By John Rozario
The transition from an aid seeker to a donor country is a matter of great pride for the people of Bangladesh. Now, Bangladesh has achieved the status of being a donor country. It is the combined efforts of all Bangladeshi people and leaders who have made it possible to achieve this milestone.
Bangladesh’s medical and monetary help to Sri Lanka will increase its picture and status. As soon as upon a time, Bangladesh was a ‘bottomless pit’ and a donation seeker within the worldwide area. Now it’s a donor and lending nation. It exhibits all-South Asian nations find out how to revive from ashes. Bangladesh establishes an instance in South Asia on how to make sure financial development amidst numerous socio-political points. Debt-ridden Bangladesh a couple of years in the past is now a rustic of unprecedented success in debt aid. The world as we speak appears at Bangladesh in amazement.
As a good friend and shut neighbour, it is usually Bangladesh’s privilege to face Sri Lanka no matter the approach it might, throughout instances of disaster. Bangladesh has donated an emergency medication value USD$2.3M to crisis-hit Sri Lanka.
This medical help by the government of Bangladesh to the pleasant individuals of Sri Lanka is an expression of solidarity and friendship between the two nations when they’re celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations this year.
In this regard, a programme was held on May 04 for the State Visitor Home Padma, the place overseas minister Dr A. Okay Abdul Momen and wellbeing minister Zahid Maleque handed over a couple of packing containers of medication as a token to the Sri Lankan Excessive Commissioner to Bangladesh Professor Sudharshan D.S. Seneviratne.
Overseas secretary ambassador Masud Bin Momen, MD and chief executive officer of EDCL and DG (Medication), president of Bangladesh Affiliation of Prescribed drugs Industries (BAPI) Nazmul Hassan, we’re additionally current within the programme.
In his quick remarks, Bangladesh overseas minister, D. Momen termed the provision of medication, as an expression of solidarity and friendship between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, at a time when the two nations are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations.
Nonetheless, what occurred that Bangladesh is creating one shock after one other? Economists say there are some causes behind this: exports, social progress and financial foresight. There are three extra causes apart from financial functionality viz. sympathy, financial diplomacy and political will.
When this was the case, the sudden information got here that Bangladesh had supplied 200 million in monetary help to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan media has raised the query if Bangladesh could be self-sufficient, why can’t we? In June, the finance ministry of Bangladesh gave extra startling information. It has been mentioned that Bangladesh stands by Sudan, the poorest nation in Africa – 65 crores Bangladeshi Taka has been supplied to scale back the debt burden of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The nation borrowed Rs 510,000 crore, Taka, from the IMF. The financial disaster was so extreme that the nation couldn’t repay the debt. Bangladesh has come ahead after sending messages asking for assistance from nation to nation.
Bangladesh’s finance ministry says Sudan is closely indebted and poor. The federal government hopes the funding will strengthen Sudan’s combat in opposition to poverty. At one time Sudan was a British colony. The nation gained independence on January 1, 1956, below a treaty. It could be recalled that final 12 months, Bangladesh additionally supplied greater than Tk 80 million to Somalia, one other African nation. That was additionally in repaying the IMF mortgage. Sudan, a member of the Group of Islamic Cooperation, or OIC, has been crippled by debt and poverty, and monetary help is anticipated to assist overcome the disaster.
Final 12 months, Bangladesh additionally handed Tk 80 million to assist Somalia fight poverty as a part of the IMF initiative. Everyone seems to be fascinated by the event in Bangladesh.
The picture of Bangladesh and the respect for the individuals of this nation has elevated as a result of help to Sri Lanka and Sudan from overseas alternate reserves. Bangladesh is now a lending nation! If Bangladesh could be self-sufficient, a lender and a financial miracle in South Asia, why can’t others do this?
He added in the management of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh by no means hesitates to increase help to any nation in difficulties, particularly, to its neighbours for guaranteeing shared peace and prosperity within the South Asian area. He ensured that Bangladesh stands able to assist Sri Lanka in all potential methods.
