Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today emphasised accurate and innovative action plans and effective monitoring systems with collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

"It is challenging to ensure the implementation of the SDGs in the stipulated time. But, still, I believe that it would be possible to reach the goal through accurate and innovative action plans, effective monitoring systems and collective efforts," she said.

The premier said this while speaking as the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the three-day 2nd National Conference on SDGs Implementation Reviews (SIR) held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city.

She joined the function virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital of Dhaka.

She said, "I believe that if we all work together, we could achieve SDG goals before 2030 and fulfill our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's dream of building a hunger-poverty free and developed-prosperous Bangladesh by 2041".

The prime minister asked the government and private sectors to work in ensuring Bangladesh's overall development and thus achieving the SDGs, saying the government would provide all possible support to this end.

"We will continue policy support and funding for SDGs implementation, but we must ensure the best use of funds, and wastage must be prevented. At the same time, effective initiatives need to ensure that international commitments are appropriately met and implemented," she said.

The premier said Bangladesh has not only adopted the SDGs as a global development concept.

"Bangladesh started formulating this global target to suit its own needs, which has come to be known as SDG Localization. Under this initiative, out of 17 goals, 39 indicators have been identified as SDG priority areas for Bangladesh," she said.

In addition, she also said considering the reality of each district, one additional indicator has been determined.

She hoped that this priority list will foster monitoring and implementation of the SDGs in all government departments at the District, Upazila, and grassroots levels and will accelerate the performance of the SDGs and simultaneously hasten the country's ongoing development.

Although SDG is a global development concept, it is also very relevant in the development discourse of Bangladesh, she said, adding that Bangladesh was actively involved in formulating the SDGs from the very beginning.

In 2013, taking the views of all relevant stakeholders of the country, Bangladesh proposed 11 goals to the United Nations, she said.

Of these, ten were exactly adopted by the United Nations, and the remaining one was included in the other goals of Agenda 2030, she continued.

As a result, from the time of adoption of the SDGs, she said it has been possible to formulate various policies and strategies for Bangladesh in line with the SDGs.

The prime minister also said Bangladesh has already made significant progress in formulating plans and strategies to implement the global development agenda for the period of 2016-2030.

"The world has appreciated our steps to implement the SDGs. The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) awarded us the 'SDG Progress Award' as Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in achieving SDGs in the first five years among all the UN member countries," she said.

Planning Minister M A Mannan, State Minister Dr. Shamsul Alam and the UN Resident Coordinator (in charge) Tuomo Poutiainen spoke on the occasion while Principal Coordinator, SDG Affairs, Zuena Aziz, gave the address of welcome.

Member (Secretary) of the General Economic Division Dr. Md. Kawser Ahmed gave a brief presentation on Bangladesh's SDG progress and plan to achieve it.

A video documentary on SDG was screened on the occasion.

The prime minister also unveiled the cover of a publication on SDG.

Source: BSS