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President Shahabuddin Encourages Youth to Embrace Modern Knowledge and Patriotism
President Mohammed Shahabuddin delivered a call to action today, urging individuals from all political backgrounds and viewpoints to collaborate in furthering the country’s ongoing development. He made these remarks during the opening of the “Smart Children Carnival 2023” at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital.
During the festival’s opening ceremony, President Shahabuddin emphasized the importance of not taking actions that might hinder the country’s progress. He acknowledged the ever-advancing world and encouraged everyone to move forward with the utmost tolerance, mutual trust, and faith.
The President underscored the need to nurture children as “smart citizens,” equipping them with efficiency, creativity, progressiveness, a non-communal mindset, and patriotism to contribute to the realization of a ‘Smart Bangladesh’ in the future.
Key figures including State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain, and various other officials and children representatives addressed the event.
President Shahabuddin outlined the national goal of establishing a ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041, characterized by top-notch, world-class work and management based on smart technology. He encouraged the younger generation to embrace modern knowledge and apply it in their lives, emphasizing the importance of learning about Bangladesh’s Liberation War and its founding leader, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Additionally, the President extended warm greetings and congratulations to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her upcoming 77th birthday. He expressed his deep affection for all the children in the country and thanked the carnival’s organizers, highlighting the event’s role in fostering learning while enabling children to engage in sports, explore new technology, and make new friends.
President Shahabuddin urged local public representatives to provide necessary playgrounds for children who often spend excessive time using electronic devices, emphasizing the value of enriching knowledge beyond traditional textbooks. He emphasized that the country should be considered a family, and individuals should take the initiative to learn about their homeland.
The President also praised various development initiatives and the government’s commitment to realizing Vision 2021, aiming for a developed, prosperous, and smart Bangladesh by 2041 in line with the dream of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Furthermore, President Shahabuddin participated in an audio-visual exhibition that offered insights into the envisioned ‘Smart Bangladesh’ in 2041.
On Monday (December 04), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emphasized the importance of environmental preservation in all development plans. During a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, she urged authorities to prioritize waste management and water flow maintenance in city planning.
PM expressed regret over past unplanned development, particularly during the illegal assumption of power in 1975, which neglected environmental concerns and led to river encroachments.
She highlighted her government’s commitment to protecting rivers, restoring navigability, and preventing pollution. Hasina recalled initiating river dredging during her first term and stressed the need for ongoing efforts to combat river erosion. The Prime Minister addressed the issue of industries and sewage lines dumping waste into rivers, causing increased pollution, citing the unpleasant state of the Buriganga River.
Emphasizing waste management as a top priority, Hasina suggested establishing small treatment plants across Dhaka to safeguard the capital’s rivers. She underscored the necessity of preserving Bangladesh’s rivers despite the inevitability of floods and emphasized creating buffer zones along rivers for water preservation during the rainy season.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud presented the prestigious ‘Asia Climate Mobility Champion Leader Award’ to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence, Ganabhaban, in the morning. The award was initially received on behalf of the Prime Minister by Dr. Hasan Mahmud and the Head of the Bangladesh delegation during the high-level segment of COP28.
Acknowledging Prime Minister Hasina’s exemplary leadership in championing climate actions and advocating for vulnerable communities globally, the Global Centre for Climate Mobility, supported by IOM and the UN system, conferred the award during a significant high-level panel on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai on December 1. The event, co-hosted by the President of the UN General Assembly, Ambassador Dennis Francis, and the Director General of IOM, Amy Pope, highlighted the urgency of climate-forced migration and displacement.
During the UNGA78 Climate Mobility Summit, Prime Minister Hasina emphasized the critical issue of climate-induced migration. The recognition through this award is a testament to her continuous efforts and Bangladesh’s advocacy in addressing climate mobility challenges.
In addition to Prime Minister Hasina, other countries such as Botswana, Suriname, and Palau were also honored, representing Africa and the Pacific. The Global Centre for Climate Mobility actively collaborates with the United Nations system, regional intergovernmental organizations, and development finance institutions to find cooperative and comprehensive solutions for climate mobility.
The award ceremony is part of a series initiated during COP27, where five African Heads of State and Government were honored as Climate Mobility Champion Leaders.
Bangladesh has emerged victorious in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) council election 2023 in category C, securing 128 votes out of the 175-member council. This marks the first time Bangladesh has won in the highly competitive category C of the IMO, as reported by the Bangladesh mission in London.
Following the election results, Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK and Permanent Representative to the IMO, Saida Muna Tasneem, expressed gratitude to IMO members for electing Bangladesh as a Council member. She reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to the IMO’s charter of actions for dealing with maritime affairs. Tasneem extended thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Shipping in Bangladesh, specifically acknowledging Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her decision to participate in the IMO council election in 2023.
“Bangladesh’s election to the International Maritime Organisation’s elite 40-member council is a testimony of the confidence and trust that the IMO member states and the International Maritime Community place in Bangladesh’s leadership as a maritime nation, led by the prudent leadership of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” stated the Bangladesh envoy.
Previously, Tasneem was elected by consensus as the Vice President of the 33rd assembly of the IMO during which the election took place.
The IMO, as the only UN specialized body, regulates global shipping standards that impact ship-operating flag states, seafarers, and maritime safety, security, and marine pollution.
Bangladesh, heavily reliant on international trade, with 90 percent conducted via the sea, aims to address key issues such as the transition of maritime ports into green and digitalized entities and compliance with the Hong Kong convention on ship recycling and the use of greener fuels. These matters will be on Dhaka’s negotiation agenda at the IMO council during the term 2024-25.
