Commonwealth urges Bangladesh to lead Blue Charter

Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland QC has urged Bangladesh to lead the Commonwealth Blue Charter and climate risk management as she called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in London on Monday evening.

“Bangladesh should lead the Commonwealth Blue Charter and climate risk management,” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted Patricia Scotland as saying after the meeting.

The Commonwealth Blue Charter is an agreement signed by all 53 Commonwealth countries to actively cooperate to solve ocean-related problems and meet commitments for sustainable ocean development.

The press secretary told BSS over phone from London that the prime minister agreed with the proposal of the Commonwealth secretary general and said her government is working on the issue.

He said the prime minister and the Commonwealth secretary general discussed the issues of ICT and SDG tracker.

In this connection, Patricia highly praised Bangladesh’s tremendous success in ICT sector and progress in SDG tracker.

She said that the Commonwealth Women Conference will be held this year in Nairobi where Bangladesh can play a vital role.

Patricia also said that Commonwealth member countries can take the lesson from Bangladesh’s improved version of SDG tracker.

She said a continental free trade area will be introduced among 49 states out of 53 Commonwealth members.

The prime minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman initiated disaster management programme and the present government is following his footprint to manage climate risks.

Sheikh Hasina also apprised Patricia of the various steps taken by the government to this effect.

The premier praised the contribution of the Commonwealth secretary general to the umbrella organisation of 53 countries.

PM’s daughter Saima Wazed Hossain, PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman and Bangladesh High Commissioner in London Saida Muna Tasneem were present.

Source: bss