DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN BANGLADESH - HARDWARE VERSUS SOFTWARE

Development programs in Bangladesh have been affected in the past by u nequal emphasis on infrastructure and people-building. Some programs e mphasize the hardware of development, which provides physical faciliti es that are supposed to make life move comfortable for rural citizens. The hardware must be supplemented by software, which will enable rura l inhabitants to make optimum utilization of physical facilities, This important aspect has been neglected in the past, although some progra ms made half-hearted attempts to provide education and health-care tra ining to the rural poor. The recent proliferation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh has been beneficial in the sense th at the software component of development is receiving move attention, and programs ave now being designed with the assumption that the softw are of development is the most crucial element for success.