Although Bangladesh has achieved some MDGs, there are some areas like hunger-poverty reduction, employment generation, primary school completion rate and adult literacy rate that need greater attention.
The areas for greater attention also include employment for women, increase in the presence of skilled health professionals at delivery, increase in correct and comprehensive knowledge on HIV/AIDS, increase in forest coverage and coverage of ICT, said the ‘Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Bangladesh Progress Report-2012’ released here on Sunday.
General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission launched the report at a function held at the NEC conference room in city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Sunday.
Planning Minister AK Khandker spoke on the occasion as the chief guest while Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Food Minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Motahar Hossain and UN Resident Coordinator Neal Walker spoke at the programme as special guests. GED member of the Planning Commission Dr Shamsul Alam presided.
Dr Alam also highlighted the features of the report through his power-point presentation.
Shamsul Alam showed that out of 8 MDGs, Bangladesh has achieved the major targets of Goal-1, 3, 4 and 6, including the targets of poverty gap ratio, attaining gender parity at primary and secondary levels of education, under-five mortality rate reduction, prevalence of malaria, containing HIV infection with access to antiretroviral drugs, children under-five sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets, and detection and cure rate of TB under DOTS.
Out of 60 indicators, 34 indicators have specific targets, against which Bangladesh already met the target in 9 indicators, 11 indicators are on track and expected to be achieved by 2015.
With less than 1000 days remaining to the terminal year (2015) of MDGs, Bangladesh sent its proposal on Post-2015 Development Agenda to the United Nations on June 6 comprising 11 goals along with 58 targets with corresponding 241 measurable indicators in P2015DA. The implementation period for P2015DA has been proposed for (2016-2030).
Speaking on the occasion, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said that by 2030, there is a need to think of a new world where poverty should not exist.
In the post-2015 development agenda, Muhith said that very high importance should be given on history, heritage and culture which were neglected in the MDGs, there has to be a steering committee, which would follow up the achievements of the targets as well as provide recommendations for graduation process from the LDCs.
“Another thing needed in future is we’ve to identify fragile countries…we should help the fragile countries, they should not depend on aid as well as adopt proper economic management,” he added.
The Finance Minister observed that despite the country’s achievements in development indicators, still there are problems in energy security, problems in completion rates and standards in education, very serious problem in values as it is important in corruption and governance issues, access to technology, population pressure and degradation of environment.
Noting that there is no shortage of food in Bangladesh, Food Minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque said the big challenge that Bangladesh has to face in the future is malnourishment. “The present level of malnourishment is still quite high in Bangladesh compared to other South Asian countries and the future challenge would be how to face nutrition challenge.”
Expressing his disappointment that except some Scandinavian countries, no developed countries have come up with their commitments for helping the LDCs to met the MDGs, Dr Razzaque said, “Beyond 2015, we’ve to mobilise more resources …the G20 and the G8 countries would have to be more generous,”
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Motahar Hossain hoped that by 2015, it would be possible to enroll 95 percent students in primary terminal examinations. He also underscored the need for ensuring midday meals in all schools.
Taking part in the discussion, Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said he considers Bangladesh as a star performer in achieving MDGs as the country has done tremendously well.
“But, we haven’t seen too much foreign assistance to this end as it has went down or remained more or less stagnant…Bangladesh has been doing well in climate change management alongside putting a lot of emphasis on food security,” he added.
UN Resident Coordinator Neal Walker observed that Bangladesh has made remarkable progress towards the MDGs, but this is not the time to be complacent rather to work with full spirit to attain the rest of the targets.
The ‘MDG: Bangladesh Progress Report 2012’ said although Bangladesh has demonstrated its capacity for achieving the goal of poverty reduction within the target timeframe, attaining food security and nutritional wellbeing remains as challenge.
The report says Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in the areas of poverty reduction, reducing the prevalence of underweight children, increasing enrolment at primary schools, lowering the infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate, improving immunisation coverage and reducing the incidence of communicable diseases.
It said the current status of Bangladesh’s development indicates that priority needs to be given to several critical areas such as increasing productive capacity, enhancing access to knowledge and technology, strengthening trade, human and social development, improving governance and institutional capacity, increasing resilience to economic and natural shocks, mitigating climate change impacts and enhancing the volume and quality of resource support.
Source: UNBConnect
