Newly established Bangladesh Private Sector Working Committee aims to help implement national sustainable development agenda

The establishment of the Bangladesh Private Sector Working Committee (BPSWC) was jointly announced on 28 May by the President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Md. Jashim Uddin, and the President of Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF), Ardashir Kabir and the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis.

The committee will support the country’s private sector to work together with the Government of Bangladesh, the UN, as well as national and international development organisations, for the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in Bangladesh.

The signing ceremony to establish the committee took place at the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Bangladesh and was attended by representatives of the private sector, international organisations, and the Government of Bangladesh, including the Country Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Tuomo Poutiainen; the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bangladesh, Stefan Liller, the Additional Secretary, SDG Affairs, Prime Minister’s Office, Mohd. Monirul Islam, the Adviser Safety Council, FBCCI, Brig Gen (Retd) Abu Nayeem Md. Shahidullah, the Adviser, Trade & Tariff Policy, FBCCI, Manzur Ahmed, and the SecretaryGeneral, BEF. Farooq Ahmed.

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 and its plan to link its work with the 2022-2026 UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, signed by the UN and the Government. 

“When it comes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Bangladesh’s private sector has so much to gain, and so much to give. 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” the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh said.

The President of FBCCI and the Chairman of BPSWC, Md. Jashim Uddin, the President of the Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF) and the Co-Chairman of BPSWC, Ardashir Kabir, shared their views on the BPSWC’s plans to help private companies support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals.

The ILO Country Director for Bangladesh, Tuomo Poutiainen, and the UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh, Stefan Liller welcomed the establishment of the committee, adding that the UN agencies are 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.