National 6 (Spotlight Weekly)

“Bangladesh Is Willing To Support Nepal In Providing Access To Its Ports”

— Kamal Siddiqui

KAMAL SIDDIQUI, Principal Secretary of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and Co-convener of South Asian Commission for Poverty Alleviation, is a renowned economist of the region. Siddiqui was recently in town to participate in South Asian Regional Meeting on Poverty Alleviation. Siddiqui spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues regarding the poverty situation in the region. Excerpts:

How do you see the status of poverty in South Asia?

Well, the poverty has come down in region as a whole. Although in one or two areas, the trend is still bad, but as a whole the poverty has come down. Unfortunately, even the remaining poverty is very massive. Unless we take concerted efforts, both at a national level as well as regional level, we will be unable to alleviate poverty.

What is the situation in Bangladesh?

People of Bangladesh including civil society and Non-governmental organizations have been taking a number of measures for poverty alleviation. There are direct poverty alleviation projects and some projects are linked to growth. The government, private sector and civil society, all of them are participating. Private sector, for example, while taking the agricultural inputs to the rural areas, they are helping the level of productivity of land. Twenty-five to thirty years ago, there were serious food shortages in Bangladesh but no more. We have been able to feed ourselves now. That is a major change because ours is a very populous country and agricultural land is shrinking. Despite all that we are able to feed our population. There are no food poverty in Bangladesh anymore. There are poverty in terms of income and other things. We are all trying to tackle it. One of the successful examples is a micro-credit project, which is changing the pattern of income of rural population. We have made some good progress.

What did you discuss at the meeting in Kathmandu?

It was a follow up meeting. At the recently concluded SAARC summit in Islamabad, which approved the report of Independent South Asian Commission for Poverty Alleviation, I was the one who presented the report to the summit. All the leaders of SAARC expressed the commitment to the report. Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee pledged US$ 100 million to the fund as a first installment. Other countries are also supposed to pledge their contribution in addition to some other international organizations. We came here to present the report to UNDP and others. We also discussed among the commission members what should we do as next step in the light of the mandate given to us by the SAARC summit. The summit gave us two mandates - advocate the report and produce the development goals in four areas including poverty alleviation, health, education and environment.

Nepal and Bangladesh are very close friends, what is the possibility to expand our trade relations in the changing context?

I am not expert on trade but I can say a few things. This small corridor of 26 miles between us is no problem at all. I believe that there are many items, which can be traded between the two countries and to the mutual benefits of the two countries. Now we have got SAFTA framework and we have also bilateral framework. We should develop lines of common interests between the two countries. Our prime minister Khaleda Zia is always committed for the better and friendly relations with Nepal. She is willing to support brotherly country Nepal in providing access to Chittagong and Mongla port. Our government is totally committed to improve the economic relations between the two countries and particularly in the field of trade. We have the best of relationship and it will improve further.

How do you see the change in South Asia following the 12 SAARC Summit?

I am very helpful that the progress we have achieved in 12th SAARC summit will continue. Beside being a civil servant, I am also a student of South Asia and I have written three books comparing the situation in South Asia. I am totally committed to SAARC. South Asia can be a fastest growing region in the world. It can offer many lessons to the world since we have old civilization and we have people of rich culture. Although we have diversity, there are many factors of unity. We should go forward and promote the South Asian cooperation. The 12th SAARC Summit finalized the SAFTA and it also approved the Social Charter as well as SAARC poverty commission report. On the sidelines, there were many efforts in easing the tension between India and Pakistan. That will have excellent impact on the rest of the region. We will have to seize the opportunity. The peace that is breaking out, I hope, will continue. There is win-win situation for all of us.

How do you see the economic growth in South Asia?

Look at India; their economic growth rate is 8 percent. We should be very happy about it. If India does better, we can do more trade with India. Similarly, Bangladesh is doing very well at about 5 percent growth. It applies to other countries of the region. Look at Pakistan; they have huge foreign exchange reserve now. All the indicators show that the economy of Pakistan, too, has improved. There is immense possibility to improve the economic progress. Even Bhutan is doing quite good. This is time for doing something more.