SDGs
Hasina seeks SDGs roadmap for countries falling behind
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has underscored the need for charting out a bold and ambitious global roadmap to put the world back on the SDGs track so that no one is left behind as pandemic has pushed many countries way behind from the goals.
“We’ve already entered the Decade of Delivery and Action of the Agenda. Yet the goals seem to be far away for many countries ….the pandemic has pushed them further behind. We need to chart out a bold and ambitious global roadmap to put us back on the SDGs track,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while attending the 9th Annual International Conference on Sustainable Development virtually on Monday.
Read:Hasina seeks stronger steps to address ‘planetary emergency’
Earth Institute, Columbia University, Global Masters of Development Practice, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network organised the conference on sustainable development.
Hasina said, “No country can achieve SDGs alone. We need enhanced global collaboration and solidarity to advance this agenda.”
To pull back the countries which are way behind the track of attaining SDGs in right time, Hasina proposed five specific points in this regard.
The points are: Ensuring vaccines for everyone, everywhere, closing the huge resource gap in implementing the 2030 Agenda, focusing on job creation, social protection, women empowerment, and science, technology, and innovation to deal with the impacts of the pandemic, making Covid-19 recovery measures complementary with climate actions and focusing on enhanced monitoring and support mechanism for SDGs implementation.
Hasina said the UN should have enhanced coordination in this regard. “It’s also imperative to ensure there’re adequate and timely support measures to withstand emergencies and shocks to avoid any slide back.”
She said scaling up preparedness for pandemic and other emergencies should be done with a priority at every level as the pandemic has upset the whole world, claiming countless lives and taking its toll on livelihoods.
Read: Hasina places six proposals to make world more liveable
Hasina also mentioned Bangladesh’s achievements in MDGs were highly significant and it was recognised by the international community as a “development miracle”. “Our SDGs journey builds on the successes of MDGs.”
About the climate change, she said Bangladesh is the pioneer in climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts and it has recently submitted an ambitious and updated NDC.
According to the Sustainable Development Report 2021 published by the University of Cambridge, Bangladesh has improved the most on the SDG Index since 2015.
“Bangladesh is now among the five fastest growing economies in the world, and ranked 41st in terms of GDP. The UN recommended Bangladesh to graduate from the LDC category this year.”
She said the government has taken up a coordinated effort involving the government, the private sector, the civil society, and other stakeholders to ensure the “whole of society engagement”.
To reach the people who are the furthest behind, she said the government has put additional focus on localizing SDGs. “We’ve have launched SDGs tracker. This serves as a data storehouse to monitor real-time progress of our SDGs.”
Read:Hasina leaves for US on first foreign trip since Covid
She said the government has invested heavily in the infrastructure capacity and is launching mega infrastructure projects like the Padma Bridge, Dhaka Metro rail, Karnaphuli Tunnel and the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
“Women have been mainstreamed in national development and economic activities. And they are now the backbone of certain vital sectors, such as the RMG,” she added.
Hasina said the investment in digitisation and connectivity has spurred the digital economy, youth-led innovations and transformative socio-economic changes. “This is now also helping us tackle the Covid-19 pandemic better.”
PM arrives in New York to attend UNGA
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in New York on Sunday afternoon to attend the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
“A VVIP chartered flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage landed at John F Kennedy International Airport at 5:40pm on Sunday (local time),” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told UNB.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Foreign Senior Secretary Masud Bin Momen and PMO Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah, among others, are accompanying the Prime Minister during the visit, he said.
Read:PM leaves Finland en route to New York to attend UNGA
Bangladesh Ambassador to USA M Shahidul Islam and Bangladesh Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York Rabab Fatima received her at the airport, said Ihsanul Karim.
Besides, leaders and activists of USA Awami League and Jubo League and Swechhasebak League welcomed the Prime Minister at the airport.
It is her first foreign trip since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.
She is going to join the UNGA for the 18th time as the head of government of Bangladesh and will address the UNGA general debate on September 24.
Besides, Sheikh Hasina will attend the opening session of the UNGA general debate on September 21 and other sideline events in the UN headquarters (UNHQ) on September 20-24. She will also have talks with a number of leaders during her stay in New York. The PM is expected to return home on October 1 next.
She will stay at the Hotel Lotte Palace during her stay in New York from September 19 to 25.
