prime minister
Bangabandhu’s maiden UNGA speech remembered with fondness
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a strong advocate of multilateralism and called the United Nations ‘as the centre of people’s future hopes and aspirations.”
On the very first day of Bangladesh’s journey in the United Nations, Bangabandhu delivered his maiden speech to the UNGA on September 25, 1974.
“Our goal is self-reliance; our chosen path is the united and collective efforts of our people. International cooperation and the sharing of the resources and technology could, no doubt, make our task less onerous and reduce the cost in human suffering,” the Prime Minister quoted Bangabandhu as saying at the UNGA in 1974.
He called for building a world to be free of economic inequalities, social injustice, aggression, and threats of nuclear war.
“These are as relevant today as they were forty-six years ago. As such, we continue to lend our voice and leadership to all those issues that aim to build an inclusive and equal society,” said the Prime Minister.
She termed the current the year 2021 a very special year, noting that this year they are celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Independence. “This celebration coincides with ‘Mujib Year’, the Birth Centenary of our Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
Read: PM joins opening session of 76th UNGA general debate
The Prime Minister, while delivering her speech at the UNGA for the 17th time, paid her profound respect and homage to Father of our Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, whose selfless, lifelong struggle and visionary leadership brought us our long-cherished Independence.
Hasina leaves New York for Washington
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left New York for Washington, D.C. by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Saturday.
Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Rabab Fatima saw her off at the airport at 9:15 am (local time), said PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim.
Read: PM joins opening session of 76th UNGA general debate
The flight is scheduled to land in Washington DC at 10:15am (local time). Bangladesh Ambassador to USA M Shahidul Islam will receive her at Dulles International Airport, Karim said.
She will stay in Washington, D.C. till September 30.
Read: PM arrives in New York to attend UNGA
Hasina is scheduled to leave Washington for Dhaka on September 30 and return home on October 1, after a short stopover in Finland.
FM Momen hands over his new book to PM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has handed over his new book titled “Sheikh Hasina: Bimugdho Bismoy” to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Dr Momen handed over the book to the Prime Minister in New York recently, marking her 75th birthday, said a media release on Saturday.
Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy was also present while handing over the book during their stay in New York to attend the UNGA.
PM urges expats to invest in Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the Bangladeshi expatriates living in the USA to make investment in their motherland availing themselves of lucrative facilities offered by the government.
“We make good offers for all (investors). So, our expatriates who’re here can invest in Bangladesh,” she said, replying to a question at a virtual press conference here on Friday.
The Prime Minister joined the conference held at LaGuardia Airport Marriott Hotel from her place of residence.
READ: UN chief showers praise on Hasina, says Bangladesh a ‘development miracle’
She said the government is setting up some 100 special economic zones in the country and the Bangladeshi expatriates alongside American nationals can invest in the economic zones cashing in on the facilities offered by Bangladesh.
READ: PM blasts those tarnishing Bangladesh’s image abroad
“We’re giving good offers to everyone. Expatriates are given more facilities (compared to others). So, they can take the advantage and invest in Bangladesh,” she added.
Bangladeshi journalists working in New York mainly participated in the conference.
Hasina places six proposals before world to fight Covid
Terming Covid-19 a common enemy, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has placed six proposals before the global leaders to fight the deadly virus with fresh, inclusive and effective ideas.
“Sadly though, this malaise (Covid-19) seems to be here for a while, and therefore, as we had in the past, must come forth with fresh, inclusive, and global ideas to fight this common enemy. Let me highlight a few specific issues in this regard,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while delivering her speech in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) debate at the UN Headquarters on Friday.
Address vaccine inequality
In her first proposal, Hasina said for a Covid-free world, “We must ensure universal and affordable access to vaccines for people across the world.”
In the last UNGA, Hasina said, she called for treating Covid-19 vaccines as a ‘global public good.’ This was echoed by many other leaders. “Yet these calls remain largely unheeded. Instead, we’ve seen growing ‘vaccines divides’ between the rich and the poor nations.”
According to the World Bank, she said, 84 percent of vaccine doses have so far gone to people in high and upper middle-income countries, while the low-income countries received less than 1 percent.
“This vaccine inequality must be urgently addressed. We cannot chart out a sustainable recovery and be safe by leaving millions behind,” she said.
She also said immediate transfer of vaccine technologies could be a means to ensure vaccine equity. Bangladesh is ready to produce vaccines in mass scale if technical know-how is shared with us and patent waiver is granted.
Covid’s disproportionate impacts
In the second proposal, she said the pandemic has disproportionately impacted the climate vulnerable countries. “Unless there are immediate measures, the devastating impacts of climate change will be irreversible. No country, rich or poor, is immune to the destructive effects. We, therefore, call upon the rich and industrialised countries to cut emissions, compensate for the loss and damage, and ensure adequate financing and technology transfer for adaptation and resilience building.”
