'Graft, govt's centralisation, data shortage major hurdles to achieving SDGs'

Corruption, centralisation of the government's power, institutions and funds, and shortage of required and updated data are hindering achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country, experts said in a discussion on Sunday.

Besides, climate change, global and local conflicts, Covid-19 pandemic, and over politicisation, lack of accountability and malgovernance in the local government institutions (LGIs) along with their weakened role to deliver required services at community level were also identified as the major impediments to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

They sought protecting voting rights of the country's youth, strengthening its rural economy, ensuring accountability and transparency in the LGIs through proper monitoring, and localising the SDGs to accelerate socio-economic development.

They said these in a discussion - 'Localising the SDGs in Bangladesh: Ways to Accelerate' - organised by The Hunger Project (THP) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital. State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam attended the function as the chief guest.

THP Global vice President and Country Director Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar moderated the event.

Aroma Datta, MP, Vice-Chairman of Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights and Executive Director of PRIP Trust, Rasheda K Choudhury, Executive Director of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), Abul Kalam Azad, former Principal Secretary at Prime Minister's Office, Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and Dr Tofail Ahmed, a local government specialist, among others, also spoke on the occasion.

The state minister for planning said plans and strategies are formed from the government's upper level, but these would take (a concrete) shape, if the country can take the plans to the grassroots or community level. The government is implementing many plans and doing activities to achieve the SDGs, while it has formulated the National Action Plan.

THP is also playing a vital role here in achieving the SDGs, and the organisation's success is that it has been able to mobilise young people, Dr Shamsul Alam stated.

"Some complaints are there that the LGIs have become too politicised. But I think that it is not a big problem, if these are brought under accountability. Transformation should be done through politics," he opined.

Ms Aroma Datta emphasised the collective role and efforts of the government, private sector, civil society organisations and development sector entities to address and tackle the challenges to achieving the SDGs.

Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar said to overcome the country's current economic crisis as well as to obtain the SDGs by 2030, there is no alternative to strengthening and empowering the people of grassroots level. "THP's trained volunteers are working side by side with all concerned to solve problems locally using and mobilising local resources."

To localise the SDGs, the organisation's volunteers are conducting activities with local people, elected representatives, and officials from various LGIs, he added. Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya said localisation of the SDGs is closely linked to a sense of rights, ownership, and active citizenship. Social accountability tools should be implemented to this end, he said, adding that lack of financial and institutional decentralisation is a major obstacle to localisation of the SDGs in Bangladesh.

Another key hurdle is politicisation of the local government system. Holding the local government elections with party symbols is a big mistake, because the local government is no longer able to contribute as much as it could before, he added.

Mr Abul Kalam Azad said Bangladesh has already done the best across the globe in the SDGs' implementation indicators.

The government's policy in achieving the SDGs is the whole society approach, he said, adding that community intervention is an effective solution to any problem.

Dr Tofail Ahmed said unfortunately the local government system has become ineffective in the last couple of years.

A huge amount of money is going to the local level, which is not being used properly, he alleged. Ms Rasheda K Chowdhury said since Bangladesh's independence, the role of the private sector development organisations in the country's various socio-economic upliftments should not be forgotten.

She also urged the government to ensure a stronger and proactive role of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), as the country often faces shortage of good quality data and updated analysis.

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