Desk Report
Publish: 16 May 2022, 03:52 pm
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina || Photo: Collected
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today emphasised accurate and
innovative action plans and effective monitoring systems with collective
efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
"It is challenging to ensure the implementation of the
SDGs in the stipulated time. But, still, I believe that it would be possible to
reach the goal through accurate and innovative action plans, effective
monitoring systems and collective efforts," she said.
The premier said this while speaking as the chief guest at
the opening ceremony of the three-day 2nd National Conference on SDGs
Implementation Reviews (SIR) held at Bangabandhu International Conference
Centre (BICC) in the city.
She joined the function virtually from her official
Ganabhaban residence here.
She said, "I
believe that if we all work together, we could achieve SDG goals before 2030
and fulfil our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's dream
of building a hunger-poverty free and developed-prosperous Bangladesh by 2041".
The prime minister asked the government and private sectors
to work in ensuring Bangladesh's overall development and thus achieving the
SDGs, saying the government would provide all possible support to this end.
"We will continue policy support and funding for SDGs
implementation, but we must ensure the best use of funds, and wastage must be
prevented. At the same time, effective initiatives need to ensure that
international commitments are appropriately met and implemented," she
said.
The premier said Bangladesh has not only adopted the SDGs as
a global development concept.
"Bangladesh started formulating this global target to
suit its own needs, which has come to be known as SDG Localization. Under this
initiative, out of 17 goals, 39 indicators have been identified as SDG priority
areas for Bangladesh," she said.
In addition, she also said considering the reality of each
district, one additional indicator has been determined.
She hoped that this priority list will foster monitoring and
implementation of the SDGs in all government departments at the District,
Upazila, and grassroots levels and will accelerate the performance of the SDGs
and simultaneously hasten the country's ongoing development.
Although SDG is a global development concept, it is also
very relevant in the development discourse of Bangladesh, she said, adding that
Bangladesh was actively involved in formulating the SDGs from the very
beginning.
In 2013, taking the views of all relevant stakeholders of
the country, Bangladesh proposed 11 goals to the United Nations, she said.
Of these, ten were exactly adopted by the United Nations,
and the remaining one was included in the other goals of Agenda 2030, she
continued.
As a result, from the time of adoption of the SDGs, she said
it has been possible to formulate various policies and strategies for
Bangladesh in line with the SDGs.
The prime minister also said Bangladesh has already made
significant progress in formulating plans and strategies to implement the
global development agenda for the period 2016-2030.
"The world has appreciated our steps to implement the
SDGs. The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) awarded us the 'SDG
Progress Award' as Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in achieving SDGs in
the first five years among all the UN member countries," she said.
Planning Minister M A Mannan, State Minister Dr. Shamsul
Alam and the UN Resident Coordinator (in charge) Tuomo Poutiainen spoke on the
occasion while Principal Coordinator, SDG Affairs, Zuena Aziz, gave the address
of welcome.
Member (Secretary) of the General Economic Division Dr. Md.
Kawser Ahmed gave a brief presentation on Bangladesh's SDG progress and plans to
achieve it.
A video documentary on SDG was screened on the occasion.
The prime minister also unveiled the cover of a publication
on SDG.
Sheikh Hasina referred to Bangladesh's success in
implementing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that has brightened the
country's image in the international arena.
She said, "Our government is committed to implementing
the 'Agenda 2030' or the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to continue the
pace of development."
The premier said all the ministries, departments have
prepared an action plan to implement the SDGs.
"Considering the importance of SDG implementation, the
Principal Coordinator for SDG Affairs post has been created at the Prime
Minister's Office as under her leadership, a high-level 'SDG implementation and
Review Committee' was formed with the concerned secretaries," she said.
In addition to the ministry-based activities for effective
implementation of SDGs, she said that the Governance Innovation Unit of the
Prime Minister's Office is implementing a special project for enhancing public
administration skills in implementing the SDGs.
As the Awami League formed the government, it has taken
special initiatives for the country's overall development and ensuring the fundamental rights of all people, the prime minister said.
Initiatives like Palli Sanchay Bank, Ashrayan Project,
Digital Bangladesh, Education Assistance Programme, Women's empowerment,
Electricity for all, Community Clinics and Child Development, Social Security
Programmes, Environmental Protection, and Investment Development are already
playing significant roles in the overall development of the country, she said.
As a Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, Bangladesh has
drafted the 'Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan' to achieve energy independence and
set Bangladesh's trajectory to prosperity, she said.
"We have handed over 183 thousand 3 homes to the
homeless across the country by April 2022. We have provided 640 climate refugee
families with new homes in Cox's Bazar, and in total 4 thousand, 409 climate
refugee families will get new homes by 2023," she said.
The prime minister said Bangladesh is passing seven years on
the path to achieving the SDGs.
She said that in the last two years, SDG implementation has
slowed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "However, intending to achieve
the goal, we are working to the best of our ability," she said.
The economy is returning to increased growth with the
government providing timely stimulus packages and appropriate policy support to
this end, she stated.
The prime minister said the SDG Implementation Review (SIR)
Conference 2022 is very significant as the world is now going through a
critical juncture due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
Sheikh Hasina stressed initiatives keeping those already
attained intact to achieve the SDGs within the stipulated time in the reality
of the ongoing pandemic and the war that heavily hurt the world economy and
livelihoods.
"I hope that through this conference, the organizations
involved in the implementation of SDGs will be able to review their
implementation progress and identify potential challenges and find
solutions," she said.
Taking into view the ongoing global pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, she said the people would have to show austerity in using
water, electricity and food grains as the entire world has been rattled due to
the double blow.
The premier reiterated her call to grow more food so the
country would not face any crisis which many countries across the globe are now
encountering, saying, "Don't put one inch of land uncultivated."
In our planned development journey, she said that
development partners, NGOs, and civil society are equally involved with the
government.
"I believe that the participation of all stakeholders
in this conference will further accelerate the future progress of
Bangladesh," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that the private sector plays a vital
role in keeping the wheel of Bangladesh's economy in motion and the climate-related investment has already been made more conducive for the private sector.
The prime minister
said that her government's target is to ensure rural centric development as the
fruits of prosperity can make people of all sections beneficial.
"We have delivered electricity to every house. Once the
mega projects for infrastructure development are fully implemented, the
country's economy will be more vibrant, poverty will reduce and the overall
development of the people will be ensured," she said.
The prime minister said some people are making wholesale
criticisms about the quick rental plants, but unfortunately, they're not talking
about the impact of giving electricity to every house or its impact on the
country's overall economy and development.
She suggested those people roam the villages to witness
the overall development of the country and the state of farmers, labourers and
distressed people at the grassroots despite making illogical criticism residing
in Dhaka.
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