Read: PM reaches Finland route to New York to attend UNGA
On September 20 (Monday), the PM will attend a closed-door meeting for a small group of HOSs/HOGs on climate change at the UNHQ at 9am, plant a tree and dedicate a bench at the UN Gardens at 11:30am in honour of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the occasion of his birth centenary, and lay a floral wreath at the Peace Memorial at the North Lawn of UNHQ at 11:50am.
On Monday, Sheikh Hasina will sit in two separate bilateral meetings with EU Council President Charles Michel at 12:30pm (local time) and with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley at 2:45pm at her place of residence. Besides, she will join a virtual event of Sustainable Development Solution Network at 4:00pm.
On September 21 (Tuesday), the PM will attend the opening session of the UNGA general debate at 9:00pm, sit in a bilateral meeting with Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in the afternoon and join Business Roundtable on US-Bangladesh Business Council at 4:00pm at the place of residence.
On September 22 (Wednesday), Sheikh Hasina will virtually attend three events. The events are the high-level meeting of the UNGA to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action at 9:00am, White House Global Covid-19 Summit: Ending the Pandemic and building back better, and a high level side event on Rohingya crisis: imperatives for a sustainable solution at 3:00pm.
On September 23 (Thursday), the Bangladesh PM will attend two programmes by sending her prerecorded statements. These are the Leaders’ Network on ‘delivering on the UN common agenda: Action to achieve equality and inclusion’ to be organised by Swedish Mission to the UN at 8:00am, and the Food Systems Summit, as part of the decade of action to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030, convened by the UNSG at 1:00pm.
On Thursday, Sheikh Hasina will sit in four separate bilateral meetings with Queen Máxima of the Netherlands at the place of residence, UN Secretary-General António Guterres at 1:30pm, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at 2:00pm and Vietnam President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc at 2:40pm at the UNHQ.
Read:PM flies for Finland Friday morning on her way to UNGA
On September 24 (Friday), the Bangladesh Prime Minister will address the UNGA 76 general debate in the morning, sit in a bilateral meeting with Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte at UNHQ, and will virtually join a community programme.
On September 25 (Saturday), Sheikh Hasina will depart New York for Washington DC by a Biman flight at 8:00am. She will stay in Washington DC from 25 to 30 September.
Hasina is scheduled to leave Washington for Dhaka on 30 September and will return home on October 1 after a short stopover in Finland.
Speakers for using ‘disengaged youths’ for development
Speakers at a virtual dialogue on Wednesday stressed the need for using the country’s ‘disengaged youths’ for the development of the country.
“Bangladesh youths have very innovative power and many of them are becoming entrepreneurs and surviving in the global competitions with their merit and talent. But there is another youth community who is not properly used for the country and the nation,” said noted economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya.
Citizen’s Platform for SDGs Bangladesh and UNDP Bangladesh arranged the virtual dialogue on “Disengaged Youth in Bangladesh: Who, Why and How?” on the eve of the International Youth Day 2021, which would be observed on Thursday (August 12) across the world.
Dr Bhattacharya, also the Convenor of the Citizen’s Platform said the disengaged youths are not engaged in education, training or employment. “We call them ‘Disengaged Youth’ not ‘Alienated Youth’ of the country,” he said.
Noting that there is difference in opinion over the definition of youths, he said if the people aged below 25 years are considered as youths, they would be 45 percent of the country’s population, who will lead the global development programmes in future.
Read: Dhaka-Beijing ties can be prime mover for Bangladesh’s transformation: Debapriya
However, the youths are badly facing the brunt of the ongoing pandemic situation, Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, also a distinguished fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
UNDP Resident Representative Sudipto Mukerjee in his introductory speech put emphasis on connecting the disengaged youths to the mainstream for keeping the commitment made under the 2030 global development agenda (SDGs) to ‘Leave No One Behind’.
He said many young people are at a great risk of being deprived of the entitlement of leading dignified and productive lives. “If they will not be quickly connected, we would badly fail in achieving the agenda 2030,” he said.
Researcher Maha Mirza said there is a lack of policy discourse to address the huge number of the youth population disengaged from the country’s socio-economic development process.
“Since our planners and policymakers can’t think beyond three things –garments, remittance and 4th industrial revolution, the biggest portion of the youth community, who are engaged in different sorts of economic activities in information and formal sectors across the country, often remain out of their plans and policies,” she said.
