Joint efforts of all needed to achieve MDGs

Speakers at a roundtable emphasised joint efforts by the public representatives and political leaders alongside the government for achieving the Millennium Development Goals in the country.

In this regard they underlined the need for holding effective dialogue among the political parties and between the political parties and the experts from outside the government.

The roundtable titled "The Role of the Elected Public Representatives and the Political Leaders of Bangladesh in Achieving MDGs" was held at Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) conference hall.

People's Empowerment Trust (PET) and Campaign for Popular Education organised the roundtable in cooperation with People's Forum on MDGs-PFM Bangladesh.

When using public money, the political leaders should weigh up the long-term benefits and costs and the possible repercussions of the reallocation of resources, speakers said.

They urged the political leaders to ensure people's preference while selecting any development project and maintain transparency during its implementation.

The participants called upon the political leaders to think of updating the minimum wages to achieve the target of poverty reduction.

The discussants at the roundtable also put forward several suggestions for achieving the MGDs through involving the public representatives and political leaders.

The suggestions included mobilising as much internal resources as possible and carrying out an in-depth analysis about the sustainability of a project; making education a rewarding option; prioritising education, healthcare and physical infrastructure and creating employment opportunities.

Former commerce minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury MP was the chief guest at the rountable where Abdul Wadood Bhuiyan MP, also the chairman of CFT Development Board, Noori Ara Safa MP, Rozi Kabir MP, former minister and Chittagong city Awami League President MA Mannan were the special guests.

Professor Mohammad A Hossain of Economics Department of Chittagong University presented the keynote paper.

CPB Presidium Member and Chittagong District unit General Secretary Md Shah Alam, former president of Chittagong Union of Journalists and Chittagong Press Club Muhammad Idris, Chittagong City Corporation Ward Commissioners Advocate MA Naser and Sabiha Musa, Musa, Professor Dr Hasan Mahmud and Professor Hossain Kabir of Chittagong University took part in the open discussion among others.

Campaign for Empowerment Trust Director Rasheda K Chowdhury chaired the roundtable while Mushfiqur Rahman, assistant director of PET and honorary staff member of All party Parliamentary Group on PRSP, MDGS, WTO and BDF conducted it.