PM Sheikh Hasina at #UNGA74: https://youtu.be/mnqnwjr7JeQ
This crisis now becoming a regional threat,
she tells UNGA
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has placed a
four-point proposal at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA) to resolve the Rohingya crisis which is becoming a regional threat.
She urged the international community to
understand the untenability of the situation as the Rohingya crisis is now
going beyond the camps.
"Despite our efforts to contain it, the
crisis is now becoming a regional threat. Besides, increasing congestion and
environmental degradation is challenging health and security in the area,"
she said.
The proposals she placed are -- Myanmar must
manifest clear political will supported by concrete actions for sustainable
return and reintegration of Rohingyas to Myanmar; Myanmar must build trust
among Rohingyas by discarding discriminatory laws and practices and allowing
"‘go-and-see" visit to Northern Rakhine by Rohingya representatives;
Myanmar must guarantee security and safety of the Rohingyas by deploying
civilian monitors from international community in the Rakhine state; and the
international community must ensure that the root causes of Rohingya problem
are addressed and the violation of human rights and other atrocity committed
against the Rohingyas are accounted for.
In the 72nd UNGA in 2017, Hasina had put
forth a five-point proposal to resolve the crisis which included full
implementation of recommendations of the Kofi Annan Commission, and
establishment of civilian monitored safe zone in Rakhine.
Delivering her speech in the 74th UNGA at the
UN Headquarters in New York on Friday afternoon (local time), the prime
minister said it was indeed unfortunate that she had to again raise this issue
in this august body as the Rohingya crisis remains unresolved.
She said Bangladesh continues to host 1.1
million Rohingya who were forced to leave Myanmar due to atrocities committed
against them.
"The crisis is now lingering into the
third year; yet not a single Rohingya could return to Myanmar due to absence of
safety and security, freedom of movement and overall conducive environment in
Rakhine State of Myanmar," she said.
"We are bearing the burden of a crisis
which is Myanmar's own making. It is an issue solely between Myanmar and its
own people, the Rohingyas. They themselves have to resolve it," said the
prime minister.
She said the voluntary return of the
Rohingyas to their homes in Rakhine in safety, security and dignity is the only
solution to the crisis, adding that Bangladesh will continue its engagement
with Myanmar to make the repatriation of the Rohingyas happen.
Lending support to Palestinians
The prime minister said the value of UN's
role in maintaining international peace and security is enormous. "We
stand firm in our support for our Palestinian brothers and sisters till their
just and rightful struggle comes to fruition," she said.
Noting that three million innocent people
were killed and 2,00,000 women violated during the 1971 Liberation War, she
said: "Our painful experiences have emboldened us to continue to speak for
the oppressed people."
‘Bangladesh, a development miracle’
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has often been
cited as a "development miracle".
"Despite turbulence in the rule-based
international order, and apprehensions of gradual economic slowdown, Bangladesh
continued to prosper over the last 10 years," she said.
According to the Spectator Index 2019,
Bangladesh recorded the highest economic growth among a list of 26 countries in
the last 10 years, with 188% expansion of gross domestic product (GDP) at the
current prices.
"Our GDP has grown from $102 billion in
2009 to $302 billion this year," she said.
"We continue to embark on a pragmatic
program for the rapid economic and social development."
The exports of Bangladesh grew three times
from 2005-06 to reach $37 billion in 2017-18, while the per capita income grew
3.5 times and foreign exchange reserve grew nine times to $33 billion. The GDP
growth has now reached 8.13%, Hasina said.
Describing poverty and inequality as two
major obstacles to development, she said Bangladesh has achieved one of the
fastest poverty reduction rates in the world with poverty rate dropping from
41.5% in 2006 to 21.4% in 2018, extreme poverty from 24% to 11.3%.
A key development strategy in Bangladesh has
been addressing inequality through social security, decent work and financial
inclusion, she said, adding that the social safety programs are expanding, now
covering nearly a quarter of the population and accounting for 2.58% of the
country's GDP.
Hasina also highlighted the development and
activities in the country's different sectors including education, health,
electricity, IT, telecommunication and blue economy.
Climate change
The prime minister said the global
disposition for climate action generated by the just concluded Climate Action
Summit would translate into real impetus for implementation of Paris Agreement
in the broader context of 2030 Agenda.
"Our long-term plan for adaptation and
resilience is anchored in our Delta Plan 2100," she said, adding that the
plan focuses on food security, water safety, climate change, environment
sustainability, disaster management and sustained economic growth.
"Following the recent Dhaka Meeting of
the Global Commission on Adaptation, we are working on setting up a 'Global
Centre for Adaptation' in Dhaka," she said.
Culture of peace
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh continues to
promote the idea of "Culture of Peace", which has now transcended
time and become a dominant theme at the UN.
As the second largest troops and police
contributing country, Bangladesh continues to respond to the appeal for
participation of troops for peacekeeping operations under the UN, she said.
Migration
The prime minister said Bangladesh promotes
safe, orderly and regular migration. Irregular migration and human trafficking
are global menaces rooted in complex nets of syndicates and criminal networks.
"To prevent and suppress human
trafficking nationally and also to foster international cooperation in tackling
human trafficking we have recently acceded to the Palermo Protocol on
Trafficking in Persons," she said.
Making UN as a strong multilateral body
Describing multilateralism as the strongest
panacea for resolving the global problems and create global goods, Sheikh
Hasina said the UN is the symbol of hope for peace, stability and prosperity,
as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the
1974 UNGA.
"Bangladesh will continue to support the
United Nations as a strong multilateral body, which would be fully equipped to
deal with the tasks and responsibilities assigned to it under the
charter," she said.
"With the 75th anniversary of the UN
coming up next year, let us call for collective actions to build a stronger UN
for our civilization to deal with emerging challenges for the next
century," she said.
Hasina said Bangladesh appreciates the reform
initiatives of the secretary general, particularly the UN Development System.
"We will continue to lend our support to
the bold and constructive actions of the secretary-general to make this prime
organization 'fit-for-purpose' and strengthen people's trust in it," the
prime minister said.
As the world's principal multilateral body,
the General Assembly is best positioned to steer the actions that would promote
international cooperation in achieving development, peace and security, she
said, adding that the emphasis given to specific SDGs, such as, poverty
eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion, are critically
important for our civilization.
At the outset of her speech, Sheikh Hasina
recalled the architect of Bangladesh, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman.
She said Bangladesh is now preparing to
celebrate the birth centenary of this great leader beginning in March 2020.
"Reflecting on his vision and
aspirations, we wish to bring this celebration to the United Nations in the
next year," the prime minister said.
Source: DT
Source: DT
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Don’t forget to read more below:
Myanmar willing to repatriate ‘verified
returnees’ from Bangladesh https://t.co/ycIQBC97BA
Rohingya Refugees risk going back to another
Genocide in Myanmar https://lnkd.in/gfnRqfE
UN FFM Report: 600,000 Rohingya still in
Myanmar at 'serious risk of genocide': https://lnkd.in/grp4Gvg