Development As Freedom and Bangladesh Under the Awami Regime (2009-2020)
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An Uncertain Glory of Bangladesh: Development as Freedom and Bangladesh under the Awami Regime (2009-2020) by Rajin Khan Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia August 2021 © Copyright by Rajin Khan, 2021 Table of Contents List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………iii Abstract……………………………………………………………………………….iv List of Abbreviations Used……………………………………………………………v Acknowledgments…………………………………………………………………..viii Chapter 1: Introduction……………………………………………………………...1 1.1 Purpose of the Study………………………………………………………………4 1.2 Scope of the Study………………………………………………………………...6 1.3 Data Collection and Data Analysis………………………………………………..8 1.4 The Dilemmas of Evaluating Development……………………………………...12 Chapter 2: Development as Freedom………………………………………………28 2.1 Development as Freedom…………………………………………………………28 2.2 The Case for Development as Freedom…………………………………………..34 2.3 An Uncertain Glory……………………………………………………………….57 Chapter 3: Economic Facilities under the Awami Regime (2009-2020)………….60 3.1 Indices, and Numerical Representations………………………………………….60 3.2 Public Action……………………………………………………………………...68 3.3 Economic Growth without Business Freedom…………………………………....75 Chapter 4: Social Opportunities and Protective Security under the Awami Regime (2009-2020)…………………………………………………………………………...77 4.1 Indices, and Numerical Representations………………………………………….77 4.2 Public Action……………………………………………………………………...88 4.3 Social Protection without Environmentalism……………………………………101 Chapter 5: Political Freedoms and Transparency Guarantees under the Awami Regime (2009-2020)………………………………………………………………...114 5.1 Indices, and Numerical Representations…………………………………….104 5.2 Public Action………………………………………………………………...108 5.3 Participation in Policymaking?........................................................................122 Chapter 6: Conclusion: An Uncertain Glory of Bangladesh…………………….125 References……...…………………………………………………………………...129 ii List of Tables Table 1.1: Growth Rates of Bangladesh’s GDP at Constant Prices (% Per Year)………62 Table 1.2: Bangladesh in Some Economic Indicators…………………………………...63 Table 1.3: Poverty Headcount Ratio in Bangladesh …………………………………….64 Table 1.4: Income Inequality in Bangladesh …………………………………………....64 Table 1.5: Bangladesh in the Index of Economic Freedom………………..……………67 Table 1.6: Professions of Parliament Members in the Bangladesh National Parliament (%)…………………………………………………………………….………………....68 Table 2.1: Bangladesh in Some Social Indicators……………………………………….80 Table 2.2: Unemployment Rate of Bangladesh…………………………………………84 Table 2.3: Bangladesh in the Social Indices…………………………………………….85 Table 2.4: Government Expenditures on Different Sectors of Bangladesh (% of GDP).85 Table 2.5: Food Security and Bangladesh……………………………………………....88 Table 3.1: Bangladesh in the Political Indices………………………………………....105 Table 3.2: Bangladesh in the Freedom in the World Report…………………………..105 iii Abstract This study explores whether Bangladesh has been able to translate its achievements in the economic and social aspects of development to the political aspects of development under the Awami League (2009-2020). Contemporary evaluation methods of development often consider only the two aspects of development – economic and social. The other one – political aspect of development is often left outside the evaluation methods. Through the lens of Development as Freedom, this study explores that most achievements of Bangladesh in the social and economic aspects are indeed valid, but these achievements have not been translated to the political aspects. It concludes that these achievements have created “an uncertain glory” for Bangladesh by using Jean Drèze and Amartya Sen’s evaluation of India through their concept Development as Freedom. While Indian achievements were flawed by inequalities and the slow social advancement, the achievements of Bangladesh are mainly flawed by the deficits in political freedoms. iv List of Abbreviations Used ACC – Anti-Corruption Commission AL – Awami League BBS – Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics BCL – Bangladesh Chhatra League BJI – Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami BNP – Bangladesh National Party BTRC – Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission CBN – Cost of Basic Needs CDP –Capacity Development and Professionalization CEGIS – Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services CFPR-TUP – Challenging the Frontiers of Poverty Reduction – Targeting the Ultra Poor CNG – Compressed Natural Gas CSO – Civil Society Organization CSO – Civil Society Organization DIFE – Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment DIMAPPP – Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project DPT – Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus DSA – Digital