[QUOTE="No offence, but just one steel based Indian conglomerate the Tata group is worth nearly 1/2 of entire Pak economy re: group Co. TCS's $ 80 Billion valuation. That is not even 1/3 of Pakistan's GDP. I hope Pakistan does not just become a cheap labour centre like Bangladesh.
Brother - when you have hundreds of millions of poor people living below the poverty line (the case is true in all SAARC countries like Bangladesh, India or even... Pakistan), then the only choice is to give them an option for a dignified livelihood (Rooti-Ruji). Low cost labor is the only way to lift countries like ours out of poverty. The other option is them turning into a world of crime, misery, desolation or even terrorism.
I realize I am a 'Mehmaan' here and don't want to point out these uncomfortable realities - but they are all true. We have to view these realities with sane, unemotional eyes.
Trying to develop high-tech industries (i.e. high-cost labor) does not work for Third-world countries. There is too much competition from First-world countries.
All recently-minted 'East Asian Tiger' nations came up the ladder of development through low-cost labor to make garments, shoes and or 5-cent plastic crap, whether small countries like Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand or Korea or large countries like China. I have spent my life travelling in these places - and Bangladesh is taking the same route, albeit a slower one it seems. All these countries moved from low-cost to high-cost labor through the passage of time. There are no shortcuts.
Even Pakistani Textile conglomerates (white linen, bed-sheets, towels etc.) are moving their operations to Bangladesh. Businessmen don't see these situations with emotional lenses or filters or look down on the low-cost laborers in Bangladesh. These people want work rather than starve or being involved in 'Chori' out of desperation. There is money to be made in Bangladesh and it is open for everyone.
