Partnerships built for strengthening collaboration to establish peace

City Desk :

A signing ceremony was held at the Economic Relations Division at Sher-e-Banglanagar marking a significant step towards fostering a more inclusive and tolerant society in Bangladesh.

The project document of the “Partnerships for a More Tolerant and Inclusive Bangladesh (PTIB)” initiative was ceremoniously signed, symbolising the joint commitment of the Government of Bangladesh, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Norwegian Government, a UNDP press release said recently, reports BSS.

This multi-year initiative, aimed at understanding and preventing hate speech, cybercrime and other different issues related to online in Bangladesh, was initiated with a successful pilot phase from 2016 to 2017, which paved the way for its continued implementation.

In alignment with the global call by the UN Secretary-General for coherent and contextual strategies to counter violent extremism, the PTIB project underscores the significance of inclusive institutions, transparent politics, and the protection of fundamental human rights.

The signing ceremony was graced by distinguished representatives, including Sharifa Khan, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Stefan Liller, Resident Representative of the UNDP Bangladesh, who signed the project document on behalf of their respective organisations.

The collaboration reflects the shared commitment to nurturing an environment of peace, tolerance, and coexistence in Bangladesh.

Highlighting the importance of collaboration, Silje Fines Wannebo, Charge d’ affaires of the Norwegian Embassy here, said: “The collaboration among the Bangladesh Government, Norway, and UNDP will only strengthen the objectives of the project, preventing hate speech and ensuring that Bangladesh evolves into a more inclusive and tolerant society.”