Sunday | 6 October 2024 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Sunday | 6 October 2024 | Epaper

Prime Minister’s  pragmatism towards global leadership

Published : Saturday, 7 October, 2023 at 12:00 AM  Count : 502
Dr Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury
In her address to the 78th session of the UN General Assembly recently, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the world leaders to shun the path of war, sanctions, and conflict and work together for welfare and economic prosperity of mankind. She congratulated The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres, for strengthening multilateral diplomacy, for his efforts and courageous speeches, and for taking far-reaching practical steps to overcome the global crisis. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said this year's theme 'Rebuilding Trust and Revitalization of Global Solidarity' is very relevant in the context of global instability and complexity.

In her speech, she strongly suggested that in the wake of the recent global economic crisis, there should be an urgent initiative to build a just international economic system. The revival of human unity-brotherhood-can be the main component. The recognition of interdependence can only lead to a reasonable solution to the present problem. 'There is no alternative to a united effort to overcome the overall disaster,' she emphasized. Collective efforts to address common crises will be a viable way to build a safe, peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future for all. That is why, of course, the approach to unity, empathy, and multilateralism as opposed to division, narrowness, and isolation will be the unique determinant. The UN Charter and the 2030 Agenda will be one of the cornerstones of achieving peace and sustainable prosperity.

The Prime Minister appreciated the initiative to convene the 'Summit of the Future' next year and hoped that the process would complement the efforts of all to achieve the 2030 Development Programme. She informed the session that Bangladesh will formally join the developing country category in 2026. Although the current global crises may not hinder Bangladesh's development progress; she urged the development partners and developed countries to continue their cooperation in this journey. The prime minister drew the attention of the WTO members to provide the special facilities applicable to the least developed countries as per the required scope of Bangladesh. The LDC-5 summit in Doha, Qatar in March this year reaffirmed its commitment to continue cooperation with ASEAN countries waiting to transition from least developed to developing countries; She also called on the United Nations and development partners to fully implement the Doha Program.

In her speech, the prime minister demanded the immediate implementation of international disarmament and arms proliferation agreements, as well as Bangladesh's contribution to UN peacekeeping operations and commitment to world peace and security. Highlighting her government's anti-terror stance, she said, 'We never allow our land to be used to carry out terrorist activities or harm others.' The prime minister stressed the effective implementation of the provisions of the International Compact on safe, orderly, and regular migration and the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to exploit sustainable use of marine resources.

She urged all concerned to ensure the speedy restoration of the now-defunct Black Sea Grain Initiative system. Also, ensuring uninterrupted availability of fertilizers for countries like Bangladesh, global investment in building cold storages to conserve produced crops, launching regional 'food banks' to deal with emergencies, supporting each other in the research of climate-resilient crops, setting up an international organization to provide low-interest credit assistance to developing countries. She proposed to include special provisions related to natural disasters in all credit systems, including equitable access of developing countries to the IMF's SDR fund during disasters. She thanked the UN Secretary-General for proposing a $500 billion stimulus package and demanded its immediate implementation.

On the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year, the Prime Minister reiterated her commitment to global humanity and called for collective efforts to ensure equality, fairness, and freedom for all. At the same time, she drew the attention of the United Nations to ensure that the protection of human rights is not used to put political pressure on developing countries. Highlighting Bangladesh's commitment to human rights during the UN General Assembly session, she said, 'The Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees basic human rights for all.

Bangladesh's legal system has undergone significant reforms in the last decade to provide legal protection to all and ensure justice. As a responsible state, we are fully committed to protecting the human rights of the people. As elected members of the UN Human Rights Council, we continue to work with other members to protect the human rights of our people around the world. In the said session, her outstanding declaration unequivocally expressed that Bangladesh would continue to ensure democracy, the rule of law, and freedom of expression in the light of the Constitution.

During the session, Prime Minister criticized the failure to show hope of achieving the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people despite being the 75th anniversary of "Nakba". She expressed the hope that Bangladesh would continue its efforts to achieve the rights of the Palestinian people.

