Irene Khan said the country was going through a rare “window of opportunity” to make a major breakthrough in its development journey.

She said the government is keen to engage with the international community to broaden and deepen discussions on development priorities and implementation of the SDGs.

Irene Khan said her role as Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN would also be to act as a bridge between the country’s development efforts and the international community, ensuring that the issues discussed at the national level receive due attention at the global level.

She noted that Bangladesh had performed well in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), but the SDGs are considerably more comprehensive, interconnected and demanding.

She stressed that the remaining period for achieving the goals would be a difficult but important journey for Bangladesh.

Referring to the government’s commitment, Khan said it is focusing on investment in key sectors, strengthening implementation and monitoring, and working closely with development partners to make up for lost time.