“The Challenge of Democratizing of the Middle Income Dream” held at UIU

School of Business and Economics of United International University (UIU) organized a series program titled “The Challenge of Democratizing of the Middle Income Dream” as a part of Bangladesh Corpus: Public Lecture Series-2024 on May 12, 2024 (Sunday) at 3:00 pm at UIU Campus, United City, Madani Avenue, Dhaka - 1212.

Dr. Hossian Zillur Rahman, Executive Chairman, Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) and former Advisor, Caretaker Government, Bangladesh was present as the Keynote Speaker & Mr. Hasan Mahmood Raja, Chairman, BoT, UIU and Chief Advisor, United Group was present as the Guest of Honor in the program. While Prof. Dr. Md. Abul Kashem Mia, Vice Chancellor, UIU and Prof. Dr. Mohammad Musa, Dean of School of Business and Economics, UIU were present in the program. The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Wahida Yasmeen, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, UIU.  

Dr. Hossian Zillur Rahman said that our participation in education has increased but the quality has not increased. Now it is easy to get education in the country. But here bureaucratic complexity has increased and standards are also going down. This should be stopped and the quality education should be increased.

He also said that aspirations and contestability have been the twin drivers of sustainable transformation of Bangladesh. Neither alone can be a driver. Return of contestability is essential to avoid the middle income trap. further rise in economic disparities through cronyism will reverse the historic trend towards social mobility and the stability provided by the middle class. Middle income dream cannot be an imposed dream. It has to be collectively imagined through inclusion opportunities – economic, social and political.

Heads of different departments, faculty members, officials, students and other distinguished guests were present in the program.