Dhaka: Permanent Representative (PR) of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Masud Bin Momen has highlighted Bangladesh’s various initiatives on social protection which have been taken and implemented under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, reports the UNB.

He said the government has formulated a comprehensive National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) to consolidate all safety net programmes.

‘We are providing regular allowances to 6.5 million elderly men and women, widows, destitute women and persons with disabilities. This is a strategy adopted to alleviate poverty in the country.’

Ambassador Momen was addressing a side event, as part of the ongoing 57th Commission for Social Development (CSocD), held at the UN Headquarters on ‘Social protection as a strategy for addressing inequalities and challenges to social inclusion’ in New York on Wednesday.

Referring the Cooperatives which played a big role in our country’s development journey, the Ambassador said, ‘Immediately after our independence, the-then Prime Minister and the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman identified cooperatives as one of the tools to integrate people in the development of the country and rebuild its economy.’

A glaring example of a successful cooperative initiated at that time and still being run is Milk Vita- a national leading cooperative in Bangladesh, he said.

Following the development footprint of Father of the Nation, Ambassador Momen said, Sheikh Hasina’s government had also initiated agricultural, fisheries, and weavers’ cooperatives as well as industrial cooperative societies for the poor people of their respective classes for their socio-economic development.

Mentioning Bangladesh as the role model of women empowerment, The Ambassador said the government has focused on skill development of the people particularly the women and has been creating job opportunities for them.

He emphasized on the need of resources, institutions, capacity, technology and most importantly political commitment to address the challenges of inequality and social exclusion.

The event was moderated by Winifred Doherty, NGO Representative while Daniela Bas, Director, DESA Division of Inclusive Social Development; Barry Herman, Professor, New School for Social Research, Dr Lovette Ego, Worldwide Network Nigeria; Andrew Allimadi, Coordinator Cooperative Issues, DESA DISD; Dr Ify Ofong, Worldwide Network Nigeria spoke as panelists.