<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, "For the vast populations around the globe, it is necessary to transform their demographic dividend by ensuring essential education, healthcare, and other fundamental rights."</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She stressed the need for effective population management considered to be a key determinant for sustainable development.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier made the remarks while addressing the inaugural session of the two-day event titled "ICPD30 Global Dialogue on Demographic Diversity and Sustainable Development" at Intercontinental Hotel here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh, Bulgaria and Japan, together with UNFPA, are hosting the event that creates a platform to discuss the challenges and explore the opportunities of the world's shifting demographics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister said transforming demographic dividend will enable to create a prosperous global system.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"To achieve this goal, development partners and international financial institutions need to be more sincere and internally committed to ensuring the quantity and accessibility of international arrangements for general healthcare, particularly in the field of maternal and child healthcare services," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The premier said that the global dialogue held in Dhaka will provide the necessary recommendations for the Summit of the Future to be held in September, 2024 in the United Nations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The international community at the Summit of the Future will reaffirm their strong political commitment to addressing population and development issues," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sheikh Hasina said her government has decided to update Population Policy-2012 aiming to transform the population into human resources through skill development.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Very recently we have decided to update the Population Policy-2012. In the new policy, the Demographic Dividend which will continue from 2041 to 2061 is being emphasised to transform the population into human resource through skill development and advancement, and emphasising vocational education,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a result of various initiatives taken by the government, the average life expectancy of the people in the country has increased to 72.3 years in 2023, she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Currently, 62 percent of our total population is productive,” she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The premier also mentioned that at present 9.29 percent of the total population in the country is above 60 years old.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We have implemented various programs to ensure the health services and social security of the elderly. In 2023, we have arranged elderly allowances for over 5.8 million senior citizens,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">She also spoke about the forcibly displaced Rohingya people from Myanmar who have taken shelter in Bangladesh and the Palestinians suffering from Israeli aggression and occupation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"A large number of women and children in Palestine are currently deprived of necessary medical and health services. They are fighting for survival every day," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd/fas</div>