Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Chairman Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman emphasised the need for programmes in the Post 2015 Development Agenda to reduce inequality.
"The Post 2015 Development Agenda should ensure inclusive and equitable economic growth while it needs attention to reduce poverty and inequality particularly among marginalised groups and improve living conditions," he said while speaking at a seminar.
VOICE, a rights-based organisation, organised the seminar on 'Post 2015 Development Agenda: Towards a Transformative and Rights Based Development Framework' at the National Press Club.
A large number of stakeholders including NGOs, academicians, civil society organisations, trade unions, women groups, rights organisations and students attended the seminar.
The seminar was presided over by Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman, while Rustom Ali Foraji MP, executive director of Unnayan Onneshan Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, and Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of VOICE, spoke among others.
Farjana Akter, coordinator of VOICE, presented the key-note paper.
Qazi Kholiquzzaman said despite making a remarkable success in achieving MDG goals, Bangladesh still needed to make sincere efforts to meet its development needs.
He highlighted the responsive roles of the leadership of developed countries in terms of climate financing and climate change mitigation.
He called for equal participation and representation of people including the marginalised and most disadvantaged in the decision-making process. He asked political leaders to ensure democratic governance.
Rustom Ali Foraji said the political hierarchy must be an end and the leaders should look into the struggle of people and pleaded for realising the needs of people.
He said political will was a must while development framework must be prioritised based on the country's needs and demands rather than on having imposed one.
He sought inclusive participation in implementing development agenda.
He said the Post 2015 Development Agenda might be set internationally but local issues must be addressed by the political leadership respecting human rights and Constitutional obligations.
Ahmed Swapan Mahmud said corporate-based development strategy could not be an option to reduce poverty and financing development.
He urged global leaders to comply with their commitments made in the MDGs, in particular, providing 0.7 per cent of gross national product of the rich countries that they didn't meet. The new development model should focus on a transformative change that encourages creativity and innovation in the pursuit of inclusive, equitable and sustained equitable growth and development.
Speakers said the majority of people were living in extreme poverty though Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were being reached in 2015.
Emphasising structural causes that create poverty and inequality, Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir said the present development models failed to provide justice and equality. Rather these have increased disparity among people and countries which must go for a fairer world. Criticising MDGs, he called for creating employment opportunities and ensure justice for all.
In the key note presentation, Farjana Akter focussed on demands from the civil society perspective drawing attention to respect human rights charter, reduce inequality and environmental degradation and ensure peace and security and justice for all in the new development framework.
Among others, Badrul Alam, Chairperson of Farmers' Federation, Tahrima Khan, Aminur Rasul and Rifat S. Khan also spoke at the seminar.
