One child family

Now, the era of complacency ought to be over and pragmatic, harsh, seemingly unpopular but effective measures should be undertaken to contain the population growth to an acceptable level. We can discuss China as a model. China has adopted and enforced the following measures for population control. One family- 'one' child family policy has been implemented in 1980. The defaulters have been severely penalised by loss of job, loss of trade, non-enrolment in schools, cancellation of food coupon and priority in allotment of houses, transfer to far-flung areas etc. 'The China story' is a success and we should look at their prosperity. They have contained the population at 1200 million and projected population decline in the next 100 years will be by 500 million.

The same policies may be custom-made for Bangladesh with some modifications. Our government allows free education to female child, allots subsidised fertiliser and seeds, and also gives other facilities to the population. The 'one' child families can be given incentives like free or subsidised education, ration, priority in school admission, subsidised allotment of fertiliser and seeds, transfer to remote areas for the defaulters, plus point system for the 'one' child, fixation of targets for the monitors, cash incentives, massive propaganda as to the necessity of 'one' child family, some security to the farmers etc. Unless some very drastic measures are adopted all our development policies and activities are likely to be negated by the impact of huge population pressure.

We would appeal to the policy makers, the government and the all concerned agencies to seriously ponder over the issue and act.

This country can not contain more than 100 million people.