THE CHALLENGES OF SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT: A VIEW FROM BANGLADESH

This article examines how Bangladesh in the early 1990s confronted the twin imperatives of security and development under tight resource constraints. It argues that security cannot be reduced to military readiness alone; rather, it is produced through resilient institutions, food and energy security, disaster preparedness, and the credibility of democratic processes. The paper maps linkages between poverty reduction, social protection, and the mitigation of internal tensions that otherwise raise policing and defense burdens. It also assesses regional factors—river-water sharing, cross-border migration, and trade access—that influence planning horizons. Using sectoral evidence from health, education and rural infrastructure, the article shows that targeted investments in capabilities generate stability dividends. Finally, it proposes a policy frame that sequences reforms, mobilizes domestic revenues, and leverages regional cooperation so that security and development are mutually reinforcing instead of competing budget lines.

The body begins by defining a broad concept of security that integrates territorial integrity, human security, and institutional trust. Section One reviews macroeconomic conditions and fiscal space, describing how limited revenues and debt service shaped choices in social spending and capital projects. Section Two analyzes disaster risk management after major cyclones and floods, tracing improvements in early warning, shelters, and local government coordination, and demonstrating how these reduce vulnerability and conflict triggers. Section Three turns to social sectors, detailing how primary education and immunization campaigns yielded cohesion and productivity gains, while highlighting gaps in urban services. Section Four addresses external variables: regional connectivity, river-water governance, and market access that influence food prices and employment. Section Five presents a practical agenda: strengthen public financial management, expand targeted safety nets, use open contracting for infrastructure, and build civil–military coordination mechanisms for disasters. The conclusion argues that when citizens experience predictable services and fair procedures, the state gains legitimacy, lowering security risks while accelerating development.