ED: Well on our way

Before the pandemic, Bangladesh was already well on its way to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a remarkable pace. Just recently, the UN-sponsored Sustainable Development Solutions Network awarded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina the “SDG Progress Award” for Bangladesh’s steady course in response to the universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all.

In line with this, the PM has stressed the need for a global roadmap to ensure permanent recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic for achieving the SDGs by 2030. In her speech, she put forward a five-point proposal.

To start off, she stressed the importance of a successful recovery from the pandemic. Secondly, she put emphasis on the need to close the huge resource gap in the world. She also expressed worries about the rising trend in global poverty, and added that Covid-19 recovery measures should complement climate actions to create a stronger resilience against future shocks or calamities. She closed off her speech with an emphasis on the need for enhanced monitoring or support mechanisms for SDGs implementations.

These are all clear and well-thought-out points that need to be implemented with efficiency. The second point is crucial: There is a gap in vaccination between the rich and poor, and this situation is prolonging the pandemic.

Meeting the SDGs on time is essential, but how we get there also matters. The decisions of today will have an effect on tomorrow. Thankfully, there is good reason to be optimistic that we will make the right moves in the coming days, with the right blueprint in hand.