Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina united Bangladesh and its people as the country is marching towards higher development trajectory leaving no one behind. 

"The Prime Minister believes that SDGs should be pro-people, pro-poor ones, and by achieving the goals and ensuring benefits for all with the principle - no one will be left behind," he said.

Dr Momen made the remarks while addressing a function titled “Transformational Leadership Lessons from Sheikh Hasina: Bangladesh’s Success Stories Towards Achieving SDGs'' on Tuesday night.

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The International Affairs Sub-Committee of Bangladesh Awami League organized the event at a city hotel. General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League and Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader attended the function as the chief guest.

AL Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury, Agriculture Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Chairman of International Affairs Sub-Committee Muhammad Zamir and its Secretary Dr Shammi Ahmed were present. 

Senior party leaders, including presidium members, joint secretaries and central committee members also attended the event.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller and diplomats from the UK, Australia, Germany and the European Union were also present.

Dr Momen said they are proud to celebrate Sheikh Hasina’s birth anniversary. "She’s a visionary leader and sacrifices her life for the country."

By involving its citizens, he mentioned, Sheikh Hasina created a success story in the field of disaster management. 

Shahriar Alam said Bangladesh has achieved most of the SDGs under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership. "With her strong commitment and dynamic leadership, the country has come far. She led Bangladesh ahead of all developing countries in terms of various SDG indicators," he said.

The State Minister indicated that Bangladesh is no longer an LDC as it has stepped into a developing country and moving towards the developed one by 2041.

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Former governor of Bangladesh Bank, Dr Atiur Rahman, in his keynote speech, highlighted that Sheikh Hasina was lucky to inherit aesthetic legacy from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujubur Rahman. Following the footprint of her father, Hasina developed a charter of inclusive development, he said.

Dr Atiur Rahman mentioned that Bangladesh has witnessed a significant pace of growth in difficult times and she demonstrated how to turn the crises into opportunities. 

Dr Shammi said the government, under able leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has worked tirelessly to make the country rise like a phoenix from the ashes of ruins. 

Muhammad Zamir said Sheikh Hasina has introduced technology and digitation which has brought opportunities for engagement and collaboration for the collective local and global interest. 

Later, Minister Obaidul Quader and other guests cut two cakes marking birthdays of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Russell, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's youngest son.