Achievements
of Jatiya Party Government Under
President
Hussain Muhammad Ershad
Since
the Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 in terms of the country’s development
works and welfare measures for the people, former President Hussain
Muhammad Ershad’s regime (1982-1990) is considered as the Golden Era
in Bangladesh history and the achievements during that period far out-weigh
the total development works taken together by all other
party governments coming to power either before or after President H.
M. Ershad.
Only
a handful of the salient features of the achievements of Jatiya Party Government
under President H. M. Ershad are
high-lighted below :-
A
MODERN SYSTEM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ADMINISTRATION AND A MODERNISED JUDICIARY:-
-
One
of the most revolutionary steps of Ershad government was the establishment
of the Upo Zila system which was regarded as a unique example of decentralisation
of administration taking it to the door-steps of the people. Thana in
Bangla means a police station responsible only for maintaining law and
order. Ershad government converted 460 Thanas in rural Bangladesh into
Upo Zilas in phases over a couple of years. It was not merely a change
of name. Under the system the Upo Zilas became the nerve-centre of democratic
process at the grass-root level. An elected representative of the people
became the head of administration in the Upo Zila – not the officer-in-charge
of the police station. An Executive Officer of the government became
the coordinator of all the departments located in the Upo Zila. In each
Upo Zila a civil & criminal court was set up, officers of various
departments of the government like education, agriculture, health and
family planning, animal husbandry and livestock, forest and fishery
and so on were posted to directly work for the welfare of the rural
people. The system brought many salutary effects as in most cases the
poor rural people were not required to come to the district headquarters.
Placement of all departmental officers, doctors, engineers, specialists
of various sectors made the Upo Zila villages humming in activities
of nation building. Development activities opened the doors for civil
construction works, factories and industries, rural electrification,
trade and business, roads/bridges and culverts etc. which acted as direct
incentive to the rural people not to migrate to the cities as abundant
job opportunities lay in their own villages. This unique system was
disbanded by the BNP government of Khaleda Zia as soon as they came
to power, only because this revolutionary system was introduced by Ershad.
Of late good sense has prevailed Upon the Awami League government to
reintroduce the Upo Zila system. But in the last two and half years
out of their 5-year term the Awami League has put their partymen in
each and every place of public life. Therefore, Jatiya Party has taken
a stand that it will not participate in the Upo Zila elections unless
it is held under a Caretaker Government which alone can ensure the impartiality
of the elections.
·
Another epoch-making measure
that Ershad and his government took was the decentralisation of 6 benches
of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh to the Divisional
Headquarters of the country. The move was unique in that the people were
not compelled to come to the capital of the country for having justice from
the High Court in Dhaka. It saved them from spending a hell of a lot of
money as well as the botheration of coming to the capital for years together
until the final dispensation of justice by the High Court was over. This
also resulted in quick disposal of justice. Another benefit was that senior
and meritorious advocates practicing in the Divisional Headquarters could
practise in the High Courts remaining in their own stations.
·
By converting the Sub-divisions
into districts Ershad government reduced the 5-tier administration into
3-tiers to establish administrative expediency.
FOOD
& HEALTH:-
·
Annual food production in
the country set a new record. While food production in 1971 was only about
10 million tonnes, during Ershad’s time it rose to nearly 20 million tonnes.
None died of starvation and hunger. Price of rice per kg was not more than
Tk. 8.00 . While during the BNP rule the most coarse variety of rice sold
between Tk. 11-14 per kg and that now under the Awami League Govt of Sheikh
Hassina is selling at Tk. 17-18 per kg. While the fine variety of rice is
now selling Tk. 30 per kg. Prices of essential food commodities like lentil,
onion, edible oil, pepper etc. have risen by hundred to a few hundred percent
during the rules of BNP and Awami League.
·
Ershad took the unique step
to formulate a National Drug Policy in which out of 4,000 medicines 1707
unnecessary or harmful ones were banned. The drug policy was hailed by WHO
and many countries of the world in Asia, Africa, Latin America etc. and
they took it as a model for their Health Policy. Ershad government strengthened
appropriate measures against drugs and smoking. Advertisement on smoking
in the TV was banned and declared Bangabhaban (official residence of the
President) was declared a non-smoking zone. Drug and Narcotic Board was
recognized and highest punishment for keeping narcotics was life imprisonment.
·
460 Health Complex were
set up in the UpaZilas. He modernised the Suhrawardi Heart Hospital and
set up a Kidney ward in the Post Graduate Medical Centre. A labour hospital
was set up in Dhaka. For treatment of drug addicts a centre was established
in Gulshan.