Transgender rights activist Tashnuva Anan Shishir pointed out the absence of specific legal facilities, social stigma and lack of awareness are leaving the transgender youths behind.
Read: Protect consumption, promote employment in next budget: Debapriya
Disability Rights Activist Joshiah Sangma Chibol mentioned that people with disabilities are not a homogenous group, rather there are many dimensions to it. Different types of physical disability and social stigma prevents them from accessing general education and basic rights, which needs to be addressed for future development.
Executive Director of Youth Engagement for Sustainability (YES), Bangladesh Shamim Ahmed said more focus should be on youth skill development and employment to contribute more towards the economy. The policies should not be urban-centric only, he suggested.
Mohon Rabidas, Tea Garden Worker Rights Activist, commented that the youth of the tea garden workers community are mostly disengaged from the outside world and do not even receive proper education, for which they are unable to raise their voice.
Jimi Amir of Bangladesh Open Source Network (BdOSN) said the term “disengaged” needs to be accurately defined to address the overall youth disengagement.
CPD Senior Research Fellow Towfiqul Islam Khan moderated the dialogue.
A Philosophy that Empowers from Within
Thailand is a dedicated advocate for global sustainable development. The kingdom has been promoting its homegrown Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) as an alternative approach to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
First introduced by King Bhumibol Adulyadej after the Asian financial crisis in 1997, SEP has become Thailand's development concept that is universally applicable.
The philosophy is a culmination of His Majesty's reflections from decades of extensive tours and conversations with villagers around the country. Even the grounds of Chitralada Villa, his royal palace, were used for experimenting agricultural projects that could be extended to other areas.
This royal legacy remains the core of Thailand's national development efforts to this day.
READ: Hello yaba, hello liquor, hello Bangladesh
SEP provides us with a foundation, and acts as a compass towards sustainability, based on three interrelated principles and two pillars. The first principle is moderation, which means producing and consuming within one's capacity, and avoiding overindulgence. The second one is reasonableness, or the use of our mental faculties to assess the causes and consequences of actions on our well-being, our household and our community. Prudence is the third principle, which refers to risk management so as to be prepared for impacts from any disruptions.
Additionally, the two critical pillars needed to implement SEP principles successfully are knowledge, and ethics and virtues. The former enables us to effectively plan and execute developmental activities. The latter fosters human development by emphasizing honesty, altruism, and perseverance, with the ultimate goal to create active, engaged citizens, and to promote good governance.
READ: Women’s Groups Call for UN Peacekeeping Force in Afghanistan
SEP is obviously not a how-to handbook for development.
Rather, it is a philosophy that guides our inner thinking to immunize ourselves from external shocks. Likewise, there is flexibility for the concept to be applied in any environment and level. However, sufficiency economy does not mean we have to be complacent in life. We can consider going beyond our basic needs as long as it does not exceed our existing means and capacity.
The essence of SEP is clear that it encourages us to be sensible and realistic.
SEP has inspired numerous projects both in Thailand and elsewhere. The Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) is Thailand's coordinator in forging development cooperation with international partners worldwide.
SEP-based development models implemented by T ICA are specifically designed to assist developing countries escape the cycle of excessive dependence on foreign aid. The objective is to create resilient communities starting from the individual level by enhancing productivity within the limitations of existing income and resources.
Since 2003, TICA has carried out 36 SEP projects in 21 counü•ies across Asia Pacific and Africa, from the Kyrgyz Republic to Timor-Leste and from Mozambique to Solomon Islands. At present, there are 29 projects in 19 countries, which testify that SEP can be translated into action anywhere.
There are two main types of overseas SEP projects to institutionalise the self-development process and to conserve local knowledge and wisdom: 1) the establishment of SEP Learning Centres, to serve as a comprehensive database, and community learning centre with a designated expert to provide guidance; and 2) the development of SEP Sustainable Communities to serve as role models on development.
READ: Pakistan, India and the US: The three losers in Afghanistan ?
SEP Learning Centre projects are being implemented in Lao PDR, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Brunei Darussalam, Tonga, Fiji, and Lesotho. At the same time, SEP Sustainable Community projects are in progress in Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Benin, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, the Kyrgyz Republic, Nepal, and Senegal. Thai experts and TICA's Friends of Thailand Volunteers have been dispatched to work with local stakeholders in several of these countries.
