Poverty main obstacle to achieving MDGs

Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique speaks at a symposium at Nabab Nawab Ali Senate Bhaban on the campus yesterday. On his right are Prof Dr AKM Nurun Nabi, Arther Erken and Md Mehedi Hasan Khan.Photo: STAR

Poverty is the main obstacle to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 as it is interlinked with all other factors related to development, experts at a symposium said yesterday.
Though the country has made significant progress in enrolling children in primary schools, reducing under-five mortality, combating gender disparity in primary and secondary education, the drop-out rate in primary education, neonatal and maternal mortality rate, gender disparity in tertiary education are still high, they said.
Global recession and frequent natural disasters are also creating obstacles to achieving the target of MDGs, they added.
The Population Sciences Department of Dhaka University in association with the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) organised the daylong 'In-Country Symposium 2009' at Nabab Nawab Ali Senate Bhaban on the campus.
Inaugurating the programme as the chief guest, Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique said gender disparity significantly decreased in both primary and secondary education, but this discrimination is still high in all other sectors, which should be addressed properly.
Terming education the main tool to fight against all odds, the VC said, "We should focus on all types of education, including population, culture, communication, language and society to lead the county onto the right track of development.
Speaking as special guest, Pro-VC Prof Dr Harun-ur Rashid said poverty reduction and sustainable development are interlinked. So, priority should be given to the elimination of poverty.
UNFPA Country Representative Arther Erken stressed the need to eliminate hunger as it is increasing globally as well as in the country, which is a big challenge to achieving MDG target 1 by 2015.
He also called for giving more attention to the education and health sectors.
Former adviser to the caretaker government Dhiraj Kumar Nath presided over the first session of the symposium while Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Economic Association, the second session and Dr Ubaidur Rob, country director of Population Council Bangladesh, the third session.
Prof Dr AKM Nurun Nabi conducted the daylong symposium.