‘Bangladesh has certainty, plans and potential’
Bangladesh has certainty, plans and potential despite prevailing global uncertainties, Prime Minister’s Adviser and Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office Mahdi Amin on Monday said.
“We are passing through a period of global uncertainty whose impacts are visible in every aspect of our daily lives – whether in technological changes, environmental disasters, economic and financial crises, healthcare, or political and regional instability,” he said.
Mahdi added, “One must move forward while accepting this multifaceted uncertainty; this is natural and inevitable.”
He made the remarks while speaking at a session titled “Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty” on the third day of the Bay of Bengal Conversation at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital. A press release said.
Mahdi said challenges would inevitably emerge, but the key question was whether there was certainty in principles and values to address them.
“We certainly have concrete certainty and potential in our plans and programmes. Whenever a crisis becomes visible at the societal or national level, the government is prepared to address it effectively,” he said.
“Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, we represent a government that has assumed the responsibility of governing the state with a massive mandate from the people. We are a democratic government that embodies the hopes and aspirations of the people,” the adviser said.
“While we acknowledge the possibility of political uncertainty, as a government truly accountable to the people, we also deeply realise that our mandate is to ensure human rights, the rule of law, and freedom of expression,” he added.
Referring to the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, artificial intelligence and robotics, Mahdi stressed the need to equip the country’s young generation with modern skills.
He said the risk of job losses caused by technological transformation could not be fully controlled, but new employment opportunities could be created through proper training and by utilising Bangladesh’s demographic advantage.
The government is therefore taking initiatives to modernise the curriculum, strengthen links between industries and educational institutions, enhance public-private partnerships and reform the education system in line with market demand, he said.
Highlighting Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s plans to address environmental and climate risks, Mahdi said the government had set a target of planting 25 crore trees over the next five years and excavating and re-excavating 20,000 kilometres of canals to conserve groundwater and natural water resources.
He also mentioned plans to construct the historic Padma Barrage and implement a master plan for the Teesta Barrage to increase agricultural productivity and improve water management.
Emphasising the need for sustainable policies to withstand future global financial shocks and economic crises, Mahdi highlighted various social safety-net initiatives, including the Family Card, Farmer Card and Health Card.
“For the protection of women, we have the ‘Family Card,’ which will change the fortunes of every family and every mother. There is the ‘Farmer Card’ for the farming community. We are in the final stages of introducing a ‘Health Card’ to ensure healthcare for every citizen of the country,” he said.
“Ultimately, we are moving towards an integrated ‘Universal Card’ that will provide civic amenities and protection to every citizen of the state,” the adviser added.
He said the government planned to recruit 100,000 health workers, 80 percent of whom would be women, to strengthen healthcare services at the grassroots level and provide dedicated support for mothers and children in every family.
On energy security, Mahdi said Bangladesh could not control developments such as conflicts in the Middle East, but could secure future supplies and diversify its energy sources.
“We are moving towards diversified sources and giving the highest priority to renewable energy, including solar power,” he said.
On the Bay of Bengal Conversation, Mahdi stressed the importance of regional cooperation, mutual trust and shared prosperity, saying collective efforts could help countries in the region and beyond overcome common challenges.
Kamal Deb Bhattarai, editor-in-chief of Nepal’s The Annapurna Express, moderated the session. Representatives and researchers from Qatar, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Turkiye and Russia took part in the discussion.
