Staff Reporter :
Civil society members on Saturday put forward a 5-point suggestion on implementation of Sustainable Development Goals and demanded that the government include those in the Voluntary National Review report Bangladesh is to place at the United Nation High Level Political Forum.
The Forum’s meeting is due in New York on July 10-19.
The suggestions include reanalysis of regional disparities and inequalities in development process, measures against illicit flows and resource losses, preferring protective infrastructure development to growth infrastructure development, pressure on international communities for compensation on climate change, strengthening democratic institutions and people’s participation in the development process for sustainable development attainment to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 agenda. The suggestions came at a press conference titled “Inequality is the priority to act immediately: Global community must endorse its obligation of global partnership to assist countries fighting poverty, inequality and climate change”.
Executive Director of the trust Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Deputy Director Syed Aminul Hoque, CEO of Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication AHM Bazlur Rahman, Executive Director of DWIP Unnayan Songstha Md Rafiqul Alam and central leader of Bangladesh Krishi Federation Jayed Iqbal Khan spoke on the occassion, among otehrs.
Syed Aminul Hoque presented the keynote paper at the programme.
Hoque laid emphasis on the re-analysis of regional disparities and inequalities in development process.
“The State must ensure greater public investment in essential services like education, health, energy, water, information communication technologies rather than meeting conditions set by the International Monetary Fund for export-led growth development approaches,” he said.
It’s now essential to reaffirm policy priority to poverty, inequality, climate change and policy framework for enabling condition where democratic space and local government and civil society participation are essential to achieve SDGs, Hoque suggested.
“The government is raising VAT to earn more revenue, which is paid by poor people mostly. The richer portion of the people can give tax more, which should be used for giving subsidy to the farmers reducing inequality and attaining SDGs,” said Md Rafiqul Alam.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, the moderator of the programme, has suggested the government take measures against illicit flows and resource losses as Bangladesh is in the top list of illicit fund flow losing $ 1.5 billion annually with the help of internal corruption.
“Internal corruption is destroying government performance both locally and globally. Mostly powerful people, government employees and business people are hiding the black money as investment to other destinations,” said Chowdhury.
“Putting a check on corruption will not only improve government’s performance but will also augment internal investment. Developed countries assist us with $1 as aid and get back $9 as illicit flow. Ensuring transparency will strengthen our economy reducing dependency on foreign aid,” he added.
The speakers at the press meet also pushed for compensation on climate change by international communities.
They also asked the government for strengthening democratic institutions and people’s participation in the development process for the sustainability and development.
