Foreign policy experts, academics and researchers have said that the win of Bangladesh Awami League-led Grand Alliance in the recently held 11th parliamentary polls would help bring a positive outcome for the South Asia region and the international community as well.
“There had been many positive factors. Bangladesh’s economic and social development during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure was impressive…it’s an example in the present world,” said Foreign Policy Expert and Former Diplomat Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty.
Addressing a round-table discussion on “The 11th Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh” held on December 30, Pinak Chakravarty, who chaired the event said that Sheikh Hasina led Awami League achieved a remarkable win as there has been an upsurge of support for Hasina and her party Bangladesh Awami League.
Indian Council of World Affairs, a research institute, organized the discussion at Sapru House in New Delhi on Wednesday (Jan 16), state news agency BSS reports.
Pinak Chakravarty, a fellow with Observer Research Foundation (ORF) where he oversees the west Asia initiative, Bangladesh and other ASEAN-related issues, acclaimed Sheikh Hasina’s handling of the economy that helped turn Bangladesh into a developing nation from the LDC.
“Bangladesh is no longer the basket case… Kissinger is still alive and he would be ruing to see the economic development of Bangladesh,” he added.
Pinak Chakravarty, the former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh said that the current 7 (Seven) plus GDP of Bangladesh is quite impressive while social sector development is also far more impressive.
“I think Bangladesh has been through a generational change. Young people want jobs and a better future. Hasina has provided them with jobs and the young people now have put their faith on her,” he said.
He said that today’s young generation feels proud of their 1971 war history. It emerges as a big factor now.
Referring to the huge electoral defeat of BNP in the polls, Pinak Chakravarty said, “the BNP must reinvent itself or else it will be thrown into the dustbin of history”.
He said in the wake of a new era of cooperation, India must focus more on Bangladesh for the benefit of the two countries and the Asia nations as well.
“Investment, connectivity, security, economic cooperation are growing.
They should grow even faster,” he added.
Prof. Sanjay Bhardwaj of JNU University, Jayanta Roy Chowdhury, Sr. Editor of The Telegraph, Dr Smruti Pattanaik, Research Fellow of IDSA (Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis) and Ashish Shukla, Fellow of ICWA were the panellists.
The panellists heaped praises on Sheikh Hasina for her dynamic leadership in turning Bangladesh from an LDC to developing nation.
Her (Hasina’s) victory is good news for India, the South Asia region and the international community, they said.