Recreating the ‘Miracle on the Han’

Sheikh Nizamul Harque, or “Nijam”

The news of South Korea’s miraculous economic recovery has spread across the world, sparking the interest of other developing nations that would very much like to emulate such a feat. Sheikh Nizamul Harque, or “Nijam,” which he goes by in Korea, is from one such country, Bangladesh.
The most densely populated nation in the world (discounting city-states and small island nations), Bangladesh struggles with pollution, poverty and political turmoil. In recent years the capital, Dhaka, Nijam’s hometown, has been striving to modernize its infrastructure. The result has been an upward surge in foreign investment and trade and an influx of workers from overseas, including many from Korea.
Nijam is the deputy general manager of an export-processing factory at which a large number of Koreans are employed. Most of them can’t speak English or Bangla, so Nijam’s company sent him to South Korea to learn the language.
In Korea, he has been impressed by the quality of life enjoyed by the locals as a result of the “Miracle on the Han River,” which saw Korea rise from being one of the poorest countries in the world to the 11th largest global economy in under 60 years.
“Now Korea is a glorious country in Asia, even all over the world,” he said. “So what’s their strategy? I want to take it back to apply to my country.”
Nijam has not seen his wife or son for over seven months, and probably won’t be able to until next year. Although he misses his family, the opportunity to be able to import the Korean model to his homeland keeps his head in his Korean books.

By Richard Scott-Ashe