‘Practise what you preach’
Veterans in economics, planning, politics stress practicable policy-making
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Renowned economist Prof Rehman Sobhan says politics and administrative quality ought to pair up for proper implementation of the policies while few other veterans stressed practicable planning.
Sharing his experience when he was in the planning commission in the post-liberation era, he notes that policy-making is the easiest part of running a government but implementation of policy is the major challenge.
"Whatever good policies you made, the objective reality is how effectively you implement those. The politics and administrative quality determine how a policy actually works," Professor Sobhan said while launching Saturday his memoir titled 'Untranquil Recollections: Political Economy of Nation Building in Post-Liberation Bangladesh'.
He observed that those who join in the planning commission are meant to help formulate policy but they are not associated with the implementation works.
"I had a bad habit that it was not only concentrated in planning or evaluation of projects, I wanted to go out and be in touch with people to implement the policy."
Prof Sobhan, also Chairman of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), recalled that the real challenge immediately after independence was to put in place the building blocks where there was no functioning administration or economy in existence.
The book sheds light on those challenges facing war-devastated Bangladesh such as formulating a foreign policy and designing economic policy, attracting foreign aid, negotiating aid, and setting up institutions of governance from cratch.
Prof Sobhan remarked that the key challenge was putting policies into practices. He recalled some of his practical experiences involving obstacles that he and the Planning Commission faced, and how Bangabandhu guided them and provided them with political support, and also how some in the bureaucracy often put roadblocks on the way.
He stated that Bangabandhu was the architect of the policies in the newly emerged country, and they tried to implement his directives.
"New generation needs to understand what Bangladesh was like back then and what the philosophies and values were in that period," he said.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue and The University Press Limited (UPL) jointly organised the launching event. The volume was published by the UPL.
Commenting on the book as a special guest, former law and foreign minister of that era Dr Kamal Hossain said that the memoir does not limit itself to economic dimensions only, rather it also reflects on the political challenges in building a war-ravaged economy. ''This book is a synthesis of politics and economics, and portrays invaluable contributions of the author in the post-independence period.''
Former finance minister and planning secretary M Syeduzzaman recalled how they had worked together in the government, he as Secretary of the Planning Commission, and also beyond.
He considers the book launch as an occasion to relay the thoughts and knowledge of an extraordinary scholar and quintessential political economist to the younger generation of Bangladesh.
Prof Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow, CPD, told the function that the book is much relevant to the present day and can excite interest in current issues that pertain to young generation.
"One can learn from the volume that, between policymaking and policy implementation, there needs to be policy engagement. And that the tension between professionals, politicians, and bureaucrats is something which is important to keep in mind," he said.
Former Vice-chancellor and Professor, Department of Economics, Jahangir-nagar University, Abdul Bayes feels that the 16 chapters in this volume are like 16 eloquent stories that transmit a wealth of knowledge, wisdom and insights beneficial to both old and new generations.
Moderating the event, Prof Rounaq Jahan remarked that the book by Professor Sobhan is a significant historical document that merits serious attention. The period during 1972-1975 in Bangladesh needs to be researched thoroughly but there are not enough documents dealing with the period.
"The book can be a primary source for relevant researchers," she added.
Editor of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam focused on a number of issues covered by the author in the book. He noted the tension between political leadership and academic leadership, and the difference in understanding between the political concept of socialism and Planning Commission's concept of socialism.
He feels that the rich content of this volume will prove to be not only a work of essential scholarship but also a document to which researchers will come back again and again.
Professor at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of Zayed University Habibul Haque Khondker, Director- General of Gyantapas Abdur Razzaq Bidyapeeth Dr Ahrar Ahmad and UPL managing director Mahrukh Mohiuddin, among others, also spoke on the occasion.