From: hassan@cup.portal.com (hassan monu alam)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bangladesh
Subject: Re: A Nation of Beggars
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 92 08:46:53 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

>Hassan Monu Alam writes:

>> I firmly believe most aid corrupts. We can do it without much aid,
>> and we will be the better of it by not being a nation of beggars.

>I do not see how we can get rid of the food aid. Most of it goes
>to make up our defecit in food production. If we were to cut this
>supply the danger of starvation or famine exists.

>Other aid such as that which we use to buy subsidised petroleum
>can not be cutoff without seriously hampering our ability to
>produce electricity. Without it a country can not run.

>What aid in particular do you wish us to cut and what benefits
>do you forsee from this action ? This is not a rhetorical question.
>My knowledge in these matters is limited but my interest is not.

>As to the fact of us becoming a nation of beggars, I recall an
>event that occurred several years ago. I was waiting for a friend
>on a road in Dhaka. A young street boy, or "tokai" as we say, was 
>playing near me. He looked at me once, then again, thought for
>a minute or so and then came to me with his arm outstreched and
>asked for "khoira." It was a rather curious situation. The young
>boy did not seem to be a beggar, but rather, had decided to try
>being one for a few minutes in the hope of getting something. 

>At the time the experience was rather funny, but as I have thought
>about it, it illuminated how poverty destroys the basic feeling of
>human self worth. A nation of beggars can be seen in two ways. 
>Firstly, as the perception of a country, and secondly, as
>the collection of a group of very poor people. If we were to cut
>aid drastically, it would perhaps help us in our own image of our
>ourselves, but would it change the objective conditions that made
>that young boy become a part-time beggar. I fear it would not.

>As long as a large number of the people in our country remain
>individually as beggars, so long we will be destined to remain
>a nation of beggars. I hope I am wrong. 

>Best Wishes,
>-Raza

The problem is generally classified as "Dependentia" in development
literature. The government and governmetn sanctified industry
gets dependent on foreign aid to run itself. This can be seen
in balance of payment problems in Latin America where country
cannot run without additional loans to pay off its existing loans.
(Some would say the US is in the same position vis a vis Japan :-).

In Bangladesh the problem is of very heavy leakage (World Bank
Polite speak for corruption). While this happens in most developing
countries, in the Sub Continent it is particularly acute. In 1990,
the Bangladesh Central Bank could not account for $1Billion. As
a result the Aid consortium suspened Aid until Bangladesh got
its house in order.

My problem with aid is two fold:

1) Military aid is essentially consumption and does not contribute
to countries development. A lot is siphoned off, and the country
is permenantly saddled with debt.

2) Aid creates a mentality of "free money" which people using
the aid money both siphon off, and dont use wisely (see many
failed aid projects in bangladesh).

Aid money used wisely can be useful (Grameen bank for instance
only takes money on its own terms, and not from the World Bank).
That needs a political system which will use the aid wisely. Our
current system does not, and we end up repaying loans which we
really didnt use.

My opinion is our country has to pull itself up by its own
boots straps with minimum aid. That gives us a sense of confidence
which I find lacking in many quarters (not all).

As for your experience with street beggars, it is very dis-heartening,
and will take a long time to rectify.

Best

Hassan
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bangladesh