The magic of 10% economic growth suggests that the real income of an average citizen can double every decade into the foreseeable future. The primary obstacle to long term sustained growth in Bangladesh is land allocation. This monograph builds on the thoughts of many earlier Bangladeshi’s and proposes a concrete way of solving the current impasse. The proposal is called Compact Townships and seeks to build small, yet economic and ecologically sound, urban islands in rural Bangladesh. The provision of urban benefits in rural areas is the best way to enrich rural Bangladesh and preserve the prosperity of the cities.
Salim Rashid is a Professor of Economics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He obtained a Ph.D. from Yale University in 1976. His present area of interest is Development Economics. He has consulted for the UNDP, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. His articles have appeared in various journals including The Economic Journal, Journal of Economic Theory, Econometrica, Journal of Mathematical Economics, Economica, History of Economic Ideas, and International Economic Review. Among his books are Economies with Many Agents, The Myth of Adam Smith, and Economic Policy for Growth. UPL has published two of his edited volumes on Rotting from the Head: Donors and LDC Corruption and The Clash of Civilizations?: Asian Responses.