Security Act EGPP – Employment Guarantee Program for the Poorest EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment EII – Employment Injury Insurance FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization FM – Frequency Modulation GDP – Gross Domestic Product GFSI – Global Food Security Index GII – Gender Inequality Index GNI – Gross National Income v GOB – Government of Bangladesh HDI – Human Development Index HEQEP – Higher Education Quality Enhancement Program HIES – Household Income and Expenditure Survey HSC – Higher Secondary School Certificate ICT – International Crimes Tribunal IDI – Inclusive Development Index IHDI – Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index ILO – International Labor Organization INGO – International Non-Governmental Organization JSC – Junior School Certificate KII – Key Informant Interview KII – Key Informant Interview LFS – Labor Force Surveys LNG – Liquefied Natural Gas MDGs – Millennium Development Goals MFS – Mobile Financial Services MIC – Middle-Income Country MPI – Multidimensional Poverty Index N/A – Not Available NGO – Non-Governmental Organization NREGA – National Rural Employment Guarantee Act NTPA – National Tripartite Plan of Action NTPA – National Tripartite Plan of Action NTPC – National Thermal Power Corporation OPHI – Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative PCJSS – Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti PDS – Public Distribution System vi PEC – Primary Education Completion PFI – Press Freedom Index PISA – Program for International Student Assessment PPP – Purchasing Power Parity QRPP – Quick Rental Power Plant RCC – Remediation Coordination Cell RMG – Ready-Made Garments RSF – Reporters sans Frontières (Reporters without Borders) SDGs – Sustainable Development Goals SESDP – Secondary Education Sector Development Project SSC – Secondary School Certificate SSN – Social Safety Net UN – United Nations UNCTAD – United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNDP – United Nations Development Program UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNHDR – United Nations Human Development Report UPG – Ultra-Poor Graduation VAT – Value Added Tax VGD – Vulnerable Group Development VGF – Vulnerable Group Feeding WB – World Bank WB – World Bank WEF – World Economic Forum WNISR – World Nuclear Industry Status Report vii Acknowledgments I am eternally grateful to the Department of International Development Studies for offering me the experience of this outstanding learning atmosphere. I am greatly indebted to Dr. Theresa Ulicki for kindly providing me with this great opportunity. I express my utmost gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Nissim Mannathukkaren for helping me throughout the whole process of completing this study. He has been the best mentor and support an MA student could ever ask for. Without his constructive feedback and directions, I would have never been able to complete this study. Starting from MA admission to academic discussions, Dr. Ajay Parasram has been a great support for me. I am also grateful to him for being the second reader of this study and offering me constructive feedbacks to improve this study. I express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Robin Oakley for being my committee member and offering me her valuable time and insightful feedback. I am especially thankful to all three committee members for being so kind, considerate, and accommodating despite having their own commitments. I am extremely grateful to Dr. Matthew Schnurr for his valuable feedbacks in shaping this study. I also thank Dr. John Cameron for his insights on this study and his valuable academic discussions. I am also indebted to them for their support in my life in Halifax. Andrea Spekkens deserves a special thanks for her advices to help me navigate life as a graduate student at Dalhousie and in Halifax. No matter what, she has always responded to my countless queries patiently and promptly. I am also grateful to Nicole Drysdale for her wise suggestions. Starting from the MA admission queries, she has been a patient guide for all possible administrative and personal inquiries. I thank Sizakele Noko for her suggestions and the kind words to help myself get adjusted to an unknown city. The Big Ideas in Development series has been exceptionally helpful for me as a platform to refine my study. Dr. Timothy Shaw and Dr. Jane Parpart have greatly helped me through their generous funding and their comments on my research proposal during the February 4 Big Ideas in Development session. I am sincerely grateful to Steven Mannell, Dr. John Bingham, Dr. Marcella Firmini, Dr. Larissa Atkison, Dr. Robert Huish, and Melanie Smith for helping me academically refine myself. I am eternally grateful to my friends – Ievgeniia Rozhenko, Francis Osei Bonsu, Jimmy Cheung, Manaf Mansour, Mitherayee Augustine, Hasan Shahrier,