Goal 1: It seems that cent percent US$ 1 per day as basic income above poverty level will be achieved sometimes in the year 2648 as stated. How was the figure arrived at when most recent data (2000) shows deterioration by 3.9% over 1990 figures! Is this fact or fiction or something in between? May be the only way out is if US dollar devalues to say Tk.20 to a dollar, then the projected 2015 goal seems a reality with may be 95% confidence level.

Regarding hunger I do not know the basic definition of hunger on which the data is based. I am often hungry, although I am not below the hunger level. In any case since most of us fast 8% of the days per year, can we ever be hunger free all the time? My simple answer is no, never! This is of course on a theoretical basis and just a guess.

Goal 2: Primary level education projection of 112.84% by 2015 puzzles me. Will kids from other countries come to Bangladesh for primary education by that time? My mind does not want to go beyond 100% educated. The 112.84% by 2015 seems still more a dream since child mortality (goal 4) should be coming down from 69 to 48.1 per 1000! I believe these two goals to the extent is interrelated.

Goal 3: It seems gender equality on education basis was already achieved up to secondary level by 1998-99, so the 2015 goal seems unrealistic in that context! On women empowerment, I cannot define it, however the author leaves it in the realm of education; seeing that otherwise women are already overpowered if I may guess!

Goal 4: Child mortality goal will be reached this year. Then why not project a challenging goal for year 2015?

Goal 5: Similarly, maternal health goal was achieved in 2003! Shouldn't our year 2015 goal be revised?

Goal 6: HIV/AIDS, Malaria etc. If these goals have been achieved may be ten years back as stated, should not the 2015 goals for prevalence and death be say: 100 and 20 respectively? The goals provided are outdated as such.

Target 10: I wonder with the increase of salinity of our inland water ways creeping up the hinterland and subsoil arsenic spreading can we ever achieve the year 2015 goal ? Even the year 2033 estimate seems to be over ambitions and more publicity than reality based.

The sanitation standards not being clearly defined; all the figure work seems anything but guesstimates only!

Frankly, I believe the whole basis behind the figures seems to be rather imaginative than realistic. Issues like gender equality, women empowerment, safe drinking water, sanitation and environmental sustainability need clearer definition before goal setting can be attempted.

I do not know if my observations are logical or wide off the mark. May be more knowledgeable persons can throw light on the matter for our understanding. However without widespread understanding, the work forward and achieving of goals appears to be mere nebulous ideas to me. I wonder what other readers feel about these important national issues!