By Sumi Khan Dhaka, December 5, : The Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed Sunday the need to build a peaceful world through abandoning arm races and urged the international community to use its resources in ensuring universal sustainable growth.
“At this crucial juncture, I urge people use their resources to achieve universal sustainable growth without wasting resources on the armies.Let’s act and commit to universal Peace,” she said at the closing ceremony for the two-day “World Peace Conference-2021”, which was held in Dhaka.She joined virtually from her Ganabhaban home.
At the conference, a 16-point Dhaka Declaration had been adopted.
Noting that the coronavirus pandemic has thrown the world into a new crisis and prompted it to be declared, she stated: “This crisis has proven not one of us are isolated.To live peacefully in this world, there is no other way than to build an accountable world order that is based on partnership.
Referring to the speech Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Raman gave in Dhaka on May 23 1973, Sheikh Hasina stated: “Let’s mention here that world Peace has been one the fundamental principles of our philosophy of life.I have always stood with the oppressed, the exploitations, and the peace-loving and free-loving people of any part of the globe.We want peace to rule in every corner of the globe.We want it to continue to grow.”
She noted that Bangabandhu had also called on the establishment of friendly relations and non-alignment through the end of war and the suspension of arms races in order to maintain world peace.
Sheikh Hasina stated that the Father of the Nation explained his participation at the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference in Beijing in 1952.He wrote: “We are willingly to join the peace conference for those who want peace in this world today.We agree to join thousands of voices with all those who fight for peace, whether it be in Russia, America, Britain, China, or elsewhere – we want peace.
She mentioned that Bangabandhu was given the Julio Curie medal in a Helsinki declaration on October 10, 1972 for his outstanding contribution in world peace through the establishment of the rights for the oppressed in the country.
Dhaka hosted the two day international conference to celebrate Father of the Nation’s birth centenary and the Golden Jubilee of the Country’s Independence.The conference aimed at promoting a culture of tolerance and peace.
She also stated that the Father of the Nation’s philosophy of peaceful co-existence was a broad one and an avenue to lasting peace.”Bangabandhu has proved that freedom from all shackles of deprivation-inequality-exploitation eventually from dependency and achieving prosperity by ending hunger and poverty may construct this path.”
The Prime Minister also mentioned the fact that her government had signed a peace agreement in 1997 to end the bloody conflict between the hill tribes of Chittagong Hill Tracts.The first resolution to the United Nations regarding the declaration and program for action of a “culture peace” was proposed by Bangladesh during the Awami Liga regime.It was adopted on September 13, 1999.
She mentioned that 2000 was declared the International Year of the Culture of Peace and that 2001-2010 was the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence by the UN.
She stated that her government had executed the verdict of Bangabandhu’s killers and began the trial of war crimes.It also resolved maritime disputes between Myanmar and India through the International Court of Justice.
“We are proud that we sent the most peacekeepers the United Nations.We have also adopted a zero tolerance policy against terrorists and violent extremism.She said that we are working closely with the relevant agencies or organisations to maintain a peaceful international and regional environment.”
Sheikh Hasina stated that Bangladesh has always supported the Palestinian people’s just demands.
Bangladesh has provided temporary shelter for more than 1.1 million Rohingyas from Myanmar, despite its limited resources.
“It has been possible to avoid a major humanitarian disaster in the region as a result.She said that we are pursuing peaceful diplomacy in order to repatriate Rohingya back to their homeland.
She mentioned that Bangladesh is now a model country in terms of socio-economic development and said her government has built the economy on a solid foundation.She said that the size of our economy now stands at $411 billion, and that per capita income is $2554.
“We are committed to building the self-esteemed and developed ‘Golden Bangladesh’ of Father of the Nation’s dreams for the next generation,” stated Hasina, the eldest daughter from Bangabandhu.
The conference’s chair, Dr Shirin Sharmin Chudhury, presided over the closing session.
Former Prime Minister of Singapore Goh Chek Tong, UNESCO’s former Director General Irina Borkova, Director for South Asia at Hudson Institute Ambassador Husain Haqqani and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr Abdul Momen, as well as Md Shahriar alam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, spoke on the occasion.
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