The right candidates for greater Dinajpur
Thursday, 25 December 2008
MM Haque
In the much-hyped election campaign, the candidates are offering to do everything for the electorate if elected. Though it is natural for the candidates to do it, they should be encouraged to be realistic and promise what they can really deliver once elected.
The voters, on the other hand, should ask for what is required for the development of their areas.
Once the dynamic needs as well as prospects of the 300 constituencies in Bangladesh are pragmatically identified, voters would know what to expect from the candidates of their choice.
After the polls, it would be important for the elected representatives to make all efforts to achieve the common goal.
In Dinajpur, the usual bite of winter is hot there. It is much wormer this year possibly due to global warming.
However, Dinajpur attracts attention of the global energy companies. Blood and lives were given to establish legitimate rights on what is underneath our rice fields or bed rooms. There is no time to loose to bring up the hope of those killed.
Dinajpur's famous aromatic rice, juicy lichees, mangoes and the emerging tea industry have been attracting more attention than before. Given finance, proper training and effective management, greater Dinajpur can provide more than 25 per cent of national energy needs, 20 per cent of its food and a sizeable tea crop for export besides, manpower for nation building.
What is required is a perspective plan for economic and social development with clearly defined medium- and long-term goals. The contender, focused on the prospects of the district, would be able to attract the voters.
The issues of education, energy, water and environment, agriculture, health and a perspective plan for economic development are important for greater Dinajpur.
To better promote education, Haji Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur Medical, College, Dinajpur Government College, Dinajpur polytechnic, BKSP and the Vocational Training Institute should be brought up to the national standard.
The infrastructure and capacity of the Government College, Polytechnic and Vocational training institutes should be upgraded in three years.
The vacancies against teachers and technicians in colleges and schools should be filled up within six months from the first session of parliament.
A IT training section should be opened in the polytechnic under the revenue budget and it be strengthened in six months. Vocational training capacity should be doubled in a year.
The teaching quality in all the high schools and primary schools of should be monitored under national and local initiatives.
The Haji Danesh Technology University should open a faculty on mining and minerals and Dinajpur Polytechnic should offer mining courses. The government's free education programme should be made effective so that the youth could have a basic quality education and training to take part in nation building and poverty eradication.
Literacy rate should be increased by another 5.0 to 10 per cent in five years with the objective, 'Education for poverty eradication'.
Public Libraries should get more funding and books for better future to get rid of the curse of illiteracy and poverty.
The coal policy should be finalised in seven months since the elected government takes office. All the coal mines should be developed in two years so that the people around the mines and the country get the benefits out of them.
Madhyapara and Boropukuria mining and electricity generation plants should be made efficient.
All the prospective minerals in the districts including Fulbari coal mine should be brought under development planning in two years. Considering the sacrifice made by the people of coal mining area, a special allocation should be made from existing generation facilities for the next irrigation season.
A dedicated separate power generation unit of at least 75 MW capacity should be set up in three years to support irrigation and the small and medium enterprises in greater Dinajpur from its coal.
A policy should be adopted to benefit local brick kilns foundries and the small and medium enterprises (SME), from local coal, rock, sand and electricity at concessional rates. All coal-fired power plants and factories should be fitted with devices that lessen pollution.
Energy production should be increased by 15 per cent in next 10 years to meet the needs of the economy.
A complete overhaul of Grid Distribution Plant every 10 miles could better utilise the installed capacity of the 60MW power plant.
Reservoirs should be built where possible on the Punarbhaba, Korotoa-Atrai and Kanchan rivers, to augment their flows, doubling surface water irrigation in five years.
Ramsagar, Sukhsagar, Matasagar, Ananda Sagar and other lakes should be developed, may be in partnership with the private sector, to increase irrigation acreage, to save the underground water table.
Ways should be devised to store rain water of more than 2,500mm or more of rain waters to provide irrigation for agriculture at cheaper rate and safeguard the environment..
People should be sensitised about the looming environmental disaster in this populace. A corrective action plan should be initiated immediately. A million saplings should be planted in five years for timber and fruits, side by side with the water resource management programme.
All efforts should be made to increase agricultural production with a brand name for Dinajpur.
Katharibhog should be branded for Dinajpur, providing production and marketing support. Production, preservation and marketing of lichees and mangoes should be supported. Tea plantation should get further policy support and fresh injection of capital.
The capacity and strength of Agriculture Extension Department at Dinajpur and the Rangpur-Dinajpur Rehabilitation Service (RDRS) should be expanded to support the local agriculture from Tetulia to Birampur. The sugar mills in the area should be revamped under new managements to augment output.
With injection of capital, the capacities and services of Sadar Hospital, Heart Foundation and Diabetic Hospitals should be upgraded. The charge-hands, technicians, lab assistants and nurses should be trained in the above hospitals for the patients to get better and efficient services.
All health complexes and tertiary health providers should be placed under a national and local monitoring system. Sewage, and drinking water system should be improved either under the local municipalities or in partnership with the private sector.
