Business Report :
Members of Parliament (MPs) have joined hands to galvanise efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by fostering dialogue and catalysing actions.
They expressed this commitment in a leadership session titled “Parliamentarians’ Engagement in Monitoring and Implementing SDGs: Progress and Priorities in Bangladesh” at the Jatiya Sangsad (Bangladesh parliament) on Tuesday, said a press release.
The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Strengthening Institutions, Policies, and Service (SIPS) project and the Bangladesh Parliament jointly organised the session.
Addressing the session, Dr Shirin Sharmin Choudhury, speaker of the parliament, emphasised Bangladesh’s commendable strides in various SDG-aligned sectors, highlighting successes in poverty reduction, gender equality, healthcare, and education.
She also underscored persistent challenges such as climate change impacts and the imperative for inclusive economic growth and robust institutions.
The speaker urged all MPs to actively participate in the SDG process, suggesting the integration of SDG-related scopes into constituency areas during the upcoming budget session.
Shirin Sharmin proposed the formation of an SDG Caucus comprising selected MPs to strategise and execute action plans for SDG achievement.
The session provided a platform for approximately 100 representatives, with 74 MPs, to discuss the link between national development priorities and the SDGs.
Key topics included the vital role of parliamentarians in policymaking, resource allocation, and monitoring progress towards SDG achievement.