Copy: Cambodia versus Bangladesh

an extract from Bangladesh Barta

...Bangladesh, on the other hand, looks like it has nowhere to go. Its only real resource is its cheap labour (4-5 times cheaper than Cambodia), and manufactures only tolerate the traffic congestion, lack of infrastructure and poor export facilities because labour costs are so low. But, with tarrifs on textiles about to come down in the US, and Africa being opened up to investment (where labour is even more cheap and new infrastructure can be purpose built), it seems that rather than lift off, Bangladesh is about to face decline. There is no tourist industry, there is visible, widespread poverty (there are more Dhakaians than Cambodians), the cities are shabby and dilapidated, and the urban middle and upper classes engage with the public realm only when they can extract something from it. Cambodia and Cambodians are being exploited by textile manufactures, tourist industries, oil companies, development agencies, human traffickers, logging companies and many others. But Bangladesh is not: in a globalised world it remains the case that the only thing worse than being exploited by a capitalist, is not being exploited by a capitalist. This seems to be Bangladesh’s fate....

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Additional information: What the West can learn from Bangladesh

The West can learn from this little interview Dr. Yunus is giving at theVision Summit 2007 in Berlin.

. He is basically saying that everybody can and should be an enterpreneur and that education must promote this idea. I am happy that Dr. Yunus as a role model from Bangladesh turns out to be a voice for Germans as well since enterpreneuship irocanally has a very negative image in Germany.

 

Additional information: Corruption against transparency

Corruption is the result of information protectionism and the „misuse” of power. Usually affected by strong hierarchies, the traditional etiquette and mentality of a country and exorbitant knowledge differences corruption appears as some type of black market. Corruption therefore is more a symptom than the problem’s root. In fact it sometimes even has positive effect. It creates a black market to balance deficits in supply and demand. However the missing competition in this typically monopolized black markets reveals a great potential for economic growth. Necessary is the shift of power from the top to the bottom. Only in a society where power is shared, separated and controlled and where informal power networks are transparent corruption can be reduced. Helping people to help themselves through „transparency for development“ is the only way to achieve a lasting change in the present morals. Unfortunately most of the needed discussion in Bangladesh is happening online - but free from censorship. (Change Bangladesh)

ABC published this quote by a representative of the caretaker government of Bangladesh:

"May be some of you are thinking that you are indulging in your intellectual efforts sitting in a different country (a safe place) and you are beyond reach. Very wrong. If military wants to get you, it will get you. In fact, you will struggle on your own to catch the next available flight to Dhaka." (from a comment in the guardian, a cross comment by "Live it lively")

- A comment on corruption by the "unheard voices" by Rahat
- A comment on the cost of coruption by live it lively
- A comment on Corruption, reforms and a new political party by bdoza
- A comment on the "Get of Corruption" Drive by Angelmorn
- Comments on Corruption by Tasneem Khalil and friends

Corruption is an extremely sensitive topic in Bangladesh as I experienced so far. In many Asian countries corruption is something people remain silent about. For governmental officials in Bangladesh it is actually forbidden to talk about corruption without a special permission. The common people in Bangladesh often react very irritated and seem to be hurt in their honour and pride if you address the topic corruption.

Iftekhar Zaman Excecutive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh underlines his sceptics with the Transparency International report on corruption that declared Bangladesh five times the most corrupt nation worldwide. He tries to draw the attention away from Bangladesh and the government and is pointing out that organizations and companies from the "wealthy nations" caused most bigger corruption scandals in the developing countries. He adds that the developed nations as the developing countries both have to fight with corruption and the one sided attention might lead into a wrong direction.
(survey on corruption by Iftekhar Zaman, statement of Iftekhar Zaman about corruption in Bangladesh)

Nevertheless a change might have already happened. Corruption is declared to be a public topic which will be now finally solved by the military. The Bengali people supposivly support the military caretaker government strongly that tries to fight corruption and clean up whatever has to be cleaned up. Finally the strong hand of the Bengali military brings Bangladesh back on the right track because they know what has to be done.

This elementary seek for a strong leader in insecure and chaotic times (Popper) is rather ironic as the result of this coup is an even stronger concentration of power and the Bengali people do not know more than before.

But we will wait and see how the caretaker government will „succeed“.

Here are two interessting comments on corruption concerning the present situation in Bangladesh by Al Jazeera – an America friendly TV station.






Extra: Bangladesh is known as a very tolerant country with people of different origins and religions living together peacefully. Still there seem to be exceptions:

Open classroom for transparency for development

Recently we added a new blog as plattform for comments on transparency for development. We invite everybody to contribute to a fruitfull information flow. Write an email to transparency.for.development@gmail.com to post a comment on this blog.

thank you