In over four decades of clinching independence from Pakistani rule, Bangladesh has outstripped Pakistan in many global development indictors that reflect the resilience of the nascent nation's growth potential.
The country's economy has been growing over 6.0 per cent annually on average for the last one decade while Pakistan is struggling with average 5.0 per cent growth in the same period.
The size of Pakistan's economy is significantly bigger than that of Bangladesh. But Bangladesh may come closer -- or even overtake Pakistan in many projects in the next 20 to 25 years if the current growth rate is sustained and increased.
According to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimation, in 2014 Bangladesh's GDP (in purchasing power parity term) stood at $535.6 billion while it was $884.2 billion in Pakistan' purse.
Bangladesh's per capita nominal income stood at $1190 in 2014, against $1264 in a Pakistani's share.
It was in March 1971 when the people of Bangladesh proclaimed independence, fought against brutal military occupation by Pakistan in the subsequent nine months and earned victory in the war of liberation in December that year.
Today, socioeconomic development of Bangladesh is considered as a 'development puzzle' across the world.
The country is now third-largest exporter of clothing in the world, after China and the European Union (EU), while India and Pakistan grabbed 5th and 11th position in 2013.
Bangladesh's share in global clothing exports stood at 6.5 per cent while India and Pakistan's share of the trade cake accounted for 2.3 per cent and 0.93 per cent respectively.
Such comparative data were revealed in international trade statistics compiled by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Bangladesh's achievement in human development and social indictors also stand out as far better compared to that of India and Pakistan.
In gender-related development index, a sub-index of the United Nations Human Development Index, Bangladesh ranked 107th while India and Pakistan scored 132 and 145 respectively in 2013.
In a similar vein, Bangladesh ranked 115th in gender-inequality index while both India and Pakistan stood behind with 127.
Professor Amartya Sen, a Nobel laureate in economics, highlighted Bangladesh's advances in social sectors in his book 'India: An Uncertain Glory'. He mentioned that India was lagging behind Bangladesh in many indicators.
Entrepreneurship has also emerged as one of the strengths of Bangladesh, as reflected in share of global trade.
A calculation of WTO revealed Bangladesh's share in global trade increased to 0.14 per cent in 2011 from 0.09 per cent in 1990 while Pakistan's declined to 0.14 per cent in 2011 from 0.21 per cent in 1990.
In 2013, Bangladesh's share in total global exports stood at 0.15 per cent while that of Pakistan at 0.13 per cent, according to WTO trade-profile statistics.
Although the country's innovativeness is not visible to many, in the global level it is recognised. In the global innovation index, Bangladesh ranked 129 while the rank for Pakistan in the same index is 134 in 2014.
Bangladesh and Pakistan run neck and neck on one score: both 7th in global remittance earning.
The effort of Nobel laureate Professor Md Yunus has elevated Bangladesh to global microfinance pioneer. And his concept of social business rocked global policymakers.
Bangladesh attained food autarky and became more successful in addressing the problem of hunger and nutrition.
In Global Hunger Index-2014, both Bangladesh and Pakistan ranked 57. But Bangladesh improved significantly as its hunger-intensity score improved from 36.6 in 1990 to 19.1 in 2014. At the same time, Pakistan's score improved at a slower rate, from 26.7 to 19.1.
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