The Sri Lankan excessive commissioner, whereas making his remarks expressed his gratitude to the federal government of Sri Lanka prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the federal government of Bangladesh for this pleasant gesture of supplying medication to the individuals of Sri Lanka.
He famous that Sri Lanka values the pleasant relationship with Bangladesh and is dedicated to additional strengthening it within the coming days. He termed the gifting of the medicines, which was one other demonstration that the trajectory of the bilateral relations was transferring in the proper route.
Each EDCL and BAPI have contributed medication of BD taka 10 crores every, Taka 20 Crores in complete as items to Sri Lanka. The medication is anticipated to succeed in Sri Lanka inside a couple of days.
The provision of medication would manifest the potential of the prescription drugs industries by way of its capacity in producing high-quality medication, and monetary capability and it additionally demonstrates Bangladesh’s overseas coverage resolve of sustaining pleasant and cooperative relations along with her neighbours.
Earlier, Bangladesh supported Sri Lanka by offering $ 00 million via a forex swapping association. Everyone around the world is praising the sustainable development of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is being recognized as a rising star in South Asia. Bangladesh is improving so much today, said an economist in Pakistan. Abid Hassan said in an article in a Pakistani newspaper, that Pakistan may seek financial assistance from Bangladesh by 2030.
The former World Bank economist has just predicted the future. If Bangladesh can pay USD$20M to Sri Lanka, waive the IMF’s Bangladeshi share of money from Somalia and Sudan, help India and Indonesia with Covid-19 medical equipment, shelter a large number of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, it can also help Pakistan financially. Bangladesh is a humanitarian state in South Asia.
The picture of Bangladesh and the respect for the individuals of this nation has elevated as a result of monetary help to Sri Lanka and Sudan from its overseas alternate reserves. Bangladesh additionally agreed to supply medical support to Afghanistan. Bangladesh in December, 2021, introduced humanitarian assistance for the Afghan individuals whereas expressing deep concern over the financial and humanitarian disaster looming in Afghanistan.
The nation introduced a humanitarian support bundle within the type of meals and medicinal help, the overseas ministry mentioned following the seventeenth extraordinary session of the Group of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Overseas Ministers on the Afghanistan state of affairs held in Islamabad, Pakistan. Now, Bangladesh gave medical help to disaster-hit Sri Lanka. It proves that it’s an actual humanitarian state in South Asia.
From a humanitarian perspective, the short response of Bangladesh was lauded by many, nationally and globally.
Biggest humanitarian instance?
Bangladesh has already portrayed its picture firmly as a humanitarian nation, when she warmly welcomed about 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Regardless of many diplomatic efforts, the repatriation of Rohingya individuals has been lingering. The exodus of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh launched into quite a few strategic, financial and environmental points as Bangladesh is already an overpopulated nation.
Nonetheless, Bangladesh continues to generously host the world’s largest and rising refugee settlement regardless of an enormous burden on the financial system, meals administration, restricted assets and different circumstances. Even Bangladesh deliberate to relocate a few of the Rohingyas to Bhashanchar to make sure higher residing customary for them via Ashrayan 3 Challenge by itself financing. Moreover, Bangladesh has been monitoring a powerful report on improvement and development since the final decade which is able to make it extra able to assist different nations in disaster – 1,000’s of extra examples could be drawn the place Bangladesh was among the many quickest nations to face beside others. By way of quantity, medical support to be supplied by Bangladesh to Sri Lanka may be small in scale of the required fund however its immediate response is praiseworthy.
Now the query is legitimate. Bangladesh is now a donor and lending nation! If Bangladesh could be a self-sufficient, donor, lender, a financial miracle in South Asia, why can’t others do this? Why does South Asia not take lessons from Bangladesh? After all, South Asia can study so much from Bangladesh.
John Rozario is based in Karnataka, India, and has completed a master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University in International Relations. He is a researcher, strategic and international affairs analyst. He can be reached at johnrojariojnu@gmail.com.
