Draft 5-yr-plan irks experts

Dhaka, Jan 30 (bdnews24.com) — The draft of the sixth five-year plan has drawn huge criticism from experts, including some key policymakers, one terming it 'poorly written'. The planning ministry on Sunday organised a discussion on the first part of the draft titled  'Strategic Direction & Policy Framework' meant for having feedbacks from stakeholders. Apart from government officials and economists, three ministers and three advisors joined the session. However, the planning minister — the chair of the programme — could not turn up due to illness. Prime minister's energy advisor Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said he found the write-up and the thinking process of preparing the document as "too academic". "It's poorly written and has no connections with the reality." According to him, the document does not reflect the government's political visions. "I don't see any reflection of the prime minister's visions anywhere on this document," said Chowdhury. Another advisor, HT Imam, came down hard on the draft's comment, where it said the public  administration has failed to ensure good governance. He said: "In the last two years, the public servants have got back their confidence for which now they can work in an influence-free atmosphere, which was unthinkable before this government took office." HT Imam said he had no clue how the five-year plan intends to realise the 'Digital Bangladesh' vision of the government. He stressed the need for formulating a policy for land use. "The country's arable land  is shrinking sharply due to industrialisation." Imam urged the Planning Commission to review the propositions regarding rural development of the first five-year plan of 1972. The issue of public servants was also picked by PM's economic advisor Mashiur Rahman.  "Professionalism and the use of professional knowledge towards the use of the government is the key to civil service reforms," he said. Rahman also raised the issue of legal protection for civil servants. "Some sort of legal protection helps create efficiency of the officers, and it also opens the avenue of bad practices." Mashiur Rahman said, "This conflict between efficiency and legal protection should be addressed [in the draft]." About the heavy agricultural subsidy, he said, "We have to think whether we have the financial capability to carry on [huge subsidies]." Participants at the discussion stressed strengthening the Planning Commission. CPD executive director Mustafizur Rahman said the trade policy should be formed in line with the demand of the industrial sector. "It's very important to make a balance between t he trade policy and the industrial policy." Economist M Sayeduzzaman came up with what he said 'unorthodox comments'. "The  Soviet had introduced the concept of five-year plan and it is now a nostalgia...," he said. The countries which succeeded with this plan were mainly one-party dominated and kind of segregated nations, he said, adding that countries like India and China have already abandoned it. "Now things have changed and economies are dominated by the market." Responding to the 'too academic' issue, finance minister AMA Muhith, said there was nothing wrong to be like that. "It's the responsibility of the politicians to fix it," he said wrapping up the session. bdnews24.com/rhn/mr/1920h