BSS-23 MPs role crucial in achieving SDGs: Speaker

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BSS-23

SPEAKER-SDG-HABIGANJ

MPs role crucial in achieving SDGs: Speaker

HABIGANJ, Sept 14, 2018 (BSS) – Speaker of National Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury today said the role played by members of parliament (MPs) in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is crucial as they can contribute to ensure no one is left behind.

“The MPs can adopt action plan to achieve SDGs in their respective constituencies. Their effective role in stopping child marriages, use of drugs, and development of youths has been widely acclaimed at the grassroots,” she said.

The speaker said these while addressing a workshop at The Palace Resort in Bahubol, Habiganj.

The two-day workshop, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) titled ‘Role of Member of Parliament in Monitoring and Implementing SDGs’ was attended by a total of 30 MPs and other senior officials of the Parliament Secretariat.

Dr Chaudhury also highlighted the initiatives of the Bangladesh government to mobilize resources for localizing the SDGs, such as the social safety net programme.

“As Bangladesh poises to attain middle-income status, the need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for an inclusive and responsible society is more pressing than ever before”, said Mia Seppo, UN Resident Coordinator in her remarks.

“The workshop has two major aims: informing the parliamentarians of the new 2030 agenda and SDGs and to facilitate the development approaches and tools for the parliamentarians to monitor and implement SDGs at the local level,” Country Director of UNDP Bangladesh, Sudipto Mukerjee said.

A.S.M Feroz MP Chief Whip, Bangladesh Parliament while addressing the workshop said, “Poverty alleviation is essential to achieve the SDGs. We also need to focus on reducing inequality from our society.”

Md. Fazle Rabbi Miah, MP, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, stressed the importance on public-private partnership in achieving SDGs.

Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Coordinator for SDGs Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office, presented the ‘SDG Framework and role of parliamentarians in monitoring and implementing the SDGs.’

Among others Md. Shahab Uddin and Iqbalur Rahim, Whip, Bangladesh Parliament, Charles Chauvel, team leader, Inclusive Political Processes Governance and Peacebuilding, UNDP, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Senior Consultant, UNDP Bangladesh and Sheela Tasneem Haq, Advisor Political Governance, UNDP Bangladesh were present at the programme.

BSS/PR/MHR/KU/1918 HRS