For instance, in Lao PDR, Thai and Lao officials have established Learning Centres for Sustainable Development in Agriculture at Dongkhamxang Agricultural Technical School and Khammouane Technical - Vocational College.
These cenfres maximise the potential of human resources by providing capacity building courses that covers the whole supply chain, such as farm management, productivity management, and market analysis. As agriculture is a vital sector in landlocked Lao PDR, strengthening its agricultural capacity will safeguard domestic food security and enable farmers to sustain their livelihood.
In Bhutan, SEP practitioners assisted in developing community products by localising Thailand's One Tambon (Sub-district) One Product (OTOP) scheme as One Gewog One Product (OGOP) in Haa and Tsirang Districts. OGOP Model includes the establishment of a Community Learning Centre on community-based tourism in Haa District, and one on sustainable community development in Tsirang District, with a view to empowering local authorities and communities.
In Tonga, the Chai Pattana Foundation under royal pafronage and the Tonga Royal Palace have jointly overseen an agricultural model project, which applies "New Theory Agriculture." The idea is to divide the land for multiple purposes such as for crops cultivation, livestock farming, fisheries, and water resources.
This approach has helped to ensure sufficient resources for household consumption, and to reduce the reliance on food imports. It has increased agricultural productivity, generated income, and elevated living standards. The success of this demonstration model has since been replicated around the kingdom island.
Development is achievable through various paths. In many cases such as in Lao PDR, Bhutan and Tonga, the simple yet practical approach of SEP has been as beneficial as any other alternatives while being even more relatable to the respective local conditions.
The concept is, of course, not free from skepticism. But Thailand has fried and tested the applicability of SEP well enough before sharing it abroad. Based on its policy of prosper thy neighbour, SEP is one of Thailand's tools in helping neighbouring countries to attain economic security, food security, and self-sufficiency. The success of SEP projects in neighbouring countries would not only benefit the local communities there, but also confribute towards peace, prosperity, and closer people-to-people ties along the border areas with Thailand.
The same principle applies to cooperation with countries beyond the region, which is to assist them to transition from being recipient countries towards becoming Thailand's partner in a wider array of dimensions.
Sustainable development is a global agenda that requires collective action, and SEP is Thailand's contribution to such end. Through decades of accumulated experience, Thailand
has discovered its answer on how to pass on a sustainable world to our younger generations through local empowerment. Thousands of development projects based on SEP in Thailand have aheady improved the livelihood ofcommunities nationwide.
As such, SEP could perhaps be another practical and worthy development track that Other countries can adapt to their specific contexts.
Mr. Dusit Manapan is a career diplomat and currently serves as the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, [n his current capacity. he also oversees the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), Thailand's international aid agency.
KOICA to help generate statistics to indicate progress on SDGs
A knowledge-sharing webinar on strengthening statistical capacity of Bangladesh, focusing on indicators relating to the SDGs (sustainable development goals) was held virtually on Tuesday.
Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in collaboration with Statistics and Informatics Division (SID) and Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) under Ministry of Planning hosted the event.
Challenges such as, production of disaggregated and frequent statistics by age, sex, disability and sub-national level, comparability of data, availability of baseline data, conducting a large number of new surveys, technical support availability for regular monitoring, modern technology, etc. still persist that calls for a more restructuring, the webinar emphasised.
Young-Ah Doh, Country Director, KOICA Bangladesh Office, Mohammad Tajul Islam, Director General, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Muhammad Mesbahul Alam, Additional Secretary, Statistics and Informatics Division, among other officials of the government of Bangladesh joined the virtual event.
Read: KOICA takes project on road safety in Bangladesh through ITS
Bangladesh’s standing in big data usage has highly advanced, namely, smart national ID Card database, COVID-19 vaccine registration, population census 2011 database, E-Passport integrated with NID database, national household database, 100 million births registered electronically, etc.
SDGs: PM says Bangladesh in top form for prudent planning
Bangladesh has been one of the top three performers on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Index due to the government’s prudent planning with specific directions, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday.
“We’ve taken proper planning with specific directions, and we’re moving ahead in a planned way for implementing the SDGs and included those in the [8th] Five Year Plan," Sheikh Hasina said.
She said this when Planning Minister MA Mannan, in the beginning of the weekly Ecnec meeting, informed the Prime Minister about Bangladesh's success in remaining there on top three positions in SDGs’ implementation.
