A roundtable discussion styled as “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production”, held at BDS Auditorium in Barisal on Saturday.
Representatives from government, policy makers, producers, consumers association, researchers, and law enforcing agencies, development partners, UN agencies, students, and civil society and media persons participated in the roundtable.
The participants focused on the engagement of youth in achieving these agenda.
They said topic of the discussion was the theme of international youth day this year.
It aims to highlight the complicated link between three goals like eradication of poverty, sustainable consumption and production by engaging youth in achieving the agenda of road to 2030 for sustainable development, they told.
A fundamental shift is needed. It is important to achieve these goals by making decisions on the allocation of resources while keeping the interests of future generations in mind, they added.
It is vital to make investments in socio-cultural sectors including expanding and strengthening activities of children organisations that improve the resilience of individuals and communities, they opined.
Uplifting and practising moral and standard education with ethical values from early boyhood at the family and educational institution could ensure proper engagement of youth for sustainable development, they told analysing present situation.
Besides employment for youths on basis of merits, quality and needs of family and society; needed to combat expanding militancy and preventing frustrations among them, the participants suggested.
They also suggested introducing reproduction and adolescent-health in educational curriculum, preventing corruption and practising democratic norms for more engagements of youths in achieving the focal points of the agenda.
The progamme was jointly organized by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and The Daily Star
Shamim Ahmed, public health expert and development economist, doctoral research fellow at University of Toronto and a consultant with The Daily Star, moderated the programme.
The power point presentation was presented by Dr. Muhammad Miner Hussain, National Program Officer, UNFPA.
Dr. Ikhtiar Uddin Khandaker, head of health programme, Plan International, Bangladesh, added more points on the key notes.
Among others Mahbubur Rahman Rajib, Shifat Ara Badhon, students, Papiya Jesmin, Mawlana Abdus Salam, teachers, Kohinur Begum, BCC councilor, Rahima Sultana Kajal, development activist, Reshmi Aktar, social activist, Syed Dulal, Kajal Ghosh, cultural activists, Dr. Mominunessa, UNICEF official participated in the interactive discussion.
Jejuneness Afroj, AL lawmaker, Dr. Gazi Md.Siafuzzaman, deputy commissioner, AHM Ruhul Amin, metropolitan police commissioner of Barisal, Saidur Rahman Rintu, Sadar upazila chairman and president Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, added explanations on the quarries, plan and role of the administration and government about the topic.
