WEF to arrange event of Bangabandhu's birth centenary

The World Economic Forum (WEF) will arrange an event in Bangladesh next year on the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Besides, the WEF will hold a programme in Davos of Switzerland in 2021 focusing on Bangladesh and Bangabandhu. As a country, Bangladesh will be the main focus of the Davos Summit in 2021.

The decisions were taken as Founder and Executive Chairman of WEF Klaus Schwab paid a call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the WEF’s annual meeting here.

Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque briefed reporters after the meeting held at the WEF’s executive chairman’s office at Dalian International Conference Centre. PM’s Speech Writer Md Nazrul Islam was present.

The foreign secretary described the decisions as a “huge achievement” for Bangladesh. He said Schwab informed the premier that WEF will do something by focusing Bangladesh.

“Following the discussion between the two leaders, decisions were taken that the WEF will hold an event next year on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu,” Haque said.

He said the WEF executive chairman mentioned that he accepted the invitation of visiting Bangladesh to attend their event on Bangabandhu.

The foreign secretary said it is very encouraging that the WEF wants to focus Bangladesh and Bangabandhu.

Highly appreciating Bangladesh’s tremendous development, Schwab told the premier that her “forward-looking and intelligent policies are being highly acclaimed globally.”

The WEF executive chairman said that it is a matter of surprise that Bangladesh is witnessing stunning development despite its resource constraints. “It’s really a matter of surprise,” he remarked.

While talking about the Rohingya issue, Schwab highly praised the prime minister for giving shelter to over one million Rohingyas in Bangladesh.

“We (always) discuss the Rohingya issue in our platform and you can also use the platform in this regard,” he told the premier.

The WEF executive chairman said a meeting of the WEF’s South Asia Forum will be held on October 3-4 in New Delhi.

“Proposals were made to arrange various sessions on regional cooperation and economic development keeping Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi there,” he said.

In this connection, the foreign secretary said, “The honourable prime minister accepted the proposal and we have started working on it.”

On the Rohingya issue, Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is trying to solve the protracted crisis bilaterally. “But the Rohingyas cannot be sent back and for this, there is a need for international support,” she said.

Haque said the prime minister reiterated her call to the international community to keep up their pressure on Myanmar in this regard.

Sheikh Hasina also spoke of the Bhashanchar island where forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar will be given temporary shelter.