Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has received ‘ICT Sustainable Development Award’ from the International

Telecommunication Union (ITU) in recognition of her contributions towards harnessing Information Communication and Technologies for Sustainable Development.

ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao formally handed over the award to the Prime Minister at a Gala Dinner programme at the UN Headquarters in New York on Saturday evening.

ITU honoured a number of heads of state and government, past and present leaders of the United Nations, UN permanent representatives and business executives in recognition of their contributions towards promoting the use of ICTs for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Receiving the award, the Prime Minister said, ‘It’s a significant recognition as we’re working to build a ‘Digital Bangladesh’. She extended her thanks to ITU for this important recognition, saying she deeply feels honoured to receive this award.’

Dedicating the award to the young people of Bangladesh, Hasina said her government is promoting ICT access to every citizen so that no one is left behind. She called upon all for joining hands with each other to remove all barriers to a knowledge-based sustainable future.

UN senior officials, heads of state and their spouses, permanent representatives of the United Nations, Broadband Commission for

Sustainable Development, high officials of UN specialised agencies and renowned business leaders and philanthropists attended the award-giving ceremony.

President of the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Sam Kutesa, Director General of UNESCO Irina Bokova, Founder and CEO of Global Sustainability Foundation Sheri Yan, President of New York Academy of Sciences and Chairman of Global STEM Alliance Ellis Rubinstein and Founder and CEO of China STEM Education Foundation Dr Ruiyang Wang were, among others, present on the occasion.