A committee named Bangladesh Private Sector Working Committee (BPSWC) has been formed to support the country’s private sector.
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) president Md Jashim Uddin and Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF) president Ardashir Kabir and the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis jointly announced the committee.
The signing ceremony to establish the committee took place at the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Bangladesh yesterday.
Representatives from the private sector, international organisations, and the government of Bangladesh were present.
International Labour Organisation (ILO) country director Tuomo Poutiainen, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative in Bangladesh Stefan Liller, Additional Secretary for SDG Affairs at Prime
Minister’s Office Mohd. Monirul Islam, Adviser to FBCCI Safety Council Brig Gen (Retd) Abu Nayeem Md. Shahidullah, FBCCI Adviser on Trade and Tariff Policy Manzur Ahmed and BEF Secretary General Farooq Ahmed, among others, attended the events..
Welcoming the establishment of BPSWC, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis, highlighted the committee’s potential to further the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“When it comes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Bangladesh’s private sector has so much to gain, and so much to give,” said the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh.
“The UN welcomes the creation of a Bangladesh Private Sector Working Committee, because private sector action on the SDGs is essential to realise the 2030 Agenda, and enable Bangladesh to achieve inclusive sustainable development that leaves no one behind.”
FBCCI president and BPSWC chairman Md. Jashim Uddin, the BEF president and BPSWC co-chairman Ardashir Kabir shared their views on the BPSWC’s plans to help private companies support the implementation of SDGs.
The ILO Country Director for Bangladesh Tuomo Poutiainen and the UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh Stefan Liller welcomed the establishment of the committee. They said the UN agencies were looking forward to working together with the BPSWC for the sustainable development of the country and ensuring smooth transition towards the LDC Graduation.
Nineteen representatives of the Bangladeshi private sector companies have been selected to be members of the committee, while the UN Resident Coordinator or delegates of the UN agencies may participate in BPSWC meetings as guests and observers, or on the invitation of the committee’s chairman.
