After twenty visits to the Dhaka airport, I am now over my nightmares. It was the site of many bad experiences.

         Having carried out ten missions in Bangladesh I classify it as the least liked country I have worked in.

         Bangladesh is half the size of New Zealand and has a population of over 169 million. New Zealand has a population of 5 million.

         The country is chopped up with vast rivers which flood regularly leaving behind some fertile plains and many bodies.

         These can be beautiful at certain times of the year as some roads are lined with flame trees and have paddocks of bright yellow flowering mustard plants.

         These rivers don’t have bridges. To cross them it’s necessary to cross on a barge towed by sad-looking boats – this takes time.

         Bangladesh’s history is one of warfare, murder, and mayhem.

         In recent times most of the intellectuals were rounded up and slaughtered before the Pakistan army left after the revolution in 1971.  This put the country back at least a generation.

         Before leaving Dhaka I was offered a senior U.N/World Bank job. I could have done it but the climate would have been too hot for my wife, and we were keen to return to New Zealand.

         I believe one of the top priorities in Bangladesh must be in the education of women – especially rural women as they hold the key to food production.

         Pouring aid into this bottomless pit will only ease the conscience of the rich countries and will serve little purpose unless they support realistic objectives.

         Building aid monuments will be of little use – it’s educating the people and reducing the population to make the most of our important, limited resources.

Geoffrey Moss(mossassociates.co.nz)

“Experiences are very personal – they cannot make others wise.”

For more on this topic download our FREE book “Rolling On” from our website mossassociates.co.nz.