Regular civic and general cleanliness drives, involving health care and sanitation staff, students, teachers and residence, would be desirable for better public health. Vaccination drive should be strengthened under national and local programmes.
Effort are needed to promote tourism as Dinajpur is known for its tourist attractions of Kantaji's Temple, Rajbari, Gour Gabindha, Baraduary, Aowkora (echoing) mosque, Shapnopuri and many lakes like Ramshagar. The national tourist organisation guide should print brochures on all these tourist spots. The Parbatipur Railway Junction and the Dinajpur Railway Station should be developed for enhanced capacity to facilitate effective and easy communication and logistic support.
High speed passenger and goods trains should be introduced to link Dinajpur with Dhaka and Khulna. The Parbatipur-Panchagarh railway track should be overhauled for fast train service. The unfinished Fulbari bridge should be completed in six months as a priority project.
A perspective plan should be prepared to step up the overall economic activity for the benefit of the four million. The programmes outlined above cannot be implemented without a comprehensive plan supported by budgetary allocations. Dinajpur with its lowest per capita income for the districts in Bangladesh deserves all of it because of its unexploited potentials. The package could be as follows:
A minimum of Taka 500 million fund should be granted initially with annual incremental increases. The fund would support private initiative or venture capital on programmes in education, skill training, agriculture, small and medium enterprises, tourism, health, banking and financial services.
The new and existing initiatives should have easy access to the fund on simple conditions and low interests.
The fund should support the equity - machinery and equipment, and current capital. Local branches of all reputed banks should be given the funds.
Rebate should be given as incentive for timely repayment and good performance. Special tariff, claimable as discount, on capital machinery and equipment purchases, whether or not purchased under this fund, should be allowed.
A full financial package under direct supervision of the Bangladesh Bank with evaluation of half yearly performance should be made public.
The people aspire for the prospects and potentials of greater Dinajpur. The support from the right candidates elected, can provide in five years 5000 vocationally trained carpenters, masons, electricians and hardware technicians; 10,000 trained diploma engineers, 10,000 doctors and scientists as well as 20,000 college graduates with a new vision. Besides, it can provide one million tons of cereals, 100 tons of mangoes and lichees, and double tea output and more primary and secondary goods. An investment of around Taka 5,000 billion for the mines, power plants and tea industry should be made available, both from local and national sources. All these will transpire to half a million new jobs and additional per capita income of Taka 500.
There is no reason why the voters shouldn't vote for the candidates who can deliver all this.
The writer works in the finance department of Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah, K.S.A and can be reached at email: Jeddah
haquetm83@yahoo.com
In the much-hyped election campaign, the candidates are offering to do everything for the electorate if elected. Though it is natural for the candidates to do it, they should be encouraged to be realistic and promise what they can really deliver once elected.
The voters, on the other hand, should ask for what is required for the development of their areas.
Once the dynamic needs as well as prospects of the 300 constituencies in Bangladesh are pragmatically identified, voters would know what to expect from the candidates of their choice.
After the polls, it would be important for the elected representatives to make all efforts to achieve the common goal.
In Dinajpur, the usual bite of winter is hot there. It is much wormer this year possibly due to global warming.
However, Dinajpur attracts attention of the global energy companies. Blood and lives were given to establish legitimate rights on what is underneath our rice fields or bed rooms. There is no time to loose to bring up the hope of those killed.
Dinajpur's famous aromatic rice, juicy lichees, mangoes and the emerging tea industry have been attracting more attention than before. Given finance, proper training and effective management, greater Dinajpur can provide more than 25 per cent of national energy needs, 20 per cent of its food and a sizeable tea crop for export besides, manpower for nation building.
What is required is a perspective plan for economic and social development with clearly defined medium- and long-term goals. The contender, focused on the prospects of the district, would be able to attract the voters.
The issues of education, energy, water and environment, agriculture, health and a perspective plan for economic development are important for greater Dinajpur.
To better promote education, Haji Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur Medical, College, Dinajpur Government College, Dinajpur polytechnic, BKSP and the Vocational Training Institute should be brought up to the national standard.
The infrastructure and capacity of the Government College, Polytechnic and Vocational training institutes should be upgraded in three years.
The vacancies against teachers and technicians in colleges and schools should be filled up within six months from the first session of parliament.
A IT training section should be opened in the polytechnic under the revenue budget and it be strengthened in six months. Vocational training capacity should be doubled in a year.
The teaching quality in all the high schools and primary schools of should be monitored under national and local initiatives.
The Haji Danesh Technology University should open a faculty on mining and minerals and Dinajpur Polytechnic should offer mining courses. The government's free education programme should be made effective so that the youth could have a basic quality education and training to take part in nation building and poverty eradication.
Literacy rate should be increased by another 5.0 to 10 per cent in five years with the objective, 'Education for poverty eradication'.
Public Libraries should get more funding and books for better future to get rid of the curse of illiteracy and poverty.
The coal policy should be finalised in seven months since the elected government takes office. All the coal mines should be developed in two years so that the people around the mines and the country get the benefits out of them.
