Corruption, social discrimination major challenges to achieving MDGs; Joint efforts needed for ‘middle life-standard’ Bangladesh: Qazi Kholiquzzaman

By AKM Moinuddin

Dhaka, Sept 17 (UNB) – Small-scale corruption in each and every sphere of society and unabated social discrimination have virtually stalled the country’s desired progress in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said on Friday.
“We’ve progressed much in different sectors but the expected progress of the country apparently got stuck due to social discrimination and corruption,” he said at a press conference at the National Press Club.
Qazi Kholiquzzaman, chairman of Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), called upon all to work together for transforming Bangladesh into a ‘middle life-standard’ country instead of middle-income country by removing social discrimination and ensuring proper utilization of internal resources.
People’s Forum on MDGs-Bangladesh and UNMC jointly arranged the press conference to inform the people about the private-level recommendations and demands that will be placed at the Conference on MDGs to be held September 20-22 in New York.
People’s Forum on MDGs-Bangladesh co-convener Dr Nilufar Banu read out a written paper based on their recommendations for achieving MDGs and outlining the challenges.
Replying to a question, Qazi Kholiquzzaman said the government has the proper programmes and policies which are essential for achieving the MDGs. “But we don’t see proper implementation of government programmes and policies…we need to remind the government of this.”
He said the government should give more attention in agricultural sector and employment generation to come out from the acute poverty situation.
Emphasizing on education, the PKSF chairman said the prevailing discrimination in the education sector would have to be removed so that the people could be prepared for realizing their basic rights.
Earlier, Nilufar Banu placed a number of recommendations on achieving the MDGs that include mobilizing resources for agriculture sector including adequate financial support and ensuring fair wages of agricultural labours; establishing education as constitutional right; reducing school dropout rate of girls, proper measures to improve maternal health, and joint collaboration of government and other development partners to ensure environment sustainability.
Member of People’s Forum on MDGs-Bangladesh Abdul Awal also addressed the press conference.
END/UNB/