Read: Live up to promises to ensure SDG benefits for marginalised: PM
Keeping the country’s development in mind, Hasina said, Awami League in its election manifesto stated various goal-oriented measures.
"We’ve been taking effective measures to implement those since assuming office and that’s why Bangladesh has been in the top three countries in implementing the SDGs,” she said.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh was in an advanced position in implementing the Million Development Goals (MDGs). “We’re approaching the SDGs the same way.”
Read: Report: Bangladesh among 3 top performers in sustainable development
Hasina gave all credits for the achievements to collective efforts of all that included the people of the country, party leaders and activists alongside civil and military officials and members of law enforcement agencies.
The Prime Minister thanked all concerned for accepting the decisions taken by her government and working sincerely for their execution.
On one side the government has to face the Coronavirus fallouts and keep the country’s economy moving on the other, she said, adding, “This has been possible due to the collective efforts of all."
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is also dealing with lots of problems, including the manmade ones, as it did in the past.
Pledging to take the country ahead facing all the odds and obstacles, she said, adding: “Bangladesh is marching ahead and will surely keep moving on.”
The Prime Minister also unveiled the cover of a memorial book titled “Durjog Jhuki Hrashe Bangabandhu” (Bangabandhu in Disaster Risk Reduction)” while joining virtually a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) from her official residence Ganobhaban while other concerned got connected with it from NEC conference room.
Unveiling the cover of the book, she said that measures taken by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in reducing the risks of disasters is exemplary for not only Bangladesh, but for any disaster-prone area in the world.
She said the people of Bangladesh could face any sort of storm, tidal surge, cyclone and natural disaster as Bangabandhu taught Bangladeshis in this regard.
Describing the measures taken by Bangabandhu in facing any disaster as a milestone for Bangladesh, Hasina said her government is taking every measure to face disasters following the footsteps of Bangabandhu.
“We have been able to protect the lives of the people (from natural disasters) and got confidence to face any natural calamity from the measures and plans taken by the Father of the Nation,” she added.
Utilise SDGs as a framework to address youth agenda: Dialogue
Youths should be involved beyond passive consultation processes and be encouraged to actively provide inputs to local and national SDG accountability mechanisms, speakers have said at a virtual dialogue.
Although the youth at the national and local level was considered an important part of implementation and accountability in Sustainable Development Agenda-2030, it has not been implemented, they said.
The virtual global sharing session titled Youth, SDG Accountability & the Voluntary Local Review: Situating Bangladesh’s Experience within the Global Context" was jointly organised by the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh and ActionAid Bangladesh on Thursday night.
Also read: SDGs: 'Youth voice missing in policy process'
The SDGs assume that the youth will play a crucial role in the Voluntary National Review (VNR) and other related accountability processes.
Rather than solely focusing on skills for employability, youth-based skills training programmes deployed by both government and NSAs (Non-State Actors) should also involve training to collect data, through modern ICT solutions, relevant to the protection of youth’s well- being and rights, said the speakers.
However, they said, consolidation of global experiences in terms of localising youth participation in SDG implementation and accountability has been sparse.
In fact, a third of the 17 SDGs exclusively refer to the youths in view of their development, participation and well-being. Even indicators that do not directly refer to the youths have serious implications for them, said the discussants.
Riina Jussila, Sustainable Development Expert, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), New York mentioned that, even within the context where both national and local levels of government do not believe in the SDGs and have cancelled the national census even before the Covid pandemic, as a response there is still a “spotlight report” to shadow the country’s SDG implementation, citizen generated data to replace the census and even their own set of indicators called the “inequality map”.
"Leveraging the usage of ICT is crucial to empowering the youths in SDG accountability. It’s needed for disruption of education and lack of opportunities. The data collection skills are needed and ICT will work to leverage and enhance it. Moreover, creation of spaces to not just share ideas but to document processes of implementing SDGs," said Estefania Charvet, Head of Programmes, Southern Voice Network.
Farah Kabir, Country Director, ActionAid Bangladesh, pointed that whole society inclusion should be a major goal which can be done via data and information sharing, capacity building, political commitment, environment and such other.
"We need to bring on board, particularly young women and men to understand the perspectives and thinking of the young generation across the globe," she said.
A keynote presentation was delivered by Najeeba Mohammed Altaf, Programme Associate, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), in which the involvement of youth in the SDG Accountability mechanisms, specifically the VNRs, was analysed from three different experiences.
