Abstract

Purpose of this report is to learn about the strategies to adopt SDGs (sustainable
development goals) in different issues, find out three most important goals of those relevant
to the development of Bangladesh, mark the specific targets of the goals, identify the gaps
between present condition and target line, sort challenges to address those gaps and attain
the goals, way forward with assignment of specific responsibility over concerned
institutions and possible roles to be played by the civil servants on the issue. This report
covers the identification of specific targets of the goals on affordable and clean energy,
decent work and economic growth, life below water and moderate action plan to achieve
the targets. This report aims to investigate our current position in this regard and exploit the
opportunities with proper reinforcement against sources of threats under short and medium
term planning based on those findings.

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Introduction
Among seventeen sustainable development goals selected by international forum, we have
decided to select most potential three massively related to the long term development
process of Bangladesh. The objective of this report is to formulate an effective action plan
to face the identified challenges on the selected issues successfully. The scope of the
investigation was limited to

Selection of most impactful three goals among the SDGs for the development of
Bangladesh.

Identify the challenges of attaining those goals in Bangladesh perspective.

Action plan with assignment of specific responsibilities to face the challenges with role
of civil servants to attain those goals.

Selection of three goals in Bangladesh perspective

There are 17 goals of SDGs to be achieved in the year 2030. Among those Center for Policy
Dialogue (CPD) Bangladesh has recognized 8 goals to be better integrated in the existing
national prioritization processes and rest are marked as lesser integrated in priority. SDGs
are subjected to carry on the unfinished targets of MDGs and my selection of goals in this
regard has been made prioritizing those issues. According to my thinking the following
goals are most important in terms of opportunity, potentiality, effectiveness, vulnerability
and national development.

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Table-1: The selected goals and their specific targets are specified as follows:
Goals

Specific Targets in Bangladesh perspective

to achieve the goals

Goal 7:

Affordable

and

energy.

clean

energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable and modern

Increase substantially the share of renewable energy.

Ensure access to affordable,

Enhance cooperation to facilitate clean & renewable

reliable,

energy.

sustainable

and

modern energy for all.

Expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for

sustainable energy services for all.

Goal 8:

circumstances.

Decent work and economic

growth

Sustain per capita economic growth under national

Higher economic productivity through diversification,

Promote sustained, inclusive

innovation & high value labour intensive sectors.

and sustainable economic

Productive

growth, full and productive

entrepreneurship and growth of micro, small and

employment

medium sized enterprises.

and

decent

work for all.

activities,

decent

job

creation,

Work for all women and men, including persons with

disabilities and equal pay for work of equal value.

By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of

unemployed youth.

Eradication of forced labour, use of child soldiers and

child labour.

Sustainable tourism creating jobs and promotes local

culture and products.

Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial

institutions to access to financial services for all.

Goal 14:

Implement scientific management plans to produce

Life under water

maximum sustainable yield.

Conserve and sustainably

Increase the economic benefits from the sustainable

use the oceans, seas and

use of marine resources, fisheries, aquaculture and

marine

tourism.

resources

sustainable development

for

Increase scientific knowledge, develop research

capacity and transfer marine technology.
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Challenges to attain the Goals

CPD Bangladesh indicates the following factors as major field of challenges to attain SDGs;
Integration in the national planning process
Financial and non-financial resources
Institutional mechanism for implementation
Participation and accountability
Data for Monitoring

Now the specific challenges to attain specific goals of SDGs are;

I.

Challenges to attain Goal 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable

and modern energy for all:

Limitation of existing easily extractable energy resources (gas and coal).

Lack of diversified energy mix (natural sources and renewable technology based).

Efficient technology to choose suitable method of exploration and extraction of

natural energy resources.

Increasing human demand of energy for ever expanding industrialization and better
living standard.

Integrated policy for industrialization for household energy consumption pattern etc.

Import based energy generation with unpredictability of future availability, price

dependency on international policy.

Added pressure induced from target of achieving major economic development.

Environmental hazard due to dependency on fossil fuel largely.

Costly alternative renewable energy sources and low efficiency of energy

conversion in terms of solar, wind and bio gas options.

II.

Technical innovation of green energy options etc.

Challenges to attain Goal 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable

economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all:

Local investment in productive sectors through development of investment friendly

corruption free system.
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Development of national strategy of industrialization based on local potentials,

energy efficiency, environmental safety, export opportunity etc.

Integrated land usage plan for agriculture and industry sector along with residential
demand.

Export based agro diversity and agro, dairy, poultry processing industry to reduce
dependency on imported food products.

Economic demand & employment opportunity based education policy.

Imbalance in resource and income distribution among citizens.

Presence of black economy parallel in volume of mainstream one.

Sustainable infrastructure development strategy based on long term projected

demand.

Shortage of energy options to be supplied for industrial requirements.

Negative trade value in terms of export and import volume.

Systematic skill development program and credit facilities for generating small scale
cottage industry, ICT based freelancing service, manpower export, generation of
employment opportunities to utilize advantage of demographic dividend.

Security of central reserve, money management of banking and financial

institutions, stability of stock market etc.

Identify tourism potentiality as greater economic opportunity, tourism friendly total

action plan.

III.

