Khosru Urges Wider Economic Participation to Drive Sustainable Development

Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has stressed the need to make the economy more inclusive and sustainable by creating income and employment opportunities for marginalised communities, saying greater economic participation of grassroots artisans, cultural workers and the sports sector can help Bangladesh advance its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He made the remarks while delivering the concluding speech at a three-day national conference on the SDGs at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre on Wednesday.
State Minister for Planning Junaid Saki, along with senior government officials, was present at the concluding session. 
The finance minister claimed that the core elements of the SDGs had been reflected in the political commitments and development vision of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) long before the United Nations adopted the global goals.
He said several foundations for sustainable development had been laid during the administrations of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
Amir Khasru expressed optimism that if the BNP's election manifesto is fully implemented, Bangladesh will not only achieve the SDG targets but also move a step ahead of international indicators of sustainable development.
He said government initiatives alone would not be enough to achieve the SDGs. The government, private sector and NGOs must work together on a large scale.
A strong committee has been formed for this purpose, involving fashion designers, weaving experts and grassroots coordinators. Pilot projects are also being implemented in different areas to identify problems and make necessary corrections, he said.
Emphasising the economic empowerment of grassroots artisans, the minister said providing them with capital support alone would not be sufficient. 
Measures must be taken to improve the quality of their products, ensure access to quality raw materials and provide support for design and branding so that they can enter international markets.
Artisans such as shital pati makers and blacksmiths in rural areas should be helped to make their products suitable for marketing through international e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba, Amazon and eBay, he said.
“This can increase the value of a Tk 10 product to Tk 30,” he said, adding that such initiatives would raise artisans' incomes and create new employment opportunities.
Referring to Thailand's “One Village, One Product” model, Amir Khasru said Bangladesh was also taking initiatives to improve the quality of rural products and connect them with global markets through airports and e-commerce platforms.
He said policy support and budgetary allocations were being considered to connect grassroots artisans with international markets.
The minister also announced plans to include artists and cultural workers, who have long remained neglected in development planning.
A “Theatre District” is planned in Dhaka, where professionals associated with theatre, including lighting technicians and makeup artists, will be brought under one platform, he said.
Emphasising the development of a sports economy, the minister said sports involve a wide range of businesses and service sectors and could create significant employment opportunities.
He said the SDGs are not about charity or handouts but about creating a process to harness the untapped potential of ordinary people.
He also stressed ensuring the participation of people from all sections of society in the development process, with particular attention to the rights and priorities of persons with disabilities in government decisions and initiatives.