Bangladesh to achieve SDGs well before 2030: Muhith

Media training workshop on SDGs

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said Bangladesh will be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) well before the stipulated time of 2030, reports UNB.
“I personally think Bangladesh will certainly reach the targets well before 2030, although the procedure to initiate the development takes time,” he said while addressing the inaugural session of a two-day media training workshop titled ‘Reporting on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
United Nations Foundation and Inter Press Service (IPS), an international news agency, jointly organised the programme with a theme ‘Working Together: Why and how should the media report on the SDGs?’ at the city’s Cirdap auditorium.
Journalists from different media outlets participated in the workshop.
Bangladesh will definitely take initiatives to eradicate poverty leaving no one behind, said the Finance Minister adding that it would be quite possible for some other countries to reach the targets well before 2030.
Noting that there are two great differences between the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the SDGs, he said, “The first one is that no one should be behind at the end of 15 years in the SDGs, while the second one is eradication of poverty. “It’s not reduction of poverty. But we think that by 2030 there should be no poverty in the world. Certainly, there’ll be some people who will always be dependent on the state.”
Muhith, however, said sustainability is very important regarding the 2030 goals so that no one falls back into the poverty trap.
“The task before us is to ensure that no one is left behind except 7 to 12 per cent who are depended on the state, which is nature of their backwardness and in-heritage backwardness or some other backwardness.”
Taking a swipe at the developed countries for polluting the environment affecting the countries like Bangladesh, Muhith said Bangladesh is not contributing much to the present climate situation, but it has been the victim of the climate change.
“The developed countries are mainly responsible for the climate change. They’ve demonstrated good will in terms of financing climate change programmes they’re doing allover the world, although Bangladesh is very unfortunate that it doesn’t get much of the share.  The procedures of the use of climate change fund are ridiculously complex.”
Addressing the event, Chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said four out of 17 goals of the sustainable development agenda are very important for Bangladesh.  
Those four are no poverty (Goal-1), zero hunger (Goal-2), reduced inequality (Goal-10) and climate action (Goal-3).
He, however, said if the inequality is reduced, another goal— gender equality (Goal-5) of the agenda—will be achieved.
Alongside the poverty eradication, Bangladesh should address hunger particularly malnutrition problem as even many children of the well-off families are suffering from malnutrition, he said.
Talking about inequality, Dr Ahmad said it needs to address all sorts of inequality among the people and inequality between the men and women.
About climate change, the PKSF Chairman said Bangladesh should strengthen the climate policies, strategies and projects to mitigate and adopt with the impact of the climate change.
“We’ll have to work in the country and raise voice at international forums over the climate actions,” he noted.
IPS Director General Farhana Haque Rahman also spoke at the inaugural session, while UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh Robert D Watkins presented the keynote paper. IPS South Asia Representative Shahiduzzaman moderated the session.

Bangladesh to achieve SDGs well before 2030: Muhith

Media training workshop on SDGs

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said Bangladesh will be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) well before the stipulated time of 2030, reports UNB. I personally think Bangladesh will certainly reach the targets well before 2030, although the procedure to initiate the development takes time, he said while addressing the inaugural session of a two-day media training workshop titled Reporting on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). United Nations Foundation and Inter Press Service (IPS), an international news agency, jointly organised the programme with a theme Working Together: Why and how should the media report on the SDGs? at the citys Cirdap auditorium. Journalists from different media outlets participated in the workshop. Bangladesh will definitely take initiatives to eradicate poverty leaving no one behind, said the Finance Minister adding that it would be quite possible for some other countries to reach the targets well before 2030. Noting that there are two great differences between the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the SDGs, he said, The first one is that no one should be behind at the end of 15 years in the SDGs, while the second one is eradication of poverty. Its not reduction of poverty. But we think that by 2030 there should be no poverty in the world. Certainly, therell be some people who will always be dependent on the state. Muhith, however, said sustainability is very important regarding the 2030 goals so that no one falls back into the poverty trap. The task before us is to ensure that no one is left behind except 7 to 12 per cent who are depended on the state, which is nature of their backwardness and in-heritage backwardness or some other backwardness. Taking a swipe at the developed countries for polluting the environment affecting the countries like Bangladesh, Muhith said Bangladesh is not contributing much to the present climate situation, but it has been the victim of the climate change. The developed countries are mainly responsible for the climate change. Theyve demonstrated good will in terms of financing climate change programmes theyre doing allover the world, although Bangladesh is very unfortunate that it doesnt get much of the share. The procedures of the use of climate change fund are ridiculously complex. Addressing the event, Chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad saidfour out of 17 goals of the sustainable development agenda are very important for Bangladesh. Those four are no poverty (Goal-1), zero hunger (Goal-2), reduced inequality (Goal-10) and climate action(Goal-3). He, however, said if the inequality is reduced, another goal gender equality (Goal-5) of the agendawill be achieved. Alongside the poverty eradication, Bangladesh should address hunger particularly malnutrition problemas even many children of the well-off families are suffering from malnutrition, he said. Talking about inequality, Dr Ahmad said it needs to address all sorts of inequality among the people and inequality between the men and women. About climate change, the PKSF Chairman said Bangladesh should strengthen the climate policies, strategies and projects to mitigate and adopt with the impact of the climate change. Well have to work in the country and raise voice at international forums over the climate actions, he noted. IPS Director General Farhana Haque Rahman also spoke at the inaugural session, while UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representativein Bangladesh Robert D Watkins presented the keynote paper. IPS South Asia Representative Shahiduzzaman moderated the session.