Muhith for more UN action to eradicate poverty

FE Report Finance Minister AMA Muhith Monday in the capital laid emphasis on more concerted efforts of the United Nations (UN) in eradicating poverty as the issue is one of the main threats that are now being faced by the people globally. " Out of 7.0 billion people in the world about 1.6 billion are still living in poverty and that is a 'shame' for the UN," he said while speaking as the chief guest at the discussion on "Bangladesh and UN: 40 Years of Cooperation: 66th Anniversary of the UN" at a city hotel. UN country team in Bangladesh organised the discussion. The finance minister said the world was facing a number of threats such as fundamental human rights, climate change, global warming and nuclear arsenals that are needed to be addressed jointly and effectively by the members of the UN. "How do we get out from those threats? We shall make all out efforts with the UN to address those threats," Mr Muhith added. Mentioning the commitment of Bangladesh to the UN he said, the then Mujibnagar government on April 10, 1971 during the War of Liberation had decided to follow the UN Charters. UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Neal Walker said the relations between Bangladesh and UN is amazing. Both the UN and Bangladesh are committed to establishing peace and social justice in the world. "The Bangali nation is committed to building global peace and it has been supporting the UN peace keeping efforts in many countries around the world," he said. "The number of Bangladeshi peacekeepers at 11 UN peace keeping missions in 10 countries of the world is now 10,500. Bangladesh has sent the first ever women police contingent to the UN peace keeping mission in Haiti," he mentioned. Mr Neal said Bangladesh is moving on to the quality of democracy with around 6.0 per cent growth and has achieved some targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's). "Despite those achievements Bangladesh is faced with some challenges such as climate change and natural disasters that are now getting complicated due to the global economic crisis," he said and added that the joint efforts of the UN and Bangladesh could address those challenges. He said the UN would provide assistance to the Bangladesh government in achieving its targets of the Sixth Five Year Plan (SFYP) for ensuring food security, pro-poor development, gender equality and social justice. Former adviser to the caretaker government Rasheda K Chudhury demanded for the reform and gender equality in the UN member states. Director General (DG) of UN, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saida Muna Tasneem said establishing world peace and security under the supervision of the UN is the fundamental policy of Bangladesh foreign policy. "Bangladesh believes in a strong and effective UN for ensuring the collective interest of 7 billion people of the globe," she mentioned. Our DU Correspondent adds: United Nations (UN) Day-2011 was observed Monday in Dhaka University (DU) through a day-long programme with a call to further strengthen the world's most influential organisation. Marking the day, students and teachers of DU International Relations Department brought out a colourful procession on the campus at about 10am. Later, they arranged a seminar titled "Strengthen the United Nations for World Peace" at the DU Senate Building. DU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Harun-ur-Rashid emphasised further strengthening of world's most influential organisation to take up the multidimensional challenges of international security. "UN has to play more crucial role in promoting world's peace protecting the interests of the peace loving people", said Rashid while inaugurating the seminar as the chief guest.