liability Pakistan owed to the development partners; rather he extracted Bangladesh’s share from the grants sanctioned by the development partners, including the United Nations.
In the face of opposition from the socialist currents within the government, he adopted a realistic policy and agreed to join the consortium led by the World Bank for aid to Bangladesh. A land boundary agreement was signed with India. For eliciting the just share of Bangladesh with regard to the maritime boundary and the continental shelf, Bangabandhu submitted Bangladesh’s claim in September 1974 to the UN and started discussions on the issue with Burma (at present Myanmar).
Boosted by the strength and through exceptional diplomatic initiatives, legal preparations, survey maps and all other groundwork daughter of Sheikh Mujib and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Government got positive verdicts from the International Tribunal on the laws of the Seas (ITlOS) in the dispute with Burma (Myanmar) in 2012 and with India in 2014. Sheikh Mujib also nationalised oil and gas sectors in 1973.
Within the framework of a perspective plan, the First Five Year Plan (1973-78) was launched in line with the four pillars of the constitution, viz. democracy, socialism, secularism and nationalism. Policies and strategies were adopted for enhancing efficiency in economic activities and thereby creating opportunities for increased incomes for the working class. Sheikh Mujib also took
initiative for ensuring the progress of the disadvantaged population through imposing more taxes on the affluent classes.
The goodwill that was created all over the world during a just and great war of liberation-cum-independence struggle under the dynamic, farsighted and fearless leadership of Sheikh Mujib gave rise to a unique ambience of goodwill and benevolence for Bangladesh, with the Mujib Government pursuing the policy of “Friendship towards all, malice towards none”.
With the evolution of time, the economy of Bangladesh also took a turn for a free-market economy like most countries. But by upholding and attaching highest priority and resolve for a welfare-state as desired by the Father of the Nation, Bangladesh’s socio-economic orbit and path of advancement have been strengthened during the past decade. Bangladesh has achieved enviable macroeconomic progress and heart-warming exceptional social advancement under the innovative and courageous leadership of Sheikh Hasina. The trend of our great progress would be speeded up by treading the path and economic philosophy left behind by the Father of the Nation. That would fulfil our dream for a democratic Bangla free from hunger, poverty, ill-health, shelter-deprivation, illiteracy, communalism and violent militancy. And the nation is now repaying the debt of blood of 15 August in that way.
(The writer is Chairperson of Board of Trustees of East West University and former Governor of Bangladesh Bank)