Hasina asks world leaders to review stringent IPR regime

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon world leaders to review Intellectual Property Rights law so that crucial technology can be reached to people.

The prime minister made the appeal at a roundtable on sustainable development in New York on Saturday.
 
"Existing IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) regime needs to be revisited so that people can access key technologies related to agriculture and food security, health and waste management," she said while addressing meet, reported the national news agency BSS.
 
Hasina co-chaired the programme, held on the sidelines of the 70th UN General Assembly, with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.
 
The heads of state and governments of several countries expressed their views on ways to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the next 15 years.
 
"Now, we must materialise the expectations of our people. Many of our countries need the resources to implement our collective commitments. At the same time, we must address the issues related to enabling environment at global level," she said.
 
"We need to ensure that people at the bottom also enjoy fruits of development," she said, urging world leaders to work together.
 
The prime minister of Denmark, president of the African Development Bank, the foreign minister of Kyrgyzstan and several dignitaries took part in the programme.
 
South-South Cooperation
 
Hasina also took part on Saturday in a discussion on South-South cooperation.
 
BSS reported that she stressed the strengthening of South-South cooperation to ensure sustainable development and a life of dignity for all.
 
Despite considerable progress, she said, the countries of the global south still faced the challenges of inequality, illiteracy and underdevelopment.
 
Hasina told her audience the SDGs were especially relevant for countries of the South.
 
“Regional cooperation in the South is focusing on forging physical connectivity across borders.
 
“We also see new patterns of trade, investment and other economic activities emerging among countries of the South. The establishment of the BRICS Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a positive development in this respect.”
 
The prime minister also said South-South cooperation could also act as counter to a “volatile global security situation and violent extremism” that “continue to pose significant challenge to sustainable development in the South”.