·
Population growth in Bangladesh
was 3.8 which during Ershad’s rule was brought down to 2.3 in recognition
of which he received the UN Population
Award in 10th June 1987. Ershad also received the UN Environment Award
for his positive measures taken for development of the environment of Bangladesh.
LAND
REFORM:-
A
revolutionary Land Reform Policy was declared and implemented in 1982 ameliorating
the sufferings and hardship of the rural masses under centuries of old land
administration system. Full details of the reforms are available on government
records. 800,000 acres of fallow land were brought under government ownership
and distributed among the landless poor of the country.
·
In order to save the rural
poor from the clutches of dishonest traders “Rural Rationing” was introduced
to check artificial price-hike of rice and wheat. As a result 14810 families
in 4447 unions got the benefit of rural rationing which ensured that none
remained without food or died of hunger. For the benefit of the agricultural
farmers and rural small traders to have easy access to credit facilities,
48 branches of commercial banks were placed under Bangladesh Agricultural
Bank.
·
To rehabilitate the floating
landless population under a programme called “Operation Address” some 12000
families were given land and homes in 460 UpoZilas all over the country
setting up 5 cluster villages in each UpaZila.
·
In a historic Agricultural
Farmers Convention on 7th October, 1986 Ershad declared the waiver of agricultural
credit interest upto Tk. 10,000/- which amounted to a total of Tk. 6000
millions benefiting tens of thousands of rural farmers. He waived duty on
irrigation and agricultural equipment. Debt Settlement Board was set up
to mitigate the sufferings of the rural farmers in Bangladesh. These are
considered as historic and revolutionary measures.
·
For the convenience and
welfare of city duellers Ershad government planned 7 Flyovers in Dhaka City
which never saw the light of the day under subsequent governments. Plans
were also made for rehabilitation of the prostitutes through the NGOs. A
multi-storied sweepers Colony was built in Dhaka including school for education
of their children. At Ershad Nagar in Tongi thousands of floating population
were rehabilitated allotting a small home for each family.
TRANSPORT
& COMMUNICATION :-
Ershad
took revolutionary steps to improve the country’s communication system.
He was the real pioneer of Jamuna Bridge in the sense that he took such
measures as collection of lavy to also build up some own resources which
aroused the interest of donor agencies/countries to come forward and help
build the project. Foundation Stone of Jamuna Bridge was laid by Hussain
Muhammad Ershad on 1st February, 1988. Jamuna bridge today has connected
the northern part of the country with the rest. Bangladesh-China Friendship
Bridge over the river Buriganga was built to connect the southern districts
with the capital reducing the distance by about 100 miles. Road communication
saw tremendous development all over the country. Building of roads, bridges,
culverts took place all over the country. Rail communication was modernised
and 46 inter-city fast trains were introduced.
DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL LIFE:-
·
For the underprivileged
rootless children a Pathakali (wayside flowers) Trust was created and facilities
made for their free education which was disbanded by the subsequent government
because it was a noble act of Ershad.
·
Ershad government first
introduced Family Courts in each Upo Zila for settling disputes between
husband and wife in a country where the women have been the most neglected
and oppressed. Strict laws were enacted to stop the dowry system. Death
sentence became the punishment for acid throwing on women. 10-15% of jobs
was reserved for women in government service. For girls in the rural areas
education was made free up to the 8th grade.
·
For the rural women education
was made free up to the 8th grade and books were distributed free of cost
for the students up to the 5th grade. Primary education was made compulsory
for all.
EXPORT & INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT:-
·
It was during Ershad’s regime
that export of garment from Bangladesh achieved the 5th place in the world.
By government patronage a few thousand garment industries came into being
providing employment for half a million women and men (ratio 80%-20%) and
boosting export earnings all time high from year to year throughout 1982
to 1990.
·
By identifying shrimp and
prawn as a priority sector for export special facilities were offered for
cultivation of shrimp and prawn in modern methods and boost its export specially
from the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Export of shrimp rose all time high.
·
To ensure fair price of
jute for the cultivators and save them from the clutches of the middle-men
an amount of Tk. 3000 million was allocated by the government for purchase
of the entire jute crops from the cultivators.
·
For millions of handloom
producers in the rural Bangladesh special facilities and incentives were
given as a result of which this industry got a new life to cater to the
needs of clothing for the rural poor.
·
Under a programme “Water-front
belongs to him who owns the fishing net” the fishermen got lease on cooperative
basis of the rivers, ponds, canals etc. in the country and got loans on
easy terms for purchase of nets, boats and other fishing equipment.
