The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were introduced by the United Nations (UN) and its member states in 2015 to replace the expiring Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The SDGs consist of 17 goals focused on achieving peace, prosperity, and sustainability for people and the planet through partnerships.
As a member of the UN, the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) has endorsed the SDGs and established a coordination body under the Prime Minister's Office to handle SDG affairs. To implement the SDGs in Bangladesh, the GoB has undertaken various initiatives and established teams and offices dedicated to SDG implementation. These include the SDGs implementation and review committee, the SDGs Working Team, the Division, District, and Upazila Committees for SDGs Implementation Reviews, the National Data Coordination Committee (NDCC), the National Conference on SDGs Implementation Review (SIR), and the Global Review Mechanism of the SDGs. The GoB's long-term plan also includes monitoring 140 indicators,
66 of which are derived from the SDGs indicators.
The GoB believes that achieving the SDGs faster requires effective engagement of all stakeholders, including local governments. The nature of the SDGs necessitates inclusive planning, implementation, and monitoring, which calls for multi-stakeholder participation. To facilitate this, the GoB has established platforms that track and monitor SDGs by assigning coordinating ministries/divisions to specific goals and fostering collaboration with UN agencies.
In Bangladesh's top-down approach to SDG administration, the Principal Coordinator of SDG Affairs and the 25 concerned ministries form the SDG committee. The Prime Minister's Office acts as a member and convenor of the committee, with the Bangladesh Planning Commission serving as the member secretary. This committee is further cascaded down to administrative structures at the upazila, district, and divisional levels, ultimately reporting to the Cabinet and PMO.
The SDGs Implementation Reviews Committee comprises 27 secretaries, and the ministries/divisions are assigned lead, co-lead, and associated responsibilities for the SDG Action Plan. Data gap analysis has been completed, and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework has been formulated, outlining the current state, desired outcomes, and documentation of progress.
The SDG Affairs Office aims to localize SDG monitoring at the upazila level. However, it has observed a lack of communication between activities at the PMO and line ministries, let alone with lower administrative structures. In a recent study, it was found that nearly 70% of university students are unaware of the SDGs.
According to a paper by the Center for Policy Dialogue, there is insufficient interaction between the media and non-state actors concerning the SDGs, hindering increased and improved reporting on the SDGs. The center recommends greater engagement between civil society organizations (CSOs) and the media, as well as capacity-building for journalists to utilize the SDGs as an accountability tool when reporting on development and social challenges.
To ensure the success of SDG localization in Bangladesh, the SDG Affairs Office is taking initiatives to decentralize and integrate national initiatives at the local level. The office plans to reach out to various groups, including community technicians, teachers, health professionals, engineers, transport workers, students, youth, farmers, and the wider community, in order to involve everyone in achieving the SDGs.
The Communications Specialist will develop an action plan oriented and budget incorporated communication strategy that the SDG affairs office will implement to disseminate information regarding SGDs and help multiple stakeholders embrace the SDGs.