During a recent visit to Bangladesh, the United Nations Under-Secretaries General Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Catherine Pollard jointly paid a courtesy call on Honourbale Prime Minister (HPM) Sheikh Hasina at the latter's official residence here this morning. They highly praised Bangladeshi peacekeepers for their contribution to maintain peace in the trouble-torn UN member countries. During the meeting, they discussed various issues, including UN peacekeeping operations, climate change and women's security.

Fueled by apparel exports, Bangladesh’s earnings from exports of goods saw a significant increase of 6.67% year-on-year in fiscal year 2022-23, reaching $55.55 billion. On the other hand, the country, in the same fiscal year, received inward remittances of USD $21.61 billion through official channels, which is the second-highest ever. In June 2023, the last month of the outgoing fiscal year, the expatriates sent $2.19 billion in remittances during the time of the biggest festival of Eid-UL-Azha. Buoyed by this the inward remittances collection stood at $21.61 billion in FY23, which was $21.03 billion in FY22.

United Nations Deputy Secretary General Amina J Mohammed paid a courtesy call on National Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury at the latter’s office. During the meeting, they discussed various issues, including climate change, sustainable development, SDG targets, gender equality, child labour, child marriage and violence against women. At the meeting, the UN Deputy Secretary General lauded Bangladesh for making remarkable progress in implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On the other hand, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said the Bangladesh government is working tirelessly to ensure sustainable development by 2030 despite the fact that the country suffered the coronavirus pandemic.

According to World Economic Forum’s recently released Global Innovation Index, Bangladesh witnessed notable gains in creative outputs, intangible assets and online creativity- a category that includes high-ranking web domains and mobile app creation. The country’s also performs especially well in corporate intangible asset intensity which measures how companies are generating and building value through assets like industrial designs and global brand value, as well as trademarks. This rise testifies to the country’s remarkable gains accomplished owing to a number of measures put in place by the current government.

The Padma Bridge will add 1.23% to Bangladesh's gross domestic product and another 2% to the regional economy of 21 southwestern districts. If put together, economic gains from the bridge would be more than $10 billion during its economic life, more than three times its construction cost. It would be an important catalyst in the implementation of the government's Vision 2041, becoming a high-income country. It will create 7.5 lakh new jobs in 17 special economic zones planned in 21 districts, contributing greatly to poverty reduction. These are the numbers projected by economists to highlight the significance of the landmark 6.15km road-rail bridge, the biggest road transport infrastructure in the country. But those do not speak of the impacts on life, society and the psyche of the people enlivened by the strength of greater connectivity in its entirety.

During a phone conversation, Honourable Prime Minister (HPM) Sheikh Hasina and her Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah expressed satisfaction that the relationship between the two friendly countries has grown in depth and dimensions over time. The satisfaction was expressed when the Hounurable Prime Minister (HPM) of Kuwait Sheikh Ahmad held a telephone conversation with HPM Sheikh Hasina last week. Kuwait’s HPM conveyed his greetings to Hasina and through her to the brotherly people of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh primer thanked Kuwait’s prime minister for the telephone call and wished him and the brotherly people of Kuwait a belated Eid-Al-Azha.

HPM Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to visit Rome, Italy later this month to discuss bilateral issues and attend the UN Food Systems Summit. The 2023 UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment will be held in Rome, Italy on 24-26 July at the premises of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It will be hosted by Italy in collaboration with the Rome-based UN Agencies (FAO, IFAD, WFP), the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, and the wider UN system.