The News was published in The Financial Express.

All the stakeholders, both in public and private sectors, need to work with greater coordination to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), speakers at a dialogue said on 23^rd September 2019 (Monday).

Fostering innovations, enhancing skills, empowering women and creating new entrepreneurs are also essential to this end, they said.

The observations came at a dialogue organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at a city hotel.

Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh Sudipto Mukerjee delivered the opening speech.

Joint Secretary at the ministry of finance Farhina Ahmed, Deputy Managing Director of Bank Asia Ziaul Hasan Molla, Country Manager of Marks & Spencer Shwapna Bhowmick and Managing Director of Marico Bangladesh Ashish Goupal took part in the panel discussion.

Sudipto Mukerjee said new strategy are required to address various challenges the world is currently facing such as climate change, rising inequalities and the emergence of new and disruptive technologies.

Traditional state-led development approaches are no longer effective and require new partnerships, he said, adding that without innovative method, the desired development is neither possible nor sustainable.

"Thankfully, with the advent of the era of the SDGs, there is a growing realisation for the need to harness the transformative power of business' collective resources and capabilities to create shared solutions to global challenges," said the UNDP official.

The private sector can play a critical role as an engine of economic growth and employment, a driver of innovation and a source of finance, he said.

Taking part in a panel discussion on 'The role of business to reduce inequalities through skills', Farhina Ahmed said the government has done a very important exercise called 'SDG financing strategy'.

As per the strategy, the country will need additional Tk 928.08 billion till 2030 to implement different programmes to achieve the SDGs, she said.

"The government alone cannot manage the fund," she said.

She called on the private sector to play their due role, terming them 'domestic strength' of the country.

Commenting on the financial inclusion, Ziaul Hasan said Bank Asia continues to work for financial inclusion with its agent banking service available over 3,000 outlets in rural across the country.

About the SDG, he said the existence of human will be jeopardised if the development doesn't take place in proper manner.