Education and health sector are the most important sectors of a country. If these two sectors become defunct or endangered, no other sector of the country can develop smoothly and effectively. Within these two sectors, the influence and scope of education is very wide. It not only touches the education sector but all sectors. All difficulties and limitations reach the peak of improvement through education.

For this reason, even developed countries are spending or investing more than six percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on education, as recommended by the UNICEF. Developing countries are also doing their best. Some notable countries include: Marshall Islands 15.8%, Cuba 12.9%. The only exception is Bangladesh. Bhutan's investment in South Asia is 6.6 percent, and Afghanistan's is 4.1 percent. While the two former parts of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan allocate nearly three percent, Bangladesh's allocation is less than two percent. In the previous financial year (2022-23) which was 1.83, in the outgoing financial year (2023-24) it has come down to 1.76. But the dreams are the 2041 vision (Rupokalpo) and the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). Bangladesh not only gives less allocation, but also reduces the allocation. Not only that, the allocation is also not properly spent, in many cases it is wasted. To understand the position of Bangladesh in this context, it is necessary to know that two other countries allocate less to education than Bangladesh: South Sudan 1.5 percent and Zambia 1.3 percent. Our position is better than these two countries. This is the only place for complacency.

Vision 2041, with the aim of building the fourth industrial revolution and smart Bangladesh, where increasing the allocation of GDP to the education sector has been spoken from all quarters, and when the government plan has emphasized on allocation of at least 4 percent, isn't the deterioration of the allocation indicative of indifference to the education sector? Does that mean that we have reached such a height that there is no problem in reducing the necessary allocations to two sectors of public importance, namely education and health? No claim or complaint was heard from any organization related to education or health. It proves we don't need more. What will be needed! In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, an additional allocation of Tk 100 crore was earmarked for research in the health sector in fiscal year 2021. Unfortunately, not even a single rupee could be spent from there. Not because of competent researchers, but because of bureaucratic complications. But the main problem is rooted in that red tape. Where the constrained education and health budgets are not sufficient to address the existing crisis and the future, budget cuts in these two sectors are truly seleucus!

Bangladesh has never exceeded two percent despite UNICEF's recommendation to invest six percent of GDP in education. The state of investment in the health sector is also truly unhealthy. This may mean that the Bangladesh education and health sectors have reached such heights that financial investment in these two sectors is not much needed. Family is the main school of education, so family education should be emphasized more than ever. Moreover, we have the lesson of the coronavirus epidemic - 'God will save us'!!

It is understood that the health of Bangladesh is 'quite good' under the coronavirus situation; Even the health status of Rohingya citizens of Myanmar living in Bangladesh is quite good so it shows that there is no need to pay much attention to the health sector in Bangladesh. If we do not mention the study of the education sector; the fact that the special allocation of 100 crore rupees for the health sector was not spent in the situation of coronavirus may prove that. Has the situation changed even though it was not possible to spend a single rupee in the research sector that year due to the negligence and bureaucratic complications of the Ministry of Health? Despite the failure of the Ministry of Health and related health departments in mitigating local diseases including dengue and the lack of skilled and qualified graduates according to the needs of the society, human values and the demands of the international market, the way universities are being established in every district, somewhere in the district and in the upazilas, people who have the ability to predict the future of this highly educated nation. Adequate action in association with concerned ministries is the demand of time. In the current situation, what type of educational institution is needed in Bangladesh now, primary/secondary or technical or university needs to be audited by appropriate educationists. Especially in the current reality of demographic dividend, proper steps are needed to turn the potential youth into a huge public resource and that is easy and possible only through education - be it formal or technical. Despite the redundancy in numbers, quality technical institutions need to be increased without increasing the number of universities unnecessarily.

Many high officials believe that investment in two specific sectors, education and health, is necessary for the development of both sectors. But it needs to be realized that its spread is wider. Although in two specific sectors, their influence and achievements are prevalent in all sectors. Just as, for example, unemployment and criminality increase in society without the necessary investment in education, we are constantly realizing the consequences of poor investment in health, whether it is a coronavirus pandemic or a dengue outbreak. Not to mention the inability of hospital management in case of other illnesses. Very unfortunately, it should be noted that this time the budget has been reduced in the health sector as compared to last year.

