The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Mahbubul Alam, former adviser to the caretaker government told a discussion meeting in Dhaka that Bangladesh is capable of withstanding any foreign pressure and charting its own track towards development provided there was successful consensus building in the country.

Delivering his address at the meet organised by the Advanced Bangladesh Centre for Development (ABCD) he cited the example of Nepal where major foreign powers were now showing eagerness to work with the Maoists who had earlier been branded as terrorists.

The former adviser who is also the editor of The Independent said Bangladesh has many advantages like a homogenous population which would help accelerate the march towards progress and prosperity.

"The country belongs to us, we should steer its towards democracy and progress," he said.

Presided over by Prof Mahfuz Parvez, the discussion meeting was also addressed by Prof. Jashimuddin Ahmed, former Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, Prof. Sukomal Barua of Dhaka University, Abul Kalam Azad of Bhashanir Haq Katha, Mostafa Kamal Majumder, editor, The New Nation, Mostafa Allama and Sheikh Raquib Uddin among others.

Prof. Jashimuddin Ahmed underlined the need for steering the nation clear of corrupt influences for ensuring its rapid development. He said the country has tremendous potentials and had recently become self-sufficient in food grains production even though the population doubled during the last 36 years.

Referring to some obstacles faced by Bangladesh he made mention of the diversion of water of common rivers from upper reaches and said this has the potential of turning the country as a desert. Sahara desert is the outcome of salinity incursion to a fertile agricultural area which once used to grow huge quantities of food during the hay day of the Roman Empire, he added.

Mostafa Kamal Majumder called for steering the country towards election which forced political parties and their leaders to tune themselves to the needs and desires of the people. Terming elections as the greatest path of political reform he said democracy in the country suffered from intolerance, failure of election and big corruption which should be dealt with through farsightedness.

Prof. Sukomal Barua underlined the need for healthy debate and discussion and tolerance in the society with a view to building national unity for progress and prosperity. Politicians should change their mental make-up and give up the paths of intolerance and conflict in the interest of democracy, he said.