Demographic bomb ticking away
Photo: Sharif Sarwar / Driknews
The problem which should be given the top priority and tackled on an emergency basis is population explosion. The population in Bangladesh is not growing rather it is exploding. The family planning programmes have virtually vanished into oblivion and we hardly notice any activities of the Family Planning Department (FPD) on the Radio / TV or in the village hats and bazars to motivate the people for family planning. Before it is too late the government must rejuvenate the FPD and set up family planning clinics at every union. The slogan should be "A boy or a girl, one is enough." All kinds of birth control aid should be distributed free and it should start without any delay. Any couple who undergoes the permanent methods like vasectomy and ligation should be given cash incentives along with promotion in jobs, scholarship to their children up to graduation level etc. The population census carried out just about a year ago is highly doubtful. Even a few ministers have expressed their doubt about the figure. The Agriculture Minister Motia Chowdhury said it best and said it all and I quote: "If the population is 16 crore only, then where have all the extra food grains gone that our farmers have produced?" It is very important to know the exact population of the country. All our plans will be ineffective if we do not know our exact population. According to a professor of Dhaka University, the population of Dhaka city will be 5-6 crore after 50 years. The professor says after 50 years you may come out of your house but you won't even be able to move. Scary, isn't it? May God help this country and us all.
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