Dhaka, Nov 10, (V7N) – Prime Minister's Political Adviser Zahir Uddin Swapon said Tuesday that Bangladesh could make a significant contribution to global progress by effectively harnessing the potential of its demographic dividend.
"If Bangladesh can emerge as a unique model by fully utilizing the benefits of its demographic dividend through appropriate policies and future-oriented skills development, it will play a distinctive role in global progress alongside its own development," he said.
He made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with Garik Hayrapetyan, Deputy Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Bangladesh, and M Shahidul Islam, Chief of Demographic Data and Intelligence, at the Prime Minister's Office, according to a press release.
The meeting discussed preparations for meetings scheduled to take place at the United Nations Headquarters during Swapon's upcoming visit to the United States.
The discussions also focused on ways to maximize the benefits of Bangladesh's demographic dividend by taking all relevant aspects into consideration, including capacity-building and skills development for members of parliament and government officials.
The adviser said population-related issues have long-term implications, with their impacts often becoming evident many years later. Therefore, the ability to assess the present situation with foresight and understand ongoing transformations will be crucial to building a developed and prosperous Bangladesh in the future, he added.
Referring to the Rohingya crisis, Swapon said Bangladesh's experience in addressing the issue, its progress in managing the crisis and the lessons learned could play an important role in future global development initiatives.