She said as the Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum and the Vulnerable Twenty Group of Ministers of Finance, Bangladesh has launched the “Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan – Decade 2030” outlining a transformative agenda from climate vulnerability to climate prosperity.
She said the upcoming COP-26 Summit in Glasgow provides a good opportunity to rally support for such new and inclusive ideas. “Let us not miss out on this opportunity.”
Read: PM joins opening session of 76th UNGA general debate
PM Hasina to speak at UNGA, follow Live
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will deliver her speech at the General Debate session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday night, Bangladesh time.
The following is the schedule of speakers: Friday, September 24.
Read: PM joins opening session of 76th UNGA general debate
Morning: Cyprus, Nigeria, Lebanon, Senegal, Nicaragua, Germany, Slovenia, State of Palestine, European Union, Gambia, Armenia, Mauritius, Sweden, Barbados, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Japan, Malta, Ireland.
Read: PM arrives in New York to attend UNGA
At the time of posting, the first four speakers, till Senegal, have delivered their speech already.
Build a more equal, inclusive world: Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said bold and concrete actions need to be taken at the global level with multilateral cooperation to fulfill the pledge to build a more equal and inclusive world as no single country can tackle this crisis alone.
“No single country can tackle this crisis alone. We need bold and concrete actions at the global level. We need multilateral cooperation in fulfilling our promises of UN75 Declaration to build a more equal and inclusive world,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this in a prerecorded message at the “Delivering the UN Common Agenda: Action to Achieve Equality and Inclusion” organised by Swedish Mission to the UN on Thursday.
Read: Want actions, not words: Hasina to global community over Rohingya crisis
In her speech, Hasina highlighted six specific points in this regard.
The points are: Eliminating “vaccines divides” between the rich and the poor; presenting a new paradigm that will address inequality across the world in a holistic manner as it has deep relations with the SDGs; addressing the special financing needs of the most vulnerable countries, which include the LDCs, climate vulnerable countries; addressing the vulnerabilities of migrants and people on the move; bridging the stark “digital divides” to ensure equal opportunities for all, and create more opportunities for women and girls to act as a real “change makers”.
The Prime Minister said the Secretary General’s Report on “Our Common Agenda” provides an alarming picture of the growing inequality across the world, and the Covid-19 pandemic has hit the poorest and the most vulnerable countries the hardest. “Our decades of development gains on reducing poverty, inequality and exclusion are rapidly sliding back.”
Read: Declare Covid vaccines as 'global public good': Hasina
Hasina said the Constitution of Bangladesh ensures “Equality of opportunity to all citizens”.
“We’ve placed the most vulnerable section of our society at the centre of our efforts. And that include, women, the ultra-poor, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.”
Hasina seeks a resilient global food system; places suggestions
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has put forward a five-point suggestion for ensuring a resilient food system globally as it will be crucial in the coming days amid the falling food production due to the climate change and growing global population.
Hasina came up with the proposals while addressing the "United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021" in her prerecorded speech.
UN Secretary General António Guterres convened the event on Thursday.
Describing the proposals, the Prime Minister said first there should be research, investment and advanced technology sharing for agricultural development, and then there should be increased funding for developing countries for achieving a sustainable food system.
Read: Want actions, not words: Hasina to global community over Rohingya crisis
Want actions, not words: Hasina to global community over Rohingya crisis
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the global community to turn their “words and rhetoric” over the Rohingya crisis into actions to reach a desired solution to the protracted problem.
“We need to go beyond words and rhetoric to have tangible actions to reach a desired outcome which is also the cherished desire of the Rohingyas. Bangladesh will continue to work with all until this solution comes,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while speaking a High-Level Side Event on “Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (Rohingya) crisis: Imperatives for a Sustainable Solution” here on Wednesday.
Bangladesh arranged the event, while eight other countries, including the UK, Ireland, Turkey and Saudi Arabia cosponsored it.
Two-day art camp on PM Hasina begins at BSA
To mark the 75th birthday of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a special two-day art camp was inaugurated at the National Art Gallery plaza of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) Wednesday.
Seventy-five renowned female painters and artists of the country have joined the art camp titled "Sheikh Hasina: Bishwajoyi Nondito Neta.''
Portraying the eventful and historic life of Sheikh Hasina, eminent artists and art scholars – including Kanak Chanpa Chakma, Farida Zaman, Rokeya Sultana, Naima Haque, Ivy Zaman, Farzana Ahmed Shanta, and Syed Mahbuba Karim Mini – are participating in the camp.
READ: Weeklong exhibition on Rohingya memories to begin Sunday