Khulna: Member (Secretary) of the General Economics Division (GED) of the Bangladesh Planning Commission, Dr Manzur Hossain, emphasized the government's commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during a consultation meeting. He announced that five upazilas have been selected as model areas for implementation, with a particular focus on a village in Dumuria upazila of Khulna, which is affected by water logging and salinity, to be chosen as a pilot SDG Village.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr Hossain, speaking as the chief guest at the meeting, which was held this afternoon at the conference room of the Khulna Deputy Commissioner, stressed that sustainable development would be more attainable if government services and activities were implemented properly. He also highlighted the importance of identifying priority areas and ensuring grassroots development to achieve sustainable progress.
The meeting was presided over by Deputy Commissioner A S M Jashim Uddin Khandaker, with Divisional Commissioner Md Mokhter Ahmed addressing the program as a special guest. Suman Das, Senior Assistant Chief of GED, presented a keynote paper, outlining the project's goals and strategies.
Among the attendees were GED Joint Chiefs Dr S M Zobaidul Kabir and Md Siddiqur Rahman, Deputy Chief Md Jubair, Khulna Local Government Deputy Director Md Ariful Islam, acting Chief Executive Officer of the Zila Parishad Taslima Akter, and various officials from government departments, UNOs, and NGO representatives. The project's aim is to identify priority sectors, redefine development strategies, and prepare short-term action plans to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs.