MPH formula for development

We've witnessed the state of our health and other public service delivery that has been exposed after the coronavirus pandemic hit the country. Many including senior and educated people have started raising question how the nation could achieve the cherished development. While we've not taken proper lessons from two models --- Bangladesh's own development attainment that has puzzled the world --- the model like Singapore is perhaps replicable in our context.

Bangladesh has done exceedingly well where policymakers make adequate focus on and more importantly the people were serious about overcoming barriers and making progress. Singapore's development thinker Kishore Mahbubani offered three secrets of development miracle attained by the Southeast Asian city state within a generation.

The three are meritocracy, pragmatism and honesty (MPH). He insists that the best and most talented people should be appointed in all critical positions in the state affairs and governance process. In any situation, merit, not nepotism, should be given priority. Pragmatism is something that was applied best by China's Deng Xiao Peng in introducing some aspects of the market economy in Communist system. Honesty is the most import and difficult part of the process, according to Mahbubani. Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew enforced both meritocracy and honesty, while leading his country. Mahbubani strongly feels that any country in the world shine if MPH formula is adopted.

Shehzada Qaiyyum

Dhanmondi, Dhaka