Now is the time to rebuild this fragile state: PM

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said the time has come to rebuild Bangladesh, which was rendered fragile under the oppressive rule of fascism.

He said the fascist exploitation and rule spanning over a decade and a half had turned Bangladesh into a debt-dependent and import-dependent fragile state. The time has now come to rebuild this fragile state across all sectors, including education, health and the environment. In this journey of national reconstruction, the role of the SDGs is undeniable.

As part of this effort, the current government has taken steps to implement a five-year strategic economic framework to ensure public prosperity. This framework aligns the country's national development plan with the UN-declared Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Prime Minister made these remarks at the national conference on determining a five-year strategic framework for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The conference was organised on Monday afternoon at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

Tarique Rahman said a look at BNP's public policies clearly shows that all BNP plans and programmes have always been people-centric.

He noted that for the development of the country and its people, the late President Ziaur Rahman, the proclaimer of independence, had his 19-point programme; former Prime Minister the late Khaleda Zia had her 'Vision 2030'; and currently there is the 31-point state reform agenda. Historically, each of these has not been very different from the vision and mission of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) or the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Prime Minister said just as Bangladesh demonstrated success in implementing the MDGs, it continues to take and implement appropriate steps in implementing the SDGs. He noted that the SDG principle of 'No One Left Behind' aligns with the current government's public policy.

He said the current government's policy is 'Bangladesh for All' to ensure the interests of all classes and professions.

The Prime Minister said the government's adopted 'Five Pillars of Reform and Development' reflect the core priorities of the SDGs: poverty alleviation, universal social protection, quality education and healthcare, gender equality, climate resilience and good governance.

He said the current government has adopted a 'Recovery-Rehabilitation-Reconstruction' or 'Three-R' strategy to consolidate the progress made in graduating from LDC status and implementing the SDGs. Through this, everything from temporary stabilisation to long-term structural transformation will be implemented under a cohesive design.

Tarique Rahman said, following the people's mandate, the current government has been implementing multiple social protection programmes since the day after forming the government on February 17, including Family Cards to ensure women's social and economic empowerment, Farmers' Cards to protect farmers' interests, and e-Health Cards to make public health and medical services accessible.

He said this is delivering direct subsidies, agricultural inputs, financial assistance and healthcare to marginal farmers, low-income families and vulnerable groups. Additionally, Sports Cards, and honorarium allowances for Imams, Muazzins and religious leaders of various faiths have also been introduced.

In other words, the government's support network is expanding to reach every class and profession in the country, the Prime Minister noted.

He said the government has a well-thought-out roadmap to gradually bring every potential citizen under the social protection and financial support framework within the current term.

As part of the SDG Village initiative, three villages have been selected as a pilot model for localising SDGs: Mitingachhari in Kaptai upazila of Rangamati, Pankhali in Dakop upazila of Khulna, and Nefanganj in Bochaganj upazila of Dinajpur.

In these villages, various programmes will be implemented on a pilot basis, including Family Cards, Health Cards, Farmers' Cards, loans for small and medium enterprises, school dresses, madrasa-based education, renewable energy, village tourism, One Village-One Product, tree plantation, canal excavation and eco-tourism. Their impact will be monitored simultaneously.

Based on the success of this initiative, plans have been made to expand this model to other villages across the country in the future. He expressed hope that the SDG Village initiative would become an exemplary platform to present the current government's electoral commitments as an internationally recognised development model.

Noting that SDG implementation is not possible through any single ministry or department, the Prime Minister said successful implementation requires collective cooperation from the government, private sector, development partners, NGOs, civil society, media and every citizen.

He expressed hope that in this three-day conference, each coordinating ministry and department would adopt realistic and timely action plans through discussions on their thematic progress, challenges and future actions.

Tarique Rahman said the government's vision is clear on several fundamental issues for future action plans: a democratic state with free elections, rule of law and institutional accountability; a humane state with universal health, education and civic rights; and a welfare state ensuring economic opportunity and justice for every citizen.

He urged everyone to work with determination towards achieving the sustainable development goals by 2030.

The event was attended by Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Planning Jonayed Saki, Planning Division Secretary SM Shakil Akhtar, and the Prime Minister's Adviser (Minister of State rank) for Finance and Planning Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, along with senior officials.