PM places five ideas to make better Asia

Desk Report: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has put forward five ideas to make a better Asia and said Bangladesh wants to resolve the Rohingya crisis through dialogues which is a lesson for the world to overcome chaos in a peaceful manner.

The prime minster proposed the ideas while delivering a keynote speech at the Nikkei Inc’s International Conference titled “The Future of Asia” at a hotel on Thursday.

The theme of the conference is “Seeking a New Global order – Overcoming the Chaos.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Cambodian Premier Hun Sen and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte also joined the conference.

While placing the ideas in front of the Asian leaders to make a better Asia, Sheikh Hasina said, “As governments, we have played our part in helping make this possible. Let me share some ideas with you for your reflection.”

In the first idea, Sheikh Hasina said today’s world is confronted with challenges and conflicts in many ways.

“So, we need to pledge to strengthen the world with greater openness, jointly address global challenges, safeguard fairness and justice and inject new impetus to cooperate using innovative ideas and measures,” she said.

The premier, in her second idea, stressed the need for partnership for economic development, saying, “Economies should take innovative practices surpassing alliances. Partnerships need to build on mutual trust and respect, common development and prosperity for a win-win strategy and to the benefit of people.”

In her third idea, she also said the Asian countries need to cooperate with each other in the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, equality, sharing benefits and joint contribution.

In the fourth idea, Sheikh Hasina said Asia’s future will depend on a sustainable and balanced development, improving international order and establishing win-win international relations.

“We have to face development challenges collectively. We may pool together as a group to boost world peace and stability, promote a multi-polar world and protect legitimate rights and interests of developing countries,” she said.

Putting emphasis on connectivity, the premier said it is the dynamism of connectivity that forms the cornerstone for peace and prosperity around the world. Infrastructure, free trade and liberal investment give foundation to Asian development, she said.

“We have seen unprecedented levels of wealth and opportunity, rising life expectancy, greater access to education, falling infant mortality and reductions in absolute poverty on a scale which would once have been hard to imagine,” she continued.

On the Rohingya issue, Sheikh Hasina said despite severe limitations, Bangladesh offered shelter to over 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas as a responsible nation.

“We’re not only responding to a humanitarian call, but we are conscious about not allowing that crisis to escalate into chaos and regional instability,” she said.

The premier said Bangladesh has sought dialogue and consensus over discord, even in the face of extreme provocation and crisis. “In that, it is a lesson for other situations of crises in our region and globally to overcome chaos and discord with the power of peace, humanity and development,” she added.

Calling upon the Asian leaders to lead the world towards peace, the premier said the power of humanity and positive forces is bound to prevail.

“The global community is looking at us, the rising Asia, to innovate,aspire, and lead the world towards continued peace and prosperity,” she said.

“And standing here at the advent of Reiwa, the era of Beautiful Harmony, I can only be optimistic about the future. Harmony, peace and friendship will prevail over chaos, disruption and discord,” she continued.

In this context, Sheikh Hasina also said, “Our emphasis has always been to promote peace and progress that would directly benefit the people. In a multi-polar world, we would strive to strengthen the UN system and multilateralism for all countries. ” _BSS
 

risingbd/Dhaka/May 30, 2019/AKA