Public-private partnership key to achieve SDGs: Mannan

State Minister for Finance and Planning M A Mannan has sought cooperation of the business people and civil society for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), saying that the private sector is an important partner of the government in this regard.

“The private sector is important for achieving the 17 targets of SDG by 2030 and the government wants to implement these targets through the inclusive participation of the private sector,” he said while speaking at a seminar on “The role of private sector in implementing Sustainable Develop-ment Goals in Bangladesh in the MCCI auditorium in the capital yesterday.
MCCI President Syed Nasim Manzur moderated the discussion while senior vice-president of FBCCI Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, convener of the Citizen Platform for implementation of SDGs Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, executive director of CPD Dr Mustafizur Rahman and additional research director Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem and executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation Shahin Anam, among others, spoke at the seminar.
Former President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Asif Ibrahim presented the keynote paper.
M A Mannan said the national budget of the country was foreign-aid dependent in the past but the situation has totally changed now. Revenue collection will have to be increased because around 80 per cent fund that will be required for implementation of the SDGs will come from national resources, he said adding that for this, cooperation of the business people is needed.
Laying emphasis on carrying out research on specific targets for achieving SDGs, he said data is needed first in this regard. 
For this, the government has taken steps to modernise Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and measures have also been taken to use the country’s public universities for the purposes, he added.
Shafiul said public-private partnership is needed for implementation of SDGs. The private sector wants to extend cooperation but the government will have to create an environment for it, he added.
Debapriya stressed the need for ensuring good governance, achieving institutional capacity and cutting dependence on foreign assistance for achieving the SDGs. He also laid emphasis on transparency and accountability in public expenditures.
Debapriya stressed the 
need for data on investment and employment generation to understand the achievement of SDGs. 
He said 82 per cent of MDGs financing from the private sector. So, the private sector should be focused in achieving the SDGs.   
Seven of the 17 SDGs are directly linked with trade, business and investment. So, without real and effective collaboration between the government and the private sector, the SDGs cannot be achieved, he said. The expectation from the development sector to implement the SDGs is wrong, he added.
Former president of DCCI and vice chairman of Newage Group, Asif Ibrahim, said if 6 per cent GDP growth continues till 2030 a total of 1.5 crore new jobs will be generated in industrial sector within next 14 years. 
Referring to labour force survey he said 51.43 lakh jobs will create in agriculture and food processing sector, 80.70 lakhs in ready made garments 10.98 lakh in light engineering, 2.45 lakh in leather and leather products, 2.12 lakh in pharmaceuticals, and 2.04 lakh in ICT and software sector.
He further said technology and innovation are mostly important from other country.
“We need home grown technology, education, science to be developed in this respect,” he added.

Public-private partnership key to achieve SDGs: Mannan

State Minister for Finance and Planning M A Mannan has sought cooperation of the business people and civil society for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), saying that the private sector is an important partner of the government in this regard. The private sector is important for achieving the 17 targets of SDG by 2030 and the government wants to implement these targets through the inclusive participation of the private sector, he said while speaking at a seminar on The role of private sector in implementing Sustainable Develop-ment Goals in Bangladesh in the MCCI auditorium in the capital yesterday. MCCI President Syed Nasim Manzur moderated the discussion while senior vice-president of FBCCI Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, convener of the Citizen Platform for implementation of SDGs Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, executive director of CPD Dr Mustafizur Rahman and additional research director Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem and executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation Shahin Anam, among others, spoke at the seminar. Former President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Asif Ibrahim presented the keynote paper. M A Mannan said the national budget of the country was foreign-aid dependent in the past but the situation has totally changed now. Revenue collection will have to be increased because around 80 per cent fund that will be required for implementation of the SDGs will come from national resources, he said adding that for this, cooperation of the business people is needed. Laying emphasis on carrying out research on specific targets for achieving SDGs, he said data is needed first inthis regard. For this, the government has taken steps to modernise Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and measures have also been taken to use the countrys public universities for the purposes, he added. Shafiul said public-private partnership is needed for implementation of SDGs. The private sector wants to extend cooperation but the government will have to create an environment for it, he added. Debapriya stressed the need for ensuring good governance, achieving institutional capacity and cutting dependence on foreign assistance for achieving the SDGs. He also laid emphasis on transparency and accountability in public expenditures. Debapriya stressed the need for data on investment and employment generation to understand the achievement of SDGs. He said 82 per cent of MDGs financing from the private sector. So, the private sector should be focused in achieving the SDGs. Seven of the 17 SDGs are directly linked with trade, business and investment. So, without real and effective collaboration between the government and the private sector, the SDGs cannot be achieved, he said. The expectation from the development sector to implement the SDGs is wrong, he added. Former president of DCCI and vice chairman of Newage Group, Asif Ibrahim, said if 6 per cent GDP growth continues till 2030 a total of 1.5 crore new jobs will be generated in industrial sector within next 14 years. Referring to labour force survey he said 51.43 lakh jobs will create in agriculture and food processing sector, 80.70 lakhs in ready made garments 10.98 lakh in light engineering, 2.45 lakh in leather and leather products, 2.12 lakh in pharmaceuticals, and 2.04 lakh in ICT and software sector. He further said technology and innovation are mostly important from other country. We need home grown technology, education, science to be developed in this respect, he added.