At the pre-session event titled 'Have they forgotten us?' Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina conveyed a resounding message to the global community at the United Nations headquarters on September 21st, 2023. She urged them to not turn their gaze away from the Rohingya crisis and to ensure a sustainable solution, emphasizing the importance of the Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. She further appealed to the concerted efforts of ASEAN member states, particularly, to facilitate the repatriation of Rohingya to their homeland in Myanmar. She presented four proposals to the world for a permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis. 'I call on the world community to resolve this issue and put this issue at the top of their agenda, including continuing our humanitarian efforts for the survival of these distressed and helpless people,' she said in the first and second resolutions. The third proposal is to continue to rule against these ethnic minorities and to follow an ongoing and multilateral process to ensure accountability for perpetrators of heinous atrocities.

"We must ensure that they can go back to their homes in Myanmar and live a life of dignity" she said. "For this, we must get to the root of the problem, which is in Myanmar. They need protection and necessary facilities in their own country; So that they do not have to flee their homes. The Head of Government of Bangladesh expressed dissatisfaction over the rapid decline in global respect for the needs of the Rohingyas. She said sheltering more than one million displaced Rohingyas for a long time was never an option for Bangladesh. As Bangladesh is one of the countries most affected by high population density, global warming, and sea-level rise, it is already under additional pressure from the increasing number of internally displaced persons induced by climate, and the long presence of Rohingy as has serious socio-economic-security implications for the people of Bangladesh" she said.

Highlighting her government's achievements and initiatives, the prime minister said, "We have been able to transform Bangladesh from a low-middle-income country to an upper-middle-income country through practical policies and investments on the path shown by Bangabandhu." We have made steady progress in achieving the SDGs by continuing Bangladesh's success in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, like other countries of the world, Bangladesh has also faced serious challenges in this regard.

Coronavirus, man-made crises, and natural disasters have multiplied the challenges. My government has invested heavily in building a "Smart Bangladesh" under vision 2041, and through this, we want to make our country a high-income, poverty-free, developed country that will open the way for innovation with the proper use of science and technology. She also said that the unprecedented success in providing primary health services at the grassroots level through the establishment of community clinics in Bangladesh has already been recognized and appreciated by the General Assembly. She advised other developing countries of similar socio-economic conditions to follow this model of Bangladesh.

Other notable achievements and initiatives presented in her speech include the expansion of the social safety net, women's empowerment, and gender equality, the formulation of a national low-carbon emissions strategy through green initiatives, including renewable energy, in line with the Paris Agreement, and a secure delta system. Achieving a climate-resilient and prosperous Delta, opening new horizons of development for Bangladesh in the blue economy after a peaceful resolution of the maritime boundary, etc.

A review of the prime minister's speeches not only highlights the individual issues faced by Bangladesh, but also encompasses global challenges. She demonstrated a profound self-realization in understanding all the crises that exist in the global context. The Prime Minister's timely conviction is in urging the so-called advanced superpowers to cease using the sale and utilization of warlike weapons as a yardstick to gauge economic strength.

The Rohingya issue isn't confined solely to Bangladesh; it's a matter that resonates across South Asia-Asia as a whole, affecting nearly every nation on the planet to some extent. The Prime Minister has articulated this enduring concern with a far-reaching perspective. The ongoing plight of the Rohingya and the global attention toward ensuring their human rights protection deserve recognition.

Above all, her call to elevate the pathway for other developed countries to engage in a rational and comprehensive consideration of the issues faced by the developing world has evolved into a statement of unprecedented hope. Her speeches are more than just the words of a leader from a smaller nation; they represent a remarkable lesson for the developed world in the pursuit of a prosperous global community, akin to a wise and skilled stateswoman in the developing world.

The writer is an educationist, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Chittagong



LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Are we prepped to face climate change?
Big push for Bangladesh to adapt to changing climate  
The unraveling of military rule in Myanmar
How to win an argument
Recognise Pakistans 1971 atrocities as genocide
Its time we diversified our export trade
Stop ecocide to gain green economy
Conservation of our wildlife is a must
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: info©dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