There will be no development leaving anyone behind

During an open discussion a transgender said, “We are considered backward community. We are not backward by choice, we have been kept behind.”

During public debate a young debater said, “Women are still considered as machines for giving birth.” And in the drawing competition, a child drew a woman watering a plant with her mouth tied up.

The chief guest said, “If nature doesn't survive, we won't either. We have to move forward together with everyone, not by leaving anyone behind. Only then it will be sustainable development.”

Participants of a campaign on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in Rajshahi expressed their views just like that.

The programme titled ‘SDG Campaign-2022: Necessity of Youth and Women Representation’ is being co-organised by Prothom Alo and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The campaign started amid various activities in Rajshahi on Saturday. Later, there are programmes on this issue in Sylhet, Chattogram and lastly in Dhaka. Prothom Alo Bondhushava is helping with the organisation.

The programme began with a procession at Rajshahi University on Saturday morning. People from different class and creed took part in it. Participants held placards with different writings on it like ‘stop ocean pollution’, ‘stop repression against women’ and ‘save ecosystem’.

Then, there was a discussion at Shaheed Shukharanjan Samaddar Teacher-Student Centre of the university.

Golam Sabbir Sattar, vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University, was the chief guest of the programme, moderated by Zafar Sadik, general secretary of Prothom Alo Bondhushava national board of directors.

Among others, dean of social science faculty of the university Elias Hossain, former principal of Rajshahi College Mohammad Habibur Rahman, head of cultural programme at Prothom Alo Kabir Bakul. Chief technical advisor of UNDP Bangladesh Fakhrul Ahsan, UNDP’s SC4SDG project associate Farhana Razzaque, staff correspondent of prothom Alo in Rajshahi Abul Kalam Muhammad Azad and Bondhushava national board of director president Uttam Roy also spoke at the programme.

Fakhrul Ahsan said that Bangladesh has shown tremendous success in achieving SDG goals. Sustainable development is required everywhere. For that, economic goals have to be achieved quickly. And poverty has to be eradicated.

This has to be done in such a way that does not harm the environment. Everyone’s participation is needed. For that, women and youth have to play a role too, he added.

Professor Elias Hossain said that Prothom Alo didn’t end their responsibility by just sharing the news to public. They have taken different responsibilities of the society. The endeavor is vital for the state and the society.

Participation of everyone from the society has to be ensured for sustainable development in Bangladesh. Failure to do so won’t result in sustainable development, he added further.

At the time, Farhana Razzaque presented who has to play what sort of role in achieving SDG, how far Bangladesh has gone in achieving SDG, and what further steps have to be taken.

Kabir Bakul talked about women development on the stage. He sang the song ‘Ekti Golpo Shonabo Aj’ for everyone which he had penned himself.

Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman wished success to the SDG campaign in a video message during the event.

He said, he’s with the initiative now and will be with it in future as well. He believes the campaign to be vitally important for the women and youth of the country.

Chief guest Golam Sabbir Sattar remarked, those who are taking the country forward with toil and hard work have to be made aware of SDG in simpler language.

Warning about the environment he said, “Uninvited and unwanted development in the name of industrial revolution has brought destruction today. The temperature keeps rising. Planting trees alone won’t do.”

“Unless something is done after doing the math on the overall issue including what energy is being used in the buildings, what is the heat radiation of the building, how many ACs are being used and how much carbon is emitting from there, it won’t be sustainable development.”

If nature does not survive, none of us will. Development has to be done saving the nature. And everyone has to participate in this development,” he added.

Members of 14 Bondhushava in Rajshahi Division, transgenders, Harijans, minority ethnic community and marginalised farmers expressed their opinions in an open discussion at the event.

A drawing competition on the topic of SDG was also held on the TSC premises of the university campus with the participation of hundreds of students.

The drawing competition was judged by Tahmidur Rahman, a teacher of the fine arts faculty of the University along with Tarif Hasan and Dina Zaman, students of the same faculty. Meanwhile, Hasan Mahmud, Saoda Zaman and Md Sifat Hossain were the judges of the public debate.