Bangladesh: Recipe for success?

The Bangladesh puzzle has two distinct dimensions. One goes back to a remark by Henry-Kissinger in 1971, in response to an assertion that Bangladesh would be a "basket case." The other dimension has been provided in recent analysis, including that by economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen: Bangladesh has reduced social poverty better than some of the regional giants, such as neighbouring India.

The 2005 UN-Human Development Report moved the country from the low development group into the category with medium development indicators.

But wait. Bangladesh has weathered every storm, reduced poverty, improved life expectancy and living standards and is performing well on many of the Millennium Development Goals.

> Douglas Broderick

Indeed, far from being a basket case, Bangladesh should be held up as a model for poorer countries that could suffer from worsening global conditions.

If this country can do it, with its massive poverty-stricken population, widespread corruption and a history of intermittent political instability, then surely any can.

Douglas Broderick is the Bangladesh representative for the World Food Program.

Via The Globe and Mail