Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has once again called on global leaders to stop spending trillions on weapons and advised them to spend the funds on children’s welfare instead.
“The coronavirus and the war in Ukraine slowed down economic and development progress all over the world, including Bangladesh, and now people everywhere are suffering,” she said.
“That’s why I will always push for peace. I will also urge them [global leaders] to consider allocating the funds they are spending in the arms race to children’s welfare,” Sheikh Hasina said.
The prime minister made the call while inaugurating the country's first ever six-lane Modhumoti Bridge in Narail and the third Shitalakhya Bridge in Narayanganj via videoconferencing from her office in Dhaka on Monday, reports bdnews24.com.
In her address to the 77th United Nations General Assembly at the global body’s headquarters in New York last month, Hasina called for steps to ensure food security and build peace by highlighting the perils of people, especially women and children in developing and poor nations, due to the Russia-Ukraine war, sanctions and counter-sanctions.
“As a result of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, economic sanctions and counter-sanctions, there has been a supply chain disruption and exorbitant price hike of fuel, food and consumer goods,” the prime minister said.
“This has brought economies like ours under tremendous pressure. Inflation has increased. We are taking various steps to overcome this situation.”
On Monday, she again renewed her recent call to the people of Bangladesh to give greater consideration to food security in the face of the current economic and environmental challenges.
“Whatever agricultural land you own, please make use of it. Not a single inch of land should go unused."