ZCZC
BSS- 47
BANGLADESH-COMMONWEALTH
Commonwealth SG hails PM’s initiatives in achieving SDGs
DHAKA, Jan 24 2019 (BSS) – Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Janet Scotland has
praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s development innovation named ‘the SDG-Tracker’
and championing women empowerment.
“Commonwealth under its Innovation Hub has placed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s social
innovation initiative of designing and creating ‘the SDG-Tracker’ for as a best
practice for realizing Agenda 2030,” said the Secretary General.
Patricia also Baroness Scotland of Asthal made the remarks while receiving the newly-
appointed Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK and member of the Governing Board of
the Commonwealth, Saida Muna Tasneem at the Marlborough House in London on Wednesday.
Bangladesh High Commissioner was briefing the Secretary-General about the social
innovation initiatives undertaken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over the last ten
years that have placed Bangladesh in the top brackets of social indicators in South
Asia.
The Bangladesh envoy also briefed the Secretary General about PM Sheikh Hasina’s recent
zero-tolerance political declaration on corruption and terrorism in order to promote
good governance and rule of law.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General also lauded the Prime Minister for her sustained
championing of gender equality and creating equal opportunity for all.
Muna Tasneem also affirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to celebrate the contribution of Her
Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II as the Head of the Commonwealth on the occasion of the
70th anniversary of the Commonwealth.
In addition to the ‘Shalban forest’ proposed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the
25th CHOGM, the high commissioner said Bangladesh would like to include another
pristine forest ‘Lauachhora forest’ in Sylhet under the Queen’s Canopy.
The High Commissioner commended the Secretary-General on few of her new initiatives and
reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to work closely with the action groups under Blue
Charter, Peace at the Crease, Commonwealth Innovation Hub and Faith initiative.
The High Commissioner also expressed Bangladesh’s keen interest to work closely with
the Commonwealth in a number of areas including climate change, enhancing intra-
Commonwealth trade, ICT, inter-faith harmony, industry 4.0 and good governance.
BSS/PR/TA/KU/2006 HRS