Govt moving towards universal social security: Rashed Titumir
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Prime Minister’s Finance and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmoud Titumir said that the current government is on the way to ensure a universal social security system by prioritizing the aspirations of the people. He said that the government feels that the implementation of this initiative is very important to protect the common people from rising inflation and rising commodity prices.
Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said this while participating in an event organized at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital on Sunday.
The event titled ‘Citizenship Thematic Collaboration and Networking Event’ is organized by Citizenship: Civic Engagement Fund (CEF) to advance good governance, civic participation and inclusive development. The day-long event was attended by government representatives, development partners, civil society and media representatives and partner organizations of the citizenship programme.
Prime Minister’s Finance and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said in the event, “Family Card” has already been distributed under the social protection zone. This initiative will be especially helpful for the women of the country. He said, “We have started this family card to ensure that women need support in raising their families and children.”
Referring to the priority initiatives of the BNP government, this adviser to the Prime Minister said that the first issue was the reform of the state system. Apart from this, there is also the issue of increasing the allocation for education and health in the next budget and taking effective steps to eliminate various regional disparities in the country for a long time.
The main topics of the event were ‘Anti-discrimination Act, Protection of Human Rights Act, Gender Equality and Youth Engagement’. Through panel discussions and theme-based breakout sessions, participants discussed existing challenges, policy and field experiences and opportunities for future joint ventures on these issues.
Mikhal Kreja, head of cooperation of the European Union assigned to Bangladesh, gave the opening speech in the morning. He termed the current political situation of Bangladesh as a period of special transition. Kreja said Bangladesh is going through a period of transition, where there is renewed emphasis on government accountability and institutional effectiveness. In this situation, he felt it was essential to include citizens’ voices and local knowledge in the national development process.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of the Foundation for Humanity, described the country’s current situation as a special juncture. He said, ‘We know that we are now passing through a very important time in Bangladesh. It is important to determine the right role of civil society during this transformation. Shaheen Anam urged the participants to share their own experiences and opinions.
In his opening speech, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Saimum Parvez termed the civil society of Bangladesh as historically very strong. However, expressing regret, he said, “In the last decade, we have seen that the scope of civil society (civil society) has narrowed a lot.” This representative of the government blamed legal obstacles and political pressure behind it.
In the afternoon, a panel discussion on cooperation and joint priorities was held on key themes. Media Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) Executive Director Hasibur Rahman moderated the discussion. Civil society, development partners and government representatives participated in the four themes of cooperation, policy dialogue, public engagement and the need for integrated initiatives.
In the panel discussion, the speakers expressed concern about the current situation in Chittagong Hill Tracts. Emphasizes the civil rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the policy making process.
The panel discussions were followed by four ‘Thematic Breakout Sessions’. Organized with the support of partner organizations of the Citizen Program, these sessions included participatory discussions on anti-discrimination laws, human rights worker protection laws, practical experiences on youth engagement and gender equality, work priorities, coordination gaps and future joint action plans.
Later, Wasiur Rahman Tanmoy, Youth and Social Cohesion Leader of the Foundation for Humans highlighted the main topics and recommendations of the sessions. He said that the marginalized people suffer from discrimination in some places, emphasized on the inclusive participation of various stakeholders, creating responsible public relations, mutual coordination of civil society and continuous involvement in the policy process.
Sara Hossain, the unpaid executive director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) spoke about the breakout session. He stressed on the implementation of the government’s commitment to eliminate discrimination and establish the rights of marginalized people. Expressing concern over the inactivity of the Human Rights Commission and the Information Commission for two years, he demanded that they be activated quickly. According to him, it is the need of the hour to overcome the legal complexities and implement the institutions.
Fahmida Khatun, executive director of Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), called for the creation of a non-discriminatory state to meet the expectations of the common people in the new Bangladesh. He said that the determination to overcome the lack of good governance of the last 15 years has been expressed to build a new Bangladesh, where every citizen will get back his due rights.
Corinne Thevez, Deputy Head of Cooperation of the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, gave a vote of thanks at the closing ceremony in the afternoon. He expressed gratitude for the active participation and contribution of the government, civil society, development partners and participating organizations.
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