Two Bengals

Book excerpt: Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal share many characteristics, including a common language, fertile land, abundant rainfall, year-round warmth, and a dense population. This book examines the progress made in crucial economic sectors that have paved the way for the development of Bangladesh and West Bengal. The book begins by describing how Bangladesh is moving toward achieving the status of a middle-income nation, and how West Bengal seems to have fallen into the trap of developmental experiments with different political ideologies over time. The book then compares the trajectory of development in various economic sectors of the two economies. In doing so, it covers social development, education, health care, food habits, cinema and theatre, and the entrepreneurship of both entities. The chapters take an empirical and descriptive approach to address various issues, analyse results, draw conclusions, and make policy suggestions.