Bangladesh passing critical time in dev trajectory

Bangladesh is passing a critical time in its development trajectory in the face of three crises driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, and catastrophic climate change, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis said yesterday.

"The policy choices we make today will determine the country's development prospects for years to come," she said at the joint steering committee meeting co-chaired by the secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and UN resident coordinator on the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF).

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"This is a critical time globally, and in Bangladesh's development trajectory," Lewis added.

She then said the UN in Bangladesh is committed to supporting the government and people of Bangladesh in ensuring sustainable and inclusive development as it proceeds to graduate from the least developed countries (LDC) category.

Launched in November 2021, the UNSDCF 2022-2026 aims to assist Bangladesh in overcoming the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and accelerate the country's progress towards achieving the sustainable development goals in line with its eighth five-year plan.

Recalling Bangladesh's five decades of close partnership with the UN, ERD Secretary Sharifa Khan said: "We have to go the extra mile in these difficult global circumstances to make sure that no one is left behind in Bangladesh's rapid development."