Bangladesh moves on despite chaos

"The politicians do not speak to one another. Chaos and confrontation are going on unabated. Despite all these hurdles, the business people and our farmers are not sitting idle. They are doing their work, both country's import and export are rising, the GDP is growing," Saifur said at a seminar on "Micro-credit Operation: Success and Prospect", organised by Bangladesh Rural Development Board.

There should be a study on how Bangladesh is making progress amid all these troubles, he said.

Saifur also said curbing terrorism and ensuring security to the people are essential along with balanced economy and macro-economic stability to achieve higher growth.

A certain quarter is attacking with bombs to create anarchy in the country in a planned way to hinder development and progress, he added.

"I told them in a meeting in Sylhet that you won't be able to go to the heaven doing these terrorist acts," the minister said.

Speaking on the UN declared International Micro-credit Year 2005 held at Cirdap auditorium, Saifur criticised the market economy, saying it is not helpful for poverty alleviation. The volume of micro-credit will have to be increased and the social safety net programme to be widened to save the deprived people of the society from the adverse affect of the market.

Saifur said, "If we cannot do this, the 14 crore people will tear us apart and the confrontation in the society will not decrease."

Citing the contribution of Grameen Bank and other NGOs, he said, "The government has also had contribution as far as micro-credit is concerned."

It is publicised abroad that micro-credit is being given away only by Dr Yunus and the likes. That the government is giving small credit does not get any publicity. The government's information ministry is also responsible for this. They do not bother to publicise the government's contribution in the micro-credit programme, he alleged.

"Giving away Tk 2000 Dr Yunus claim that it would reduce poverty, but one would only be able to swim with that paltry amount but cannot go a long way," Saifur observed. The volume of micro-credit needs to be increased if the poor population has to be lifted out of poverty level.