Lack of data barrier to attaining SDGs
Says planning minister
Planning Minister MA Mannan yesterday said the government has been working relentlessly to further alleviate poverty and also to make the ongoing development efforts sustainable.
“Our main task is to unleash development, ensure modernisation and poverty alleviation. Out of these three, I’ll put poverty alleviation in the first slot. Poverty is behind all problems like lack of healthcare facilities, lack of food and education,” he said.
The minister was addressing the inaugural session of a programme titled “Citizens Conclave: Four years of SDGs in Bangladesh: Citizen’s Platform for SDGs in Bangladesh” at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center.
Mannan said for attaining the SDGs, the government has undertaken a number of steps as well as continuing field work in this regard. “We’ll require a huge fund to attain the SDGs… but we have confidence that we’ll be able to mobilise the resources.”
The planning minister also said apart from resource constraints, lack of data is also a barrier towards attaining the SDGs.
UN Resident Coordinator and Representative of UNDP Bangladesh Mia Seppo spoke on the occasion as guest of honour, where she underscored the need for addressing lack of data towards attaining the SDGs, reaching the benefits of development to every nook and corner and associating more the civil society towards attaining the SDGs.
Core group member of the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs in Bangladesh Rasheda K Choudhury made an introduction of the initiative. Chair of the inaugural session and convener of Citizen’s Platform for SDGs Bangladesh Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya gave the opening address while Executive Director for Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Dr Fahmida Khatun presented the overview report. Coordinator of Citizen’s Platform for SDGs Bangladesh Anisatul Fatema Yusuf delivered vote of thanks.