In
order to help boost industrialisation and foreign investment Ershad government
created Bangladesh Investment Board (BOI). During 1982-1986 government permission
was given for 9000 new industrial units and private investment amounted
to over Tk. 6000 million.
·
NGO Affairs Bureau was also
the creation of Ershad government functioning under direct supervision of
the President. It gave a tremendous boost to NGO activities in the country.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT & DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL:-
·
In 1988 Bangladesh saw an
unprecedented flood of the century. Ershad and his government handled the
situation in a manner that created a history in the country’s disaster management
of relief operations and rehabilitation. Soon after that flood Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra
(DND) Embankment was built that saved ¾
of Dhaka city in the flood of 1998. Embankment on the eastern side was planned
to protect Baridhara, Gulshan, Banani etc. which could not be completed
as Ershad rnment in December 1990.
·
Ershad raised the world
conscience to come forward and help Bangladesh in finding permanent solutions
to national calamities like flood, cyclone etc. by moving the UN, EC, Commonwealth,
World Bank, ADB, Group of 77, SAARC and many big countries of the world
– so much so that the Secretary General of UN, heads of many international
agencies and countries/governments visited Bangladesh to see for themselves
how best they could help Bangladesh in such calamaties. But after Ershad
it has been only tall talks and speeches but hardly any positive action
taken to redress the sufferings of the victims as efficiently as they were
handled by Ershad during such national calamities.
·
Widest tele-communication
linkage was established with the remote rural areas and Nation Wide Direct
dialling system introduced side by side with ISD telephone facility extended
to 120 foreign countries of the world with Bangladesh.
·
Milestones were set up in
the exploration of oil, gas, coal etc. in Bangladesh and rural electrification
took new wings in the remotest villages of the country. 11 natural gas drilling
works were completed at various places in the country helping gas supply
for industrial and domestic use.
·
In 1972 Savar National Memorial
was named but in the next one decade nothing was done. Ershad completed
the Memorial to honour the millions of freedom fighters who sacrificed their
lives for the liberation of the country. Half-done Bengali Language Martyrs
Monument in memory of those who laid their lives in the language movement
was completed. Martyrs Memorial for the intellectuals of the country who
gave their lives during the liberation war was completed in Mirpur. Ershad
also planned and completed the Independence Memorial at Mujib Nagar where
the first government of Bangladesh was declared during the war of liberation.
·
In consideration of the
fact that Bangladesh is a country inhabited by 85% Muslims Ershad took steps
like declaration of Islam as the State Religion of Bangladesh, while safeguarding
the rights of all other religions, declaration of Friday as weekly holiday
in place of Sunday, payment of utility bills of all mosques from the government
exchequer, setting up a Zakat Board, introduction of interest-free Islamic
Bank, making Dinyat education compulsory for the Muslims up to the 10th
grade. Separate trusts were formed for Hindu Temples, Buddhist Pagodas and
all utility charges were waived for those prayer places of all religions.
-
In
the sports arena of Bangladesh Ershad’s name will be written in letters
of gold. No Head of State or Government in this country took so much
of interest as Ershad for development of sports and games under his
direct personal patronage because he himself was a champion and a renowned
sportsman and athlete from his student days till he became the President
of Bangladesh. Sports and games were in his blood and something nearest
to his heart. Development of sports stadiums, swimming pools, track-fields,
training facilities, provision for opportunities of international participation
in sports to improve the standard of the country’s sportsmen received
utmost importance during his regime. Establishment of BKSP (a national
institute for sports and general education) for rearing up the children
of Bangladesh for sports side by side with their general education is
a unique institution planned and set up under the initiative and directive
of former President Ershad. The boys coming out of BKSP have already
brought many laurels for the country in international sports. After
growing up as adults many of them have found their place in various
Bangladesh national teams in sports and games. His contribution in the
field of sports will remain a legend for the people of Bangladesh for
all times to come. National Stadium-1 was improved in standard and National
Stadium-2 was built in Mirpur. An Army Stadium was built at Airport
Road. Women’s sports complex was built in Dhanmondi. A Tennis Complex
and a most modern swimming pool were built in Dhaka.
- For
all these and many other revolutionary measures taken by Jatiya Party
Government under Ershad, he was elected to the Parliament from jail twice
in 1991 and 1996 capturing all the 5 seats — the maximum number one can
contest in the National Assembly election, in spite of the fact that he
contested in both the elections from the Central Jail being implicated
in a number of false and fictitious cases. This bears eloquent testimony
to the success of Ershad as a politician and an able and most efficient
administrator Bangladesh has ever seen since the liberation of the country
in 1971 taking into consideration all the heads of state and governments
that have ruled this country till date.
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