Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Thursday) hoped that the Armed Forces personnel would continue to work as "frontline soldiers" in implementing the Perspective Plan-2041.   "I would like to say to the members of our Armed Forces that, you, being imbued with patriotism, will continue to work as 'frontline soldiers' in implementing the Perspective Plan-2041, and I hope this," she said.   The premier said this while addressing the Graduation Ceremony of National Defence Course (NDC) and Armed Forces War Course (AFWC)-2021 at Sheikh Hasina Complex of DSCSC in Mirpur Cantonment in the capital, joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.   "In 2071, the country will celebrate the centenary of our independence (and we have to) move ahead keeping it in mind," she said.    The premier said Bangladesh will never go back (rather) it will move forward to be a hunger-and-poverty-free developed and prosperous 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.   Sheikh Hasina said the members of the armed forces are always ready for supreme sacrifice in any crisis alongside protecting the country's sovereignty.   She said they participated in different activities as frontline fighters in facing the Covid-19 pandemic and earned acclamation for their works.   Armed forces personnel have been working sincerely in the infrastructural and socio-economic development of the country along with facing natural disasters aptly, she added.   A total of 88 trainees, including 27 foreign military members, participated in the NDC-2021, while a total of 55 trainees in the AFWC-2021.   So far, 383 members of the Armed Forces from 24 friendly countries have received higher education and training at the NDC.    The Prime Minister also remotely distributed certificates among the graduates.    Chiefs of the three services and the NDC commandant and its faculties were present at the event. The Prime Minister said members of armed forces have brightened the image of Bangladesh abroad by extending expertise and maintaining dedication in Peace Building and Peace Enforcement, including meeting the challenges of UN Peacekeeping Missions.   She said Bangladesh has once again been able to retain its glorious position as the highest peacekeeper sending country.   In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said her government's endeavour is to provide time befitting training and modern equipment to the members of armed forces so they can run their activities in keeping pace with the developed world.   She said they have added the modern infantry gazette, state-of-the-art weapons, aircraft and helicopters, various modern engineering equipment, sky- destroying automatic SHORAD, VSHORAD, state-of-the-art Oerlikon air Defence systems, etc to the armed forces.   She continued the Navy has state-of-the-art corvettes, frigates, submarines, and maritime helicopters and formed the SWADS as a specialized force. "In addition, we are building new naval and submarine bases," she said.    She went on saying that state-of-the-art fighter jets, transport aircraft, helicopters, high-powered air Defence radar, and surface-to-air missiles are also included in the Air Force.   The premier said her government has established Aviation and Aerospace University and built the Forward Aviation Base and the Air Defence Notification Center.    "In addition, we have transformed CMHs across the country into state-of-the-art hospitals alongside five medical colleges," she said.   The Prime Minister mentioned that they have been implementing short, medium, and long-term plans to form a trained and up-to-date military force after winning three consecutive elections since 2008.   She said there has been a far progress in modernizing, expanding, and developing the Armed Forces through implementation of the "Forces Goal, 2030.   Sheikh Hasina added: "We have formulated the 'National Defence Policy, 2018' updating the Defence policy prepared by the Father of the Nation."   She also briefly highlighted the initiatives taken by Bangabandhu for the development of the armed forces such as establishment of the Bangladesh Military Academy in Comilla Cantonment in 1972, procurement of warships for the Navy from India and Yugoslavia, state-of-the-art supersonic MIG-21 fighter jets, helicopters and transport aircraft, and air Defence radar for the Air Force alongside formulating Defence Policy in 1974.   The Prime Minister said her government's goal in establishing the National Defence College (NDC) was to build an apex training center for high-level military and civilian officers at home and abroad.   "Today, I can say with satisfaction that NDC has been able to reach its goal," she said.   She also stated that the high-ranking military and civilian officers from home and abroad are showing their highest professionalism and efficiency in their respective fields by taking training from this institution.   She noted, "Along with projecting Bangladesh in the world, it (NDC) is taking relations with the armed forces of friendly countries to new heights."   The head of the government said the graduates have learned about social, political, cultural, economic, and international relations at NDC, including national security challenges and future strategies, which will undoubtedly help them gain leadership in the workplace.   "In these two courses, I hope that the intensive interaction between our military and civilian officers and their counterparts from our friendly countries and their attachment with our nature and the people will remain intact in the future," she opined.   Referring to the United Nations' unanimous approval of the proposal to graduate Bangladesh from a Least Developed to a Developing country, she said at present, the size of the economy of Bangladesh is US$ 411 billion while the poverty rate is below 20.5 percent and per capita income raised to US$ 2,554.    "We could have cut down the poverty rate to 17-18 percent, but the Covid-19 pandemic has slowed it," she said.   About framing Delta Plan-2100, Sheikh Hasina said they have adopted this plan so that generation to generation, not only in cities but also in grassroots level, would get an improved and smooth livelihood.   The Prime Minister also attended the 18th joint governing body meeting of NDC and DSCSC.   PM's Security Affairs Adviser, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, PSO, Commandant of NDC, Senior Secretary of Finance Division, Senior Secretary of Defence Ministry, Senior Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ministry, Senior Secretary of Public Administration, Education Secretary and Vice-Chancellors of Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh University of Professionals and National University were present at the meeting. Source: BSS AH

We enter 2021, hoping to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. While each society has dealt with it uniquely, global diplomacy will nevertheless focus on common concerns and shared lessons. Much of that revolves around the nature of globalization. Our generation has been conditioned to think of that largely in economic terms. The general sense is one of trade, finance, services, communication, technology and mobility. This expresses the interdependence and interpenetration of our era. What COVID, however, brought out was the deeper indivisibility of our existence. Real globalization is more about pandemics, climate change and terrorism. They must constitute the core of diplomatic deliberations. As we saw in 2020, overlooking such challenges comes at a huge cost. Despite its many benefits, the world has also seen strong reactions to globalization. Much of that arises from unequal benefits, between and within societies. Regimes and dispensations that are oblivious to such happenings are therefore being challenged. We must ensure that this is not about winners and losers, but about nurturing sustainable communities everywhere. COVID-19 has also redefined our understanding of security. Until now, nations thought largely in military, intelligence, economic, and perhaps, cultural terms. Today, they will not only assign greater weight to health security but increasingly worry about trusted and resilient supply chains. The stresses of the COVID-19 era brought out the fragility of our current situation. Additional engines of growth are needed to de-risk the global economy, as indeed is more transparency and market-viability. Multilateral institutions have not come out well from this experience. Quite apart from controversies surrounding them, there was not even a pretense of a collective response to the most serious global crisis since 1945. This is cause for serious introspection. Reforming multilateralism is essential to creating effective solutions. Fashioning a robust response to the COVID-19 challenge is set to dominate global diplomacy in 2021. In its own way, India has set an example. That it has done by defying prophets of doom and creating the health wherewithal to minimize its fatality rate and maximize its recovery rate. An international comparison of these numbers tells its own story. Not just that, India also stepped forward as the pharmacy of the world, supplying medicines to more than 150 countries, many as grants. As our nation embarks on a mass vaccination effort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance that it would help make vaccines accessible and affordable to the world is already being implemented. The first consignments of Made in India vaccines have reached not only our neighbors like Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, Seychelles and Sri Lanka but partners far beyond like Brazil and Morocco. Other key global challenges today deserve similar attention. As a central participant in reaching the Paris agreement, India has stood firm with regard to combating climate change. Its renewable energy targets have multiplied, its forest cover has grown, its bio-diversity has expanded and its focus on water utilization has increased. Practices honed at home are now applied to its development partnerships in Africa and elsewhere. By example and energy, Indian diplomacy is leading the way, including through the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure initiatives. The challenge of countering terrorism and radicalization is also a formidable one. As a society, long subjected to cross-border terrorist attacks, India has been active in enhancing global awareness and encouraging coordinated action. It will be a major focus in India's diplomacy as a non-permanent member of the Security Council and in forums like FATF and G20. Among the takeaways from the COVID-19 experience has been the power of the digital domain. Whether it was contact tracing or the provision of financial and food support, India's digital focus after 2014 has yielded impressive results. The "work from anywhere" practice was as strongly enhanced by COVID-19 as the "study from home" one. All these will help expand the toolkit of India's development programs abroad and assist the recovery of many partners. 2020 also saw the largest repatriation exercise in history–the return home of more than 4 million Indians. This alone brings out the importance of mobility in contemporary times. As smart manufacturing and the knowledge economy take deeper root, the need for trusted talent will surely grow. Facilitating its movement through diplomacy is in the global interest. A return to normalcy in 2021 will mean safer travel, better health, economic revival and digitally driven services. They will be expressed in new conversations and fresh understandings. The world after COVID-19 will be more multi-polar, pluralistic and rebalanced. And India, with its experiences, will help make a difference. *Dr. S. Jaishankar is the Foreign Minister of India.