The result or consequence of lack of investment in education is reflected everywhere. The main reason for all the problems of the country is the lack of quality and necessary education. Lack of proper quality education is one of the causes of gender inequality, corruption, environmental degradation, climate change, deterioration of law and order, weak leadership, lack of independence, personal freedom, and religious freedom. The problem of fragmentation and unplanned education in multidisciplinary education compounds these problems.

In other words, realizing the fact that if you invest properly in this one sector, benefits will prevail in almost all hands, UNICEF long ago suggested six percent of GDP investment in education for the sake of balanced development in all sectors. The social, economic, political, scientific, industrial, technological, law and order overall progress of those who have taken into consideration these Params advices is enviable today. On the other hand, the few countries like us who did not understand the meaning of this advice, the overall situation is known to all.

While the budget is increasing day by day and the capacity of the country is increasing and when it is widely expected to increase the budget in education due to various projects and experiments, this ongoing/outgoing fiscal year has surprisingly reduced the amount of GDP compared to last year. This unexpected behavior amounts to disdain for the education system. But the concerned officials should realize the fact that if one Taka is properly invested in education, it is possible to get many times more results in education alone, and which has an impact on all other sectors.

The economy, industry, roads, law and judiciary, accountability, the people-friendly reality of all the countries that are highly developed did not happen like that. Their development is not an isolated event. At the root of these developments is investment in education. There is no example of any country in the world where proper investment in education has not reaped its benefits in other sectors than education. Again, there are no examples of countries where investment in education is unexpectedly low, but economy, industry, health etc. are advanced. Education is one sector whose influence is inevitable in almost all sectors. In such reality, investment in education is inevitable if a country wants balanced development or development. By reducing investment in education, investing in other sectors may show immediate improvements but are by no means sustainable.

Another problem in education investment in Bangladesh is proper utilization of invested money. Currently, the budget of 2.1 or 1.83 percent of the GDP is not used properly or the money is not properly implemented due to various reasons such as politics, corruption, misuse, wastage etc. Accountability is also important when it comes to wastage. Moreover, we have an education unfriendly bureaucracy. I know why those who occupy high positions in the ministry show a hostile attitude towards education. It is a question in the public mind whether the public representatives also consider the education sector as an indispensable sector of the country. Moreover, there is an incoherent multidisciplinary unscientific education system. There is not even a country with ten times more population than Bangladesh with so many streams and sub-streams of education in one country.

The status and salary of the teachers who play an outstanding role in education promotion, expansion, expansion and spread of knowledge should also be looked at seriously. Although not the same as America or Japan, the example of neighboring India can be followed in this regard. Sri Lanka and Pakistan are no less. It's easy to criticize, it's hard to be equal. If the quality of teachers and life system is equal to the four legs of Lat Saheb's dog, this country will never be enlightened by the light of education and not only the education sector will be deprived of the benefits of education, but all other sectors will undoubtedly be deprived of possibilities. Along with proper budget allocation in education, quality standards must also be ensured in the recruitment of teachers.

It should be remembered that education is a sector that inevitably touches all sectors. Education is therefore primarily responsible for the smooth development of all other sectors. Just as proper investment in education keeps all sectors including education progressing and speeding up, similarly failure or neglect of education disrupts the development of all other sectors including education and the overall progress of the country.

Its result is not only a few educated people or their employment, but its touch exists in all the corners of the country and in all sectors much like blood flow in the body. It is not realistic to hope that the poor state of education and health in a country where the status and financial position of primary school teachers is lower than that of a government officer's car driver, or the position of university professors and FCPS doctors is socio-economically weaker than the OC of the police station. This requires adequate investment in education, at least 6 percent of GDP, and recruitment of qualified teachers, budget restructuring, establishment and renovation of educational institutions as needed. It should not be kept in the first consideration in budget formulation, economy and society cannot be healthy without education and health.

Although this is a continuation of the current government, the new government will present the first budget, it is natural to raise hopes. Two new ministers are also in charge of the discussed ministries. We have high expectations from them. Hopefully it will be reflected in the upcoming budget.

Dr. Ala Uddin, Professor, Anthropology, University of Chittagong. E-mail: alactg@gmail.com