Economic Relations Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance is organizing Bangladesh Development Forum (BDF) 2020 on 29 and 30 January 2020 at Bangabandhu International Conference Center, Dhaka, Bangladesh. BDF is a high-level multi-stakeholder participatory forum, periodically hosted by the Economic Relations Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance, which provides a platform for effective dialogues among development partners, national and international NGOs, development think-tanks, development practitioners, leaders from business and industry. It creates opportunity for building partnership among the stakeholders for identified implementation challenges and policy or resource gaps.
Honorable Prime Minister of the Government of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, MP has kindly consented to inaugurate the event as chief guest. Honorable Finance Minister Mr. A H M Mustafa Kamal, FCA, MP will chair the inaugural session.
BDF 2020 is going to be held at a time when Bangladesh is at a defining juncture in its development journey. First, the nation is now taking preparation to celebrate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020. Against this backdrop, BDF 2020 has been dedicated to the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation.
Meanwhile, the present government came in office just one year ago for the third consecutive term with a renewed commitment to change the lives of 165 million people. The upcoming year 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the independence of Bangladesh. This would also mark the terminal year of the country’s seminal Vision 2021 while sights have been set at becoming a prosperous developed nation by 2041 to realize the dream of the Father of the Nation to build a Sonar Bangla or Golden Bengal. The country is nearing the end of implementing its 7th Five Year Plan (7th FYP) while steps have been initiated for formulating the next 8th Five Year Plan (8FYP).
Bangladesh has already met all the criteria for graduation back in March 2018 while the next UN triennial review of 2021 will very likely lead the country to graduate officially from the Least Developed Country category in 2024. Meanwhile, the country has also chalked out a comprehensive plan for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals by the year 2030.
In this context, the BDF 2020 will be an occasion to recount the achievements and lessons learned during the 7FYP. Critically BDF 2020 will shed light on Bangladesh’s strategic choices to reach three milestones, i.e., smooth and sustainable LDC graduation by 2024, SDGs by 2030 and become a developed country by 2041. Hence, with due considerations for the political commitment of the government, enshrined in the election manifesto, BDF 2020 will be a perfect opportunity to identify areas of partnership for 8FYP.
The theme of this year’s BDF is “Effective Partnership for Sustainable Development”.
The keynote session of the forum will be devoted to ‘Effective Partnership for Implementing the 8th Five Year Plan Aiming towards Achieving SDGs’. This will be followed by eight working sessions themed on:
– Private Sector Engagement and Trade Facilitation
– Partnership for Climate Change and its Financing
– Innovative Financing for a Self-reliant Bangladesh
– Rural Transformation: Creating Opportunities for All
– Health Services: Inclusive Delivery Options
– Energy Security for Sustainable Growth
– Sustainable Cities: Services and Protection for the Vulnerable
– Quality Education for All: Preparing for 4th Industrial Revolution
The BDF 2020 will come up with a communique spelling out necessary joint steps in each of the eight thematic areas.