Selim Jahan is the Director of the Human Development Report Office at the United Nation Development Program (UNDP). He has previously served as the Deputy Director of the Human Development Report Office, Professor of Economics and Director of the Economic Research Unit of the University of Dhaka, an Economic Adviser to the Planning Commission of the Government of Bangladesh, and a Lecturer of the Department of Economics at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Selim is the author of 10 books and more than 150 articles in various national and international academic journals.
You are publishing the Human Development Report (HDR) with the notion of empowering lives in our resilient nation. Could you elaborate upon what the report highlights?
Let us remind ourselves that the notion of empowering lives involves dynamic concepts. These are aspirations that move our country towards becoming a more progressive entity. The idea is not realizing them perfectly; we should understand that they represent a process and a nation or a society should be on the trajectory towards making these ideas a reality within the nation. In that context, first, the notion of human development is all about the empowerment of people and making nations resilient. Human development is the process of enlarging human freedoms so that every human being realizes the epitome of their individual potential in life. It is all about the empowerment of people through the development of the people, for the people and by the people. Secondly, human development achieved does not equate to human development sustained. There are shocks and vulnerabilities which would erode human development gains and even lead to human development reversals and it is those left-out in the human development journeys who become the major victims of such erosion. By addressing those shocks and vulnerabilities, the human development approach keeps people and development on the trajectory of progress. That makes human development resilient.
In the mid-fifties, Joseph John Spengler, the American economist, stated that the future of the world lies in Asia. With China and India growing into economic superpowers, this phenomenon is evident. What is your evaluation of this projection?
Over the span of human civilization, the development hubs and growth centers have shifted from continent to continent. For example, during the industrial revolution, Europe was the engine of development for the whole world. There is no doubt that it is Asia which has become the growth and development hub for the whole world today. In 15 years’ time, China is estimated to be the largest economy in the world. However, let us also recognize that China and India will not be the only nations that develop notably, countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam will also have a major part in that transformative change.
According to you, today’s reality is tomorrow’s future. In this context, you have stated that social media is hampering human interaction. Why do you believe that this is the case at present?
Let me clarify first that I have been trained as an economist; therefore, I believe in human development. As someone who has extensively worked in the area of human development, I am a great advocate of human connections, social cohesion, inclusion, and diversity. On the first issue, I differentiate between human connectivity and human connection. With the digital revolution, human connectivity through a machine or instrument has immensely increased and new non-face-to-face communities have developed through mediums such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. But I strongly believe that these cannot be substitutes for direct face-to-face human interactions and in that respect, we have lost touch with our neighbors and with the communities we live in. In my view, this shift is weakening the social fabric of humanity and should be a cause for concern. If we look at the dynamic of an average family today, upon coming home after dusk, each member spends greater amounts of time on their devices and social media as opposed to spending quality time with one another. This very dynamic starts within the household and extends itself to becoming acceptable behavior in various social settings.
What do you believe is the future of Bangladesh?
I am proud and hopeful for my country, we have achieved a lot which should be celebrated, but like all other countries, we also have challenges which with our ingenuity, creativity, and vision, we shall overcome. Our challenges are being addressed and with the youth having greater access to knowledge and quality education, the dynamics of the nation as a global player will slowly but surely ensue.