Madhyapara and Boropukuria mining and electricity generation plants should be made efficient.
All the prospective minerals in the districts including Fulbari coal mine should be brought under development planning in two years. Considering the sacrifice made by the people of coal mining area, a special allocation should be made from existing generation facilities for the next irrigation season.
A dedicated separate power generation unit of at least 75 MW capacity should be set up in three years to support irrigation and the small and medium enterprises in greater Dinajpur from its coal.
A policy should be adopted to benefit local brick kilns foundries and the small and medium enterprises (SME), from local coal, rock, sand and electricity at concessional rates. All coal-fired power plants and factories should be fitted with devices that lessen pollution.
Energy production should be increased by 15 per cent in next 10 years to meet the needs of the economy.
A complete overhaul of Grid Distribution Plant every 10 miles could better utilise the installed capacity of the 60MW power plant.
Reservoirs should be built where possible on the Punarbhaba, Korotoa-Atrai and Kanchan rivers, to augment their flows, doubling surface water irrigation in five years.
Ramsagar, Sukhsagar, Matasagar, Ananda Sagar and other lakes should be developed, may be in partnership with the private sector, to increase irrigation acreage, to save the underground water table.
Ways should be devised to store rain water of more than 2,500mm or more of rain waters to provide irrigation for agriculture at cheaper rate and safeguard the environment..
People should be sensitised about the looming environmental disaster in this populace. A corrective action plan should be initiated immediately. A million saplings should be planted in five years for timber and fruits, side by side with the water resource management programme.
All efforts should be made to increase agricultural production with a brand name for Dinajpur.
Katharibhog should be branded for Dinajpur, providing production and marketing support. Production, preservation and marketing of lichees and mangoes should be supported. Tea plantation should get further policy support and fresh injection of capital.
The capacity and strength of Agriculture Extension Department at Dinajpur and the Rangpur-Dinajpur Rehabilitation Service (RDRS) should be expanded to support the local agriculture from Tetulia to Birampur. The sugar mills in the area should be revamped under new managements to augment output.
With injection of capital, the capacities and services of Sadar Hospital, Heart Foundation and Diabetic Hospitals should be upgraded. The charge-hands, technicians, lab assistants and nurses should be trained in the above hospitals for the patients to get better and efficient services.
All health complexes and tertiary health providers should be placed under a national and local monitoring system. Sewage, and drinking water system should be improved either under the local municipalities or in partnership with the private sector.
Regular civic and general cleanliness drives, involving health care and sanitation staff, students, teachers and residence, would be desirable for better public health. Vaccination drive should be strengthened under national and local programmes.
Effort are needed to promote tourism as Dinajpur is known for its tourist attractions of Kantaji's Temple, Rajbari, Gour Gabindha, Baraduary, Aowkora (echoing) mosque, Shapnopuri and many lakes like Ramshagar. The national tourist organisation guide should print brochures on all these tourist spots. The Parbatipur Railway Junction and the Dinajpur Railway Station should be developed for enhanced capacity to facilitate effective and easy communication and logistic support.
High speed passenger and goods trains should be introduced to link Dinajpur with Dhaka and Khulna. The Parbatipur-Panchagarh railway track should be overhauled for fast train service. The unfinished Fulbari bridge should be completed in six months as a priority project.
A perspective plan should be prepared to step up the overall economic activity for the benefit of the four million. The programmes outlined above cannot be implemented without a comprehensive plan supported by budgetary allocations. Dinajpur with its lowest per capita income for the districts in Bangladesh deserves all of it because of its unexploited potentials. The package could be as follows:
A minimum of Taka 500 million fund should be granted initially with annual incremental increases. The fund would support private initiative or venture capital on programmes in education, skill training, agriculture, small and medium enterprises, tourism, health, banking and financial services.
The new and existing initiatives should have easy access to the fund on simple conditions and low interests.
The fund should support the equity - machinery and equipment, and current capital. Local branches of all reputed banks should be given the funds.
Rebate should be given as incentive for timely repayment and good performance. Special tariff, claimable as discount, on capital machinery and equipment purchases, whether or not purchased under this fund, should be allowed.
A full financial package under direct supervision of the Bangladesh Bank with evaluation of half yearly performance should be made public.
The people aspire for the prospects and potentials of greater Dinajpur. The support from the right candidates elected, can provide in five years 5000 vocationally trained carpenters, masons, electricians and hardware technicians; 10,000 trained diploma engineers, 10,000 doctors and scientists as well as 20,000 college graduates with a new vision. Besides, it can provide one million tons of cereals, 100 tons of mangoes and lichees, and double tea output and more primary and secondary goods. An investment of around Taka 5,000 billion for the mines, power plants and tea industry should be made available, both from local and national sources. All these will transpire to half a million new jobs and additional per capita income of Taka 500.
There is no reason why the voters shouldn't vote for the candidates who can deliver all this.
The writer works in the finance department of Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah, K.S.A and can be reached at email: Jeddah
haquetm83@yahoo.com