Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said that Bangladesh is on the right track under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in realising the ‘Sonar Bangla’ – as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
He made the remark as the keynote speaker at a roundtable discussion, titled “Bangladesh: Achievements, Challenges and Way Forward”, organised by The Ash Center of Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University on March 20.
The discussion was well-attended, with significant participation of faculty members, researchers and post-graduate students of Kennedy School.
This event provided a unique opportunity for policymakers, academics and experts to engage in discussions on Bangladesh’s success in the domestic and international arena, the challenges it is currently facing, and promises it holds, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The foreign minister emphasised the country’s phenomenal progress in economic and developmental landscapes, including poverty alleviation, women’s empowerment, natural disaster management, digital transformation, as well as power and transport infrastructure development.
Reiterating the government’s steadfast commitments and outcome-oriented strategies in turning Bangladesh to ‘Sonar Bangla’, as visualised by the Father of the Nation, Momen credited the spectacular development trajectory of Bangladesh to the visionary and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The foreign minister presented Bangladesh’s success stories of evolving into a resilient economy, a connecting hub, and an investment destination.
On that note of economic success, he mentioned the issue of Bangladesh’s transition from a least-developed country to a developing nation.
Underlining the roadmap for development, he stressed the role of technology, innovation and research in realising the vision of ‘Smart Bangladesh’.
The geopolitical realities of the region and beyond were reflected in the address of the foreign minister.
He shed light on the role and contributions of Bangladesh in the regional context, articulating the importance of cooperation and partnership, particularly with neighbouring countries.
The minister stated that Bangladesh is committed to promoting peace, harmony and stability in the region and beyond in accordance with its foreign policy objective: ‘Friendship to all, malice towards none.’
The discussion also focused on tackling the challenges posed by the Rohingya crisis, climate change adversity, pandemic fallout as well as ramifications of global political, financial, economic and security uncertainties.
During the interactive session, participants shared their insights and perspectives, contributing to a lively discussion on various aspects of Bangladesh in particular, as well as global and regional dynamics in general.
Anthony Saich, Daewoo Professor of International Affairs of the Ash Center and Director of the Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asia at Harvard Kennedy School, delivered the welcome remarks and thanked the foreign minister for attending the roundtable.
Consul General of Bangladesh in New York, Dr Mohammad Monirul Islam, made the closing remarks, voicing optimism that the cooperation between the Government of Bangladesh and the Ash Center would be further consolidated in the days to come.
