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A centered red circle atop a vast green filed represents the color scheme of Bangladesh national flag. Red symbolizes the rising sun and blood of freedom fighters in 1971 and green stands for the greenness of its land. You may not see this flag very often; some of you may even raise eyebrows and mumble "Oh! It is a poor overpopulated South Asian country kissing the Bay of Bengal." Some other may recall scenic parliament compound being one of the nicest architectural wonders, or famous Royal Bengal tiger prowling in the Sundarban forest (a world heritage), or Cox's Bazaar being the largest unbroken sea beach. Bingo! This story tells about that country, but offers a more positive Bangladesh.

The "bottomless basket" of Mr. Henry Kissinger, the then US foreign minister, has turned out to be a basket of potentiality and resourcefulness in the course of time. Mr. Kissinger envisaged its bleak economic future. Surprisingly, the country has bounced back with a vengeance to find itself among the top 50 largest economies in the world, considering the GDP in purchasing power terms. Since the early 1990s Bangladesh has been registering steady and strong economic growth with an average constant rate of about 6% each year. A dream growth for most developing countries! The World Bank recognizes this surprising economic resilience terming it as "development paradox". The outstandingly stable growth also attracts global economists' attention. Goldman Sachs, a renowned American multinational investment banking firm, has identified Bangladesh as one of the eleven countries who have immense potential for growth and development. N-11 has huge potential to become largest economies in the 21st century. The United Nations also recognizes its gradual improvement in social development indexes. Bangladesh boasts of having one of those few economies that quite successfully survived the impact of global economic recession during 2008-09. Economic growth never halted during that trying period.

Bangladesh has adopted holistic approach to ensure unfettered progress. Prudent fiscal and monetary policies restrain the inflation rate within a manageable single digit. Sluggish international trade hardly contains the satisfactory growth in export rate. Garments, the big export item, earned nearly 10 billion US dollar in 2012-13 fiscal year. Fitting short and medium term macroeconomic policies set the direction and purpose well. Huge and ever increasing incoming foreign remittance keeps the economy healthy. Bangladesh has never defaulted in paying back foreign loans. For better management, Bangladesh also gives special preference to digitization process in every sector of governance. It has sets a target to materialize a "digital Bangladesh" dream by 2021.

Alongside the economic development, Bangladesh has also achieved remarkable progress in social sector. Income poverty has reduced to half. Bangladesh has ensured a firm footing by reaching many targets of Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The UN has awarded Bangladesh government for achieving several targets of MDG well before the deadline. The country is being considered a role model for meeting most of the MDG deadlines in time. Per capita national income of this country, a long-time leader of Least Developed Countries, has already crossed the threshold of 1000 US dollar in this very year (2013).

The country's success in international arena also deserves due attention. As a responsible nation, Bangladesh takes active part in the UN peacekeeping missions. It has already attained a good standing in this respect among the nations. This role duly reflects the urge of the country in maintaining world peace. By now, Bangladesh has become world's largest contributor to peacekeeping mission.

Positive Bangladesh gleams with success in various other sectors. Though overpopulated, Bangladesh achieved enviable feat by attaining self-sufficiency in food grains. Not many of the world communities have such commendable success. Being one of the most natural disaster-prone countries, Bangladesh has a long history of natural disasters. It fights successfully with the problem and by now the ordeal has made Bangladesh a global leader in disaster management and risk reduction. Bangladesh also has leadership role in Non-government Organization (NGO) sector worldwide. BRAC, an international development NGO originated as well as based in Bangladesh, is presently the world's largest NGO of the kind, in terms of number of employees and beneficiaries. Bangladesh propounds worldwide the concepts of micro-credit and social business.

Positive Bangladesh also does not lag behind in research activities. Some recent milestone inventions have glorified the proud existence of Bangladesh in the arena of science. Despite limited resources and opportunity, the enthusiastic Bangladeshi scientists have invented the genome sequence of jute. Besides, they have also decoded the DNA make-up of a deadly fungus which is harmful to plants. Bangladesh further invented the world first SONO arsenic water filter technology. This invention helps in obtaining arsenic-free safe water. Scientists have also developed a bone graft implant technology which helps generate damaged or lost bones.

The success stories are unlimited. Strong, independent and vibrating print and electronic media of Bangladesh truly reflects the aspiration of common people. Its burgeoning civil society is rapidly gaining strong ground. Bangladesh has also achieved a stronghold in pharmaceutical industry. Bangladesh secures 12th position among the countries using mobile phones. Though 3rd largest Muslim country, Bangladesh boasts constitutionally secular stance and state mechanism itself successfully combats and downsizes religious militants.

We do believe that this is the time Bangladesh gets due positive attention. The relentless fighting spirit of 170 million Bangladesh citizens must not go unnoticed.

This is Mir Md. Amtazul Hoque from Bangladesh and I work as a legal professional. I nourish a specific target of promoting positive aspects of my Country and desire that all aspiring Bangladesh citizens and other well-wishers join this endeavor. Mir M.d Amtazul Hoque