Light Will Shine Forth from Three Villages
- Geographical diversity and social context were prioritized in selecting the villages
- These villages represent the primary challenges across the country
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Typically, morning in these villages will begin with the crowing of roosters; there will be cowboys herding cattle and farmers rushing to the fields. However, there will be no poverty, child marriage, or unemployment. Measures will also be in place to ensure that the villages are not eroded by rivers or submerged by floods.
The government has designed such a plan for three villages in the country, where all problems will be resolved to present them as examples to the world. From here, the light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will spread across the entire country.
The General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission has already selected three villages. They are Sonarpara in Ulipur Upazila of Kurigram, Mitingachhari in Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati, and Telikhali in Dumuria Upazila of Khulna.
Geographical diversity and social context were prioritized in selecting the villages. These villages represent the primary challenges faced by the country. By bringing three distinct types of villages under an integrated model, experimental and effective solutions will be developed, which can later be adapted and applied to other districts across the country. In this way, the GED will establish a foundation to scale up a developed SDG village model at the national level.
Dr. Md. Monzur Hossain, Member (Secretary) of GED, told Agamir Shomoy that according to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, there are currently 90,049 villages in the country. Among these, these three villages will be developed as exceptions. The problems, challenges, and crises of these villages have already been identified. Additionally, mapping them against the SDG targets has also been completed.
"The work to develop these three villages as models will begin now. I have personally visited the villages. It is not yet certain whether we will stick to these three villages or increase the number. A proposal will be presented to the Prime Minister soon. We will proceed according to the directives she gives."
Three Villages, 17 Challenges
The major crises and challenges of the three villages have already been identified for resolution. Among them, Sonarpara faces five challenges. These are: severe river erosion by the Brahmaputra and Teesta rivers, flash floods and the isolation of char (river island) areas, a child marriage rate of 90 percent, a high prevalence of children born with disabilities, and limited access to basic health and education. The primary crisis of this village is poverty.
The six challenges of the hilly village of Mitingachhari are: geographical inaccessibility and communication issues, inadequate maternal and child healthcare, a relatively low literacy rate, climate change-induced landslides, heavy rainfall, and a high unemployment rate. The primary crisis of this village is its remote, hilly terrain.
The six challenges of Telikhali village are: climate-induced salinity, waterlogging and degradation of agricultural land, drug addiction, a tendency toward online gambling, severe gender wage disparity, a high number of climate migrants, and limited access to basic healthcare and education. The primary crises of this village are salinity and waterlogging.
The SDG targets that align with the crises of these villages are: SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
The GED has also demonstrated how the problems and crises of these villages align with the government's election manifesto. For instance, the election manifesto pledges the implementation of the Teesta Master Plan, river training and rehabilitation schemes, and the creation of strict legal and social safety nets to prevent child marriage. All of these are applicable to Sonarpara in Kurigram.
Furthermore, to address the problems of Mitingachhari, administrative decentralization, the establishment of a specialized communication network in hilly areas, and special projects for the skill development of local ethnic minorities will be undertaken in accordance with the election manifesto. Similarly, the problems of Telikhali village in Khulna will be resolved through the manifesto's commitments to coastal defense embankments, research on salinity-tolerant agriculture, and eliminating labor disparity by forming a new wage board.
