Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the world community to build a strong partnership in the common interest of world humanity in the face of the pandemic coronavirus.
The Prime Minister said, "To this end, we have chosen education, science, culture and communication as effective tools."
She made the call at a ceremony at UNESCO's headquarters on Friday (November 12) afternoon to mark the 75th anniversary of its founding, saying her government was spreading the message of peace through tolerance and dignity.
Presided over by UNESCO Director General Audrey Azol, the Prime Minister further said that the 75th anniversary of UNESCO is a unique moment to celebrate our success. It is also an important occasion to review and self-criticize the activities of the organization for the next 25 years before the centenary celebrations.
She said Bangladesh's commitment to UNESCO policy was reflected in our initial membership in 1972. We consider this organization as one of the most effective platforms for strengthening world peace and collective prosperity.
She said Bangladesh, guided by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's peace-oriented foreign policy, has always been at the forefront of world peace initiatives. Our participation in UN peacekeeping as a top contributor is such an event.
Sheikh Hasina said, "We have invested heavily in education through initiatives like scholarships, gender-sensitive approach, school feeding program, ICT education." Our government is distributing 40 crore free textbooks to about 4 crore 20 lakh students in schools at the beginning of the year. Our Digital Bangladesh Master Plan is preparing our future generation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution through ICT based education.
"We have introduced ICT in our education master plan, under which ICT devices have been provided to about 83,000 schools and 3,26,936 teachers have been trained," he said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulated the Director General of UNESCO for inviting her to this historic 75th anniversary.
She said that in recent years, UNESCO has become a symbol of hope and peace for the world. This event is significant for Bangladesh, because at the same time the golden jubilee of our independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is being celebrated.
Sheikh Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a proponent of peace and a firm believer in humanity. His indomitable work ethic, his (Bangabandhu's) deep faith in the ability to make the impossible possible and to overcome insurmountable obstacles echoes the consciousness of UNESCO.
Recalling her participation in the UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Awards Ceremony for 'Creative Economy' on Thursday, the Prime Minister said this international award would definitely encourage the development of creative entrepreneurs.
The Prime Minister further said that she was grateful to UNESCO for declaring the historic March 7 speech of the Father of the Nation as an authentic heritage and to place it in the Memory of the World International Register. I thank UNESCO for paying such deep respect to the leader of the people.
Noting that the pandemic has taken the lives of many people and changed our lives, Sheikh Hasina said, "It has also taught us to survive through innovative work and speed."
She spoke in support of the US Alliance, but said that maintaining some independence was important for Afghanistan.
In her first consultation, Sheikh Hasina noted that the pandemic had severely hampered our education system and said that for recovery, we need a global plan to prioritize education by investing in digital equipment and services, internet access, digital content and teacher capacity building.
Second, she said, public-private partnerships must be built to create a technology-friendly, meaningful learning environment.
In the third suggestion, the Covid-19 vaccine must be considered a 'global commodity', she said, adding that we must ensure that everyone, especially students and teachers around the world, have access to the vaccine.
In the fourth and final consultation, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh said that for the welfare of our people, the transfer of technology should be given importance and the facilities of science and scientific research should be utilized.