Co-ordination of academic research with practical economic development programs.

Challenges to attain Goal 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and
marine resources for sustainable development:

Technology and skill to explore economic opportunity in newly achieved right over
extended maritime boundary.

Development of skilled manpower in oceanography through academic process and

real life work experience.

Knowledge development about maritime natural resources (energy, fisheries, sea

minerals etc.).

Development of sea tourism, enhancement of sea sports, amusement parks,

underwater aquarium etc.

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Policy formulation to introduce academic research, attract private investment on sea

resources exploration, sea fish processing industry, mineral extraction, expensive
metal extraction etc.

Set up totalistic policy on sustainable and optimum yield of sea resources.

Technology transfer mechanism with countries exploiting sea resources in

sustainable form.

PPP policy for exploiting opportunity of Blue Economy.

Action plan with specific responsibility to face the Challenges

Table-2: Integrated Action plan with assignment of responsibility over
authority
Sl

Recommended Actions to take care of the Challenges

no.
1.

Responsible
Authority

Preparation/Reform of strategy in energy sector, sea

Cabinet,

economy, small scale entrepreneurship, low cost effective

Ministry of Planning

ICT availability, education based on economic demand etc.

2.

Integrated Policy formulation combining related sectors

Ministry of Planning

based on development strategy of the government

incorporating SDG targets.
3.

Proper mix of energy consumption in terms of Efficient

Energy regulatory

extraction and use of local energy resources based on

Commission

productive industrial use and renewable energy utilization

for household and small scale industrial use.
4.

Safety and capacity development on atomic energy based

power generation.

5.

6.

Innovation of green energy technology based on local

Atomic Energy
Commission
Ministry of Science

resources.

and Technology

Corruption free system in political arena, public service and

Political leaders,

financial institutions for Investment friendly environment.

Anti-Corruption
Commission,

7.

Incentive for tourism industry.

Ministry of civil
aviation and tourism
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Sl

Recommended Actions to take care of the Challenges

no.
8.

Responsible
Authority

Skill development for manpower.

Ministry of ICT,
Ministry of Youth
Development

9.

Bank credit facility for green economy, cottage industry,

Ministry of Finance,

women entrepreneur, disadvantaged group co-operatives

Bangladesh Bank

etc.
10. Minimization of trade imbalance.

Ministry of
commerce

11. Practical academic research, utilization of research results,

innovation in economic sector.
12. Establishment of new commission on Sea resource
management.

UGC, Chamber of
commerce
Cabinet,
Ministry of Planning,
Ministry of Finance

13. Sea resource exploration plan, data analysis and research

cell for optimum extraction of them.

Bangladesh Navy,
Chittagong
University,
Khulna University

14. Technology transfer pact with friendly state regarding

oceanography and sea resource technology.

Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Ministry of
Commerce

15. Public Private Partnership program for investment on sea

resource extraction.

Prime Ministers
Office, Ministry of
Finance, Chamber of
Commerce

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Role of civil servants to attain those goals

Civil servants of different tiers have certain responsibilities to perform in this regard.

As per administrative responsibilities of a top level civil servant is to employ

technical/professional hand at relevant posts for policy formulation process.

Provide essential information and analysis based on modern technical advancement

towards strategy reform process.

Selection of proper officials among subordinates with specific skills for certain
development program implementation, skill development training and responsibilities.

Put proper emphasis on budget allocation for achieving certain targets accordingly.

Self-education process for all regarding government strategy, programs, targets,

achievements etc.

In house training for subordinates for capacity building in terms of ICT, related project
management, professional skills etc.

Follow government strategy solely and encourage other colleagues to be an active part
of the total achievement.

Give realistic feedback from bottom tiers towards top authority about the socioeconomic acceptability of certain development programs so as to facilitate with required
modification to make it entirely successful and sustainable.

Motivate local people under the authority to cope up with new development programs,
social reform strategies and economic activities (such as women empowerment).

Take required steps to utilize local resources for sustainability of certain projects.

Specific suggestions
There are certain pros and cons to cope up with the targets of SDGs. Here are few
suggestions to address them properly.

Incorporate position of skilled professionals in strategy and policy formulation at

national level.

Locate resources based on SWOT analysis for fixing up targets in country perspective
and allocate them according to priority.

Identify gaps between targets of SDGs and current situation to put required emphasis
(continuation of goals achieved in MDGs can be very helpful).
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Delegation of authority as per value of task is essential to reduce bureaucratic

complexity for following time limits accordingly.

Introduce a generic form of project implementation and monitoring system for taking
instant step in case of fall back from targets.

Establish specific responsibilities under guided action plan to ensure accountability of

each tier of executives.

Put emphasis on utilizing local resources, local culture and values to formulate
development projects for greater sustainability.

Ensure political commitment of keeping unity on national development and project

implementation phases.

Programs ensuring benefits for mass disadvantaged groups should be ensured for better
sustainability of development.

Conclusion
Alls well that ends well. Everything is at very initial stage to state much. But the targets are
well defined. All we need to incorporate global goals with our national requirements. With
proper policy, continuation of ongoing development programs, efficient use of local
resources, involvement of mass people with benefits are enough to make the targets to be
achieved successfully. Lets make it happen together.

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