She proposes 21st Feb as Int’l Mother Language Day
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday urged the international community to extend its all-out support to the ongoing trial process of war criminals in Bangladesh for the sake of justice, human rights and the rule of law, reports UNB. “The trials are being held maintaining the highest standard of judicial practices. I urge the international community to support this trial process for the sake of justice, human rights and the rule of law. Successful completion of the trial will free the nation from disgrace ensure sustainable peace and prosperity in the country,” she said. The Prime Minister made the call while delivering her speech in Bangla like her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly held at the UN Headquarters.
Hasina, who for the very first time talked about the trial of war criminals at the UN, said during the Liberation War in 1971, Pakistani occupation forces in collaboration with their local cohorts perpetrated genocide, rape, arson and crimes against humanity, and over three million people sacrificed their lives and a quarter of a million women lost their honour to achieve independence.
Since then, she said, it has been the ardent hope and aspiration of the nation to bring the perpetrators to justice. “Accordingly, our government constituted two War Crimes Tribunals under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act of 1973 to try them.”
But, Hasina alleged, the anti-liberation forces have been working to destroy the secular nature of Bangladesh and they got the direct patronage of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government (2001 to 2006) that coalesced to form terrorist outfits. It began with bomb and grenade attacks killing people, especially the secular leaders and Members of Parliament.
Recalling the grenade attack on August 21, 2004 on her and also the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975, she said, “My younger sister Sheikh Rehana and I survived only because we were out of the country at that time. These gruesome attacks cemented my resolve to eliminate terrorism, and to adopt tough Anti-Terrorism and Anti-money Laundering Acts.”
The Prime Minister said that at home her government is entrenching democracy to ideologically defeat terrorism and extremism while the Commissions on Election, Anti-Corruption, Human Rights and Information have been strengthened.
In respect to foreign affairs, Hasina said her government aims to cement peace by resolving outstanding issues with its neighbours, increase cooperation with them through strengthening connectivity and maintain good relations with all countries of the world as per dictum, “Friendship towards all, malice towards none,” of the Father of the Nation.”
The Prime Minister also proposed that the United Nations likewise declare 21st February as the “International Mother Language Day”. In the current UNGA, she said about her country’s plan to table it as a resolution to preserve all the living languages of the world.
Hasina also requested the developed countries to grant LDCs, duty- and quota-free access to their markets; an equal voice in the Bretton Woods Institutions and in the International Financial Institutions, and free movement of labour. Implementation of the Mode IV of the GATS is also essential for the benefit of both sending and receiving countries, she added.
Noting that the formulation of the post-2015 Development Agenda is a daunting task for all member states of the United Nations, she said, “We need to be united in agreeing on a common set of the development agenda that would fulfill our aspiration in building a just, prosperous and sustainable world where no person or nation is left behind. Bangladesh, representing 160 million progressive and resilient people, will lead these efforts from the front,”
She noted that the progress of Bangladesh in all spheres has, however, been sadly held back by climate change as 1 degree Celsius increase in temperature would lead to a meter rise of the sea level submerging a fifth of Bangladesh, and forcing 30 million ‘climate migrants’ to move elsewhere.
“I, therefore, reiterate the call that I had made at the 64th UNGA for a legal regime to ensure social, cultural, and economic rehabilitation of the climate migrants. I also call again for a fast track funding mechanism for the ‘Climate Change Fund’ for LDCs to ensure sustained funding for the realization of our adaptation and mitigation action plans,” she said.
Mentioning that the commitment to global peace is proven by the country’s role as a top troop contributor to UN peacekeeping and Vice Chair of the UN Peace Building Commission, Hasina said it is also reflected by the country’s position on disarmament and the non-proliferation agenda.
“I am happy to be first in the region to be signing the Arms Trade Treaty, and acceding to the remaining CCW instruments in this year’s Treaty Signing Event. Our role on world affairs is based on justice and democratic values, which assures international peace and security, and supports disarmament,” she added.
Hasina said she was proud to have been among leaders adopting the Millennium Declaration in 2000, to be at the Review of the MDGs in 2010, and to be here now participating in the transition from MDGs to the post-2015 Development Agenda.
Mentioning that the aim of her government is to become a middle-income country and to realise ‘Vision 2021’, through setting up goals that match with the MDGs, Hasina said that Bangladesh has already met or are on track to meet MDG-1, MDG-2, MDG-3, MDG-4, MDG-5, and MDG-6.
Poverty has been reduced from 56.6 percent in 1991 to below 26 percent. In the last four and a half years, the average GDP growth rate remained at 6.4 percent; 50 million people have joined the middle income group; export earnings rose from US $10.53 billion in 2006 to US $27.03 billion now; remittances increased from US $5 billion in 2006 to US $14.5 billion; foreign currency reserve improved from US $3.49 billion in 2006 to US $16 billion; power production capacity have also increased from 3,200 MW in 2006 to 9,059 MW, to name a few indicators.
She said Bangladesh is often named as a ‘Model of Economic Development’ and the ‘Standard Bearer of South Asia’ while the country received MDG Award; a South-South Award; the Global Diversity Award; and the FAO Food Award 2013.
She said her government’s policies have also helped grow women leaders at the grass-root to the topmost level. In politics, so far 14,000 women are elected to the local government bodies and 70 to the Parliament.
-With The News Today input
