DHAKA, July 30, 2019 (BSS) – Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia
Scotland QC has urged Bangladesh to lead the Commonwealth Blue Charter and
climate risk management as she called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in
London on Monday evening.
“Bangladesh should lead the Commonwealth Blue Charter and climate risk
management,” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted Patricia Scotland as
saying after the meeting.
The Commonwealth Blue Charter is an agreement signed by all 53
Commonwealth countries to actively cooperate to solve ocean-related problems
and meet commitments for sustainable ocean development.
The press secretary told BSS over phone from London that the prime
minister agreed with the proposal of the Commonwealth secretary general and
said her government is working on the issue.
He said the prime minister and the Commonwealth secretary general
discussed the issues of ICT and SDG tracker.
In this connection, Patricia highly praised Bangladesh’s tremendous
success in ICT sector and progress in SDG tracker.
She said that the Commonwealth Women Conference will be held this year in
Nairobi where Bangladesh can play a vital role.
Patricia also said that Commonwealth member countries can take the lesson
from Bangladesh’s improved version of SDG tracker.
She said a continental free trade area will be introduced among 49 states
out of 53 Commonwealth members.
The prime minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman initiated disaster management programme and the present government is
following his footprint to manage climate risks.
Sheikh Hasina also apprised Patricia of the various steps taken by the
government to this effect.
The premier praised the contribution of the Commonwealth secretary general
to the umbrella organisation of 53 countries.
PM’s daughter Saima Wazed Hossain, PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur
Rahman and Bangladesh High Commissioner in London Saida Muna Tasneem were
present.