Three MP’s of Bangladesh participated at two day long IPU Parliamentary Hearing at UN

UsaNewsOnline.Com Desk, New York : A two day long IPU Parliamentary Hearing entitled “A World of Blue: Preserving the Oceans, Safeguarding the Planet, Ensuring Human Well-being in the Context of the 2030 Agenda” has begun here today 13 February at the UN headquarters. The event has been co-organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the United Nations. This Annual Parliamentary Hearing is devoted to oceans, seas and marine resources and its conservation and sustainable use, as well as the vast ramifications for economic social and environmental policies both national and globally. Noted that, this Hearing has been termed as ‘kick-off’for the high level conference on oceans to be held in June 2017 in New York. Attended by 179 Members of Parliaments from 55 countries, 19 NGOs, 10 International Organizations, the inaugural session of the Parliamentary Hearing was addressed by IPU President Saber Hossain Chowdhury, President of the UN General Assembly Peter Thomson and Under Secretary General of the United Nations Wu Hongbo. A three-member parliamentary delegation from Bangladesh led by Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Finance attended the Hearing. The other two members are Shaimum Sarwar Kamal MP and Asheq Ullah Rafiq MP were also present at the inaugural session. The leader of Bangladesh Delegation Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, MP in his intervention of the Hearing, said, “A collective approach of all the Member States of the United Nations can play a pivotal role to explore the potentials of the oceans in the context of Agenda 2030”. Mentioning our constitutional obligation for protecting, improving and preserving the environment, natural resources, biodiversity, wetlands, forest and wildlife for the present and future citizens, the MP said “In recognition of the long-term development challenge, the government of Bangladesh under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has set development targets in its “Vision 2021” which are aimed at achieving a transformation in the socio-economic and environmental areas that will help Bangladesh to graduate to a middle income country by 2021”. The IPU President Saber Hossain Chowdhury mentioned the importance of ocean health, it’s interconnectivity with the people and environment, marine resources and entire economy related with the oceans. In this context he said. “Bangladesh- a low-lying country where entire regions are at risk of disappearing under water as climate change causes sea level to rise”. The IPU president also said that the Hearing provide golden opportunity for parliamentarians to understand the many issues that affect the oceans and share concerns and best practice. This long IPU Parliamentary Hearing will be ended tomorrow. Press Release.