Hasina underscores timely financial assistance as the key to SDGs

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought funds from donors to achieve the sustainable development goals or SDGs, describing the availability of timely assistance as a ‘big challenge’.

Her remarks came on Wednesday while addressing the Bangladesh Development Forum 2018 at the Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.

“For this, the developed countries will have to come forward with financial and technical assistance to implement the development goals,” she said.

On the issue of combating climate change, Hasina said apart from ‘traditional financial assistance’, the global community needs to focus on the world trade system as it can contribute to overall development, including poverty alleviation and job creation.

Describing Bangladesh’s achievement on the socio-economic avenue, she said: “In order to upgrade Bangladesh to a developed and prosperous country by 2041, we have to achieve the target of our five-year plan, Vision 2021 and the United Nations-declared sustainable development goals 2030.”

“We have been working on implementing Vision 2021. Vision 2021 aims at transforming Bangladesh into a middle-income country.”

Hasina hopes the Bangladesh Development Forum will play a key role in devising strategies for a ‘poverty-hunger-free and prosperous Bangladesh’.

“Bangladesh is the country of huge potential. We have the confidence and materials to express ourselves as a dynamic economy before the world.”

Bangladesh is currently the 44th largest economy on the basis of GDP and is the 32nd on the purchasing power parity, said the prime minister. “According to international financial analysts, by 2030 and 2050, Bangladesh will become the 28th and 23rd largest economy respectively, based on GDP and purchasing capacity.”

Bangladesh will achieve the qualification of graduation out of LDC category at the United Nations Committee for Development Policy’s three-year review meeting in March.

“However, as LDC, Bangladesh is currently enjoying a number of benefits which will be discontinued after the graduation. It is possible to make up for it by increasing economic mobility and work preparation. Bangladesh has taken strategic preparations to face its impact,” said Hasina.

Bangladesh’s economic activities focus on regional communication and infrastructure, efficiency and employment, technology and institutional strengthening, economic and social equality, women’s empowerment and equal opportunities for everyone, she said.

“In the development of ongoing progress, we consider private partnerships including international partner countries and organisations as important,” she said adding the government’s move for 100 economic zones across the country is part of that initiative.

Underscoring rapid growth investment, Hasina said a ‘geometric increase’ in productivity can solve the investment limitations of Bangladesh. 

The Bangladesh Development Forum brings together 700 delegations representing the government and development partners to discuss issues related to financing for sustainable development goals to help Bangladesh graduate from the least developed countries' group.

The two-day event at the Sonargaon Hotel will see sessions on agriculture and extreme climate conditions, creating enabling environment for foreign direct investment, addressing inequality and fostering quality education and ICT.

Sessions on addressing violence against women and ensuring women empowerment and improving urban service delivery will be held on the concluding day.