These are mobilization, localisation and accountability experiences across global, national (Official) and national (Non-State Actors) perspectives.
She also mentioned that, despite the clear importance shown to youth within the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development itself, this importance was not reflected in the extent of youth participation documented in either the 2017 or 2020 VNR published by Bangladesh.
Many of the perfunctory “consultation” meetings mentioned in the 2020 VNR were not conducted due to the pandemic either.
Following the analysis, recommendations were constructed based on the progress made by Bangladesh compared to its international peers.
The paradigm of progression in Nigeria is one of ups and downs.
"The biggest issue is regarding the data gap and access to IT and internet among the youth. We also interacted with youth organisations and it was also inclusive," said Suwaiba Yakubu-Jibrin, Director of Programme, ActionAid Nigeria.
Sesheeni Selvaratnam, International Programme & Policy Lead, ActionAid Denmark, said SDGs need to be accessible to locals in a language they can understand. In one case, one of the youths empowered through ActionAid in Zambia who was also part of Green Movement was actually contacted by their government to write the chapter on youth in their VNR.
Left behind youth in SGD perspective especially women, indigenous group and third gender, who are the less linked people are exposed in employability issues mostly during the pandemic.
According to Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Convenor, Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh and Distinguished Fellow, CPD; data, information and protecting civic space in the post pandemic period needs to be focused when the state may take a much more authoritarian approach in the upcoming days. In the absence of a robust global governance structure, this is not only an issue for the nation but also global in many ways.
Also read: D-8 Youth Summit: Dhaka for achieving SDGs engaging youth
Daya Sagar Shrestha, Chairperson, National Campaign for Sustainable Development Nepal (NACASUD-Nepal); Vitor Mihessen, Casa Fluinense, Brazil; Ms Sesheeni Selvaratnam, International Programme & Policy Lead, ActionAid Denmark also shared their views at the discussion.
Kazi Ashief Mahmood, Project Officer- DRR, BRAC and Reneka Ahmed Antu, Youth Advocate, Plan International Bangladesh were also present at the event.
The virtual global session was moderated by Towfiqul Islam Khan, Senior Research Fellow, CPD.
The dialogue was also participated by a selected group of non-government organisations working on youth issues, UN representatives and country experts from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America as well as international development partners and representatives of the media.
'Workers' productivity may fall 20% due to malnutrition'
Many workers of different industries in Bangladesh are victims of malnutrition and their productivity rate is likely to fall up to 20% due to the condition.
So, the workers' nutrition safety will have to be prioritised for the implementation of the government's Vision 2021 and 2041 and achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Also read: 43 pc female RMG workers suffering from malnutrition
Speakers said this at a partnership agreement signing ceremony between the Department of Labour and Switzerland-based Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in the capital Monday.
Moniruzzaman Bipul, portfolio lead of GAIN Bangladesh, said ensuring necessary nutrition for workers may increase their productivity rate up to 20%. "Only anaemia, caused by iron deficiency, is responsible for the reduction of productivity worth $500 crore in South Asia."
SDGs: 'Youth voice missing in policy process'
The youths should be involved beyond passive consultation processes and encouraged to actively provide inputs to local and national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) accountability mechanisms.
But the voice of the young people, who make up more than a third of the country's population, is missing in the implementation of the SDGs.
Experts made the observations at the dialogue "Accountability for SDG Implementation: Local Perspectives and Youth" organised by Citizen's Platform for SDGs Bangladesh and ActionAid Bangladesh Sunday.
"Among the 122 indicators of SDGs, eight are directly focused on youth employment, various injustice, educational rights and others. Undoubtedly, we need to pay attention to the assessment, evaluation and voice of the youth," said Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, convenor of Citizen's Platform.
ActionAid Country Director Farah Kabir said: "Though Bangladesh prepared two voluntary national reviews in 2017 and 2020 respectively to assess the implementation status of the SDGs, youth and marginalised communities were not fully involved in the process."
"So, the voluntary local reviews need to be prepared through the district, sub-district and community levels, especially involving young men and young women below the age of 35 years and who have been left behind lately due to the pandemic."
Increase allocation, operate cash transfer to disadvantaged communities: Experts
Experts have urged to increase allocation and operate cash transfer to disadvantaged communities noting that the Covid-19 situation has adversely affected members of these groups.
They also underscored the need for specific policies for vulnerable groups and the right direction to implement them.
Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Convenor of Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh and Distinguished Fellow, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), on Sunday made the keynote presentation at a webinar on what should be there for the ‘disadvantaged people’.
The platform has proposed a number of fiscal budgetary framework, strategic priorities and state of Covid stimulus packages, keeping in the purview of the upcoming 2021-22 budget.
“Employment is being restored with low skills and low-income jobs, extensive under-employment, growing indebtedness and deepening inequality are increasing during the second wave. Budgetary targets are not realised on both resource and expenditure sides,” Dr Debapriya added.
Apparent stability of the macroeconomic situation is also needed in terms of low inflation, stable exchange rate, moderate fiscal deficit and current account surplus.
The socio-economic impact and the disproportionate impact on traditionally marginalised communities (‘left behind’) as well as on low income and low middle-income people (‘pushed behind’) will be more protracted than the immediate health emergencies.
He said current circumstances demand special attention to consumption protection of the poor/low-income people and employment promotion at MSME level. “To initiate the midterm approach of FY 2021-22, we need to press all four triggers – consumption, investment, government spending and net exports,” the economist said.
A minimum two-three year time frame to have a robust recovery strategy with core budget, integrating recovery efforts with structural transformation needs, targeted discretionary support to the “left behind” and “push behind” communities/citizens and use SDG as a framework for poverty frame and align with 8FYP (2021-25) is critically important.
Until March of FY 2021, revenue collection was 50 percent of the target with 7.3(+) percent growth and ADP expenditure was 42 percent of total allocation with 4.3(-) percent growth.
Financing budget deficit were seen due to low use of foreign concessional finance, high borrowing from the banking sector and costly borrowing through NSC needs to be retrained. Use of concessional foreign finance to be prioritised to improve ADP implementation as well as to keep budget deficit from increasing.
The disadvantaged population of the country bears the disproportionate adverse impact of such shortfall in public development programme. In 2020, we were concerned about resource availability (lack of fiscal space) to confront the pandemic. In 2021, we can say it is the inability to implement the public expenditure programmes which has become the binding constraint, he said.
“We also need to create an integrated database of potential recipients of government supports including social safety nets and to improve the quality of the public expenditures, involvement of stakeholders at different levels are required,” he added.
According to the keynote, in FY 2020, before July 2020, total Tk 77,278 crore (2.76% of GDP) stimulus was announced. In FY 2021, till May 2021, the amount was roughly Tk 47,715.50 crore (1.71% of GDP).
To have greater fiscal multiplier effect, Bangladesh needs to push resources to those having a high marginal propensity to consume (e.g., poorer households) and a high marginal propensity to invest (e.g., small entrepreneurs).
Substantive cash transfer to disadvantaged communities/citizens, liquidity flow to MSME, domestic market-oriented manufacturing diversification, post-harvest mechanisation of agriculture, IT-platform based high value service provision etc are some strategic priorities for the FY2021-22 budget.
In Covid related government support intervention, there were 14 fiscal support (including two food support) and this was less than 20.5% of total allocation. Eleven hybrid support (subsidy to interest rate) amounting a little above 79.5% of total allocation where 18 are new interventions and 7 were extension of the existing programme.
Hybrid support in FY 2020-21 includes additional Tk 10,000 crore in working capital loans to affected large industries and service sector. Some packages were announced in one fiscal year, but intended to disburse from following fiscal year fully or partly. The estimated net fiscal support (net fiscal support excludes fiscal support for agriculture sector and construction of home) is as low as 1.63 percent and 15.54 percent of total allocations in FY20 and FY21 respectively.
In terms of share of GDP, they are 0.04 percent and 0.19 percent respectively. Fiscal support was not only low in allocation but also slower in delivery. This overwhelming constraint cannot be addressed exclusively through strengthened administrative monitoring. This will need wide-ranging structural and institutional reforms.
Anisatul Fatema Yousuf, Coordinator of Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh; Advocate Sultana Kamal, Former Executive Director of Ain o Salish Kendra; Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow of CPD; ShaheenAnam, Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation; Rasheda K Choudhury, Executive Director of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE); Dr Mushtaque Raza Chowdhury, Vice Chairperson of BRAC; Asif Ibrahim, Chairman of Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) & Syed Nasim Manzur, Chairman of Landmark Footwear Ltd and Founding Director of Apex Footwear Ltd, were also present at the event.