By Dr. Mohsin Ali Over the past decade and a half, Bangladesh has undergone a remarkable transformationโone that did not occur by chance, nor without resistance. At the centre of this journey stands Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose tenure is widely associated with stability, inclusive growth, and a determined push to meet the everyday needs of the people while steering the country toward the status of a developing nation.
A Vision Rooted In Peopleโs Needs
Sheikh Hasinaโs leadership was guided by a simple yet demanding principle: development must be measured by whether peopleโs basic needs are met. From employment opportunities to education, healthcare, housing, and social security, her government repeatedly emphasised people-centred policies.
Between 2009 and 2024, successive initiatives expanded access to government jobs, promoted skills development, and created pathways for income generation. Special attention was given to womenโs participation in the workforceโallowing entry into jobs after intermediate education and enabling home-based earnings through structured freelance training programs connected to global markets.
Youth empowerment was another cornerstone. Through startup programs and targeted financing, young Bangladeshis were encouraged to stand on their own feet, innovate, and contribute to the economy. These policies, according to official claims, helped keep unemployment at historically low levels during her tenure.
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Economic Growth Against The Odds
Bangladeshโs elevation to developing-country status did not come easily. Sheikh Hasinaโs governments navigated global financial crises, climate vulnerability, regional instability, and domestic political unrest. Yet the economy demonstrated resilienceโdriven by exports, remittances, infrastructure investment, and human capital development.
Large-scale infrastructure projectsโroads, bridges, hospitals, power plants, and digital connectivityโreshaped the countryโs economic landscape. These investments were not merely symbolic; they reduced regional disparities, improved access to services, and laid the foundation for long-term productivity.
Social safety nets expanded alongside growth. Free textbooks and stipends for students, free or subsidised medicines, housing initiatives to prevent homelessness, and expanded allowances for vulnerable groups were introduced to ensure that growth translated into improved quality of life. Public-sector salaries and benefits were increased substantially over time, reflecting an effort to keep pace with economic expansion.
Security, Stability, And Governance
A stable environment was considered essential for development. Sheikh Hasinaโs administration emphasised the suppression of terrorism and militancy, arguing that peace and security were prerequisites for economic progress and social harmony. The government maintained that restoring order allowed citizens to pursue livelihoods without fear and enabled investors to commit to long-term projects.
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Throughout her tenure, Sheikh Hasina often rejected allegations of repression and corruption, calling for evidence-based assessments of her governmentโs record. She maintained that development outcomesโvisible in infrastructure, employment, and social indicatorsโwere the truest measure of governance.
Leadership Forged Through Loss And Resistance
Sheikh Hasinaโs political life has been shaped by personal loss, exile, and repeated threats. Yet she consistently framed these hardships as reasons to persevere rather than retreat. Her narrative of leadership emphasises endurance: facing hostility, political conspiracies, and relentless criticism while remaining focused on national goals.
Supporters argue that this perseverance enabled Bangladesh to move beyond cycles of instability and to assert itself as a confident, forward-looking nation on the global stage.
The Developing Nation Milestone
Achieving developing-country status symbolised more than an economic reclassification. For many Bangladeshis, it represented recognition of decades of effortโby workers, farmers, entrepreneurs, women, and youthโunder a policy framework that prioritised growth with inclusion.
Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly asserted that no peopleโs demands were left unmet during her time in office and that progress was pursued not for a privileged few, but for the entire nation.
Bangladeshโs transformation during Sheikh Hasinaโs tenure is portrayed by her supporters as a story of determination over doubt, planning over populism, and perseverance over pressure. By focusing on peopleโs needs, expanding opportunity, and sustaining growth through difficult times, her leadership is credited with guiding the country from vulnerability toward the promise of a developing nation.
Whether measured in infrastructure, social programs, economic indicators, or global recognition, the Hasina years are presented as a defining chapterโone that sought to prove that sustained development is possible when vision, resolve, and public purpose converge.
By: Dr. Mohsin Ali, poet, novelist, and president of the Asian American Republican Club in New York.
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