Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called on the World Economic Forum (WEF) to take coordinated global action to support delta nations such as Bangladesh, warning that rising sea levels and climate-related risks demand urgent international cooperation.
He made the appeal during a courtesy meeting with World Economic Forum President and Chief Executive Officer Alois Zwinggi in Dalian, China, held at 5:00pm local time on the sidelines of the forum’s annual gathering.
At the start of the meeting, Alois Zwinggi congratulated Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on assuming office as head of the government of Bangladesh.
During the discussion, the Prime Minister praised the WEF’s initiatives on climate change and outlined Bangladesh’s own climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. He said the country has launched a plan to plant 25 crore trees over the next five years as part of its environmental strategy.
He also detailed broader resilience measures, including plans to restore natural water flows and reduce flood risks through the re-excavation of nearly 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals across the country.
Tarique Rahman further highlighted Bangladesh’s energy transition goals, noting that the government has introduced tax incentives to encourage solar power generation. He said the country aims to generate 20 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
Alois Zwinggi expressed interest in Bangladesh’s climate initiatives and said the country’s efforts in climate resilience and sustainable development were likely to attract attention from international financial institutions and investors.
He assured that the issues raised would be given due consideration and reiterated the WEF’s commitment to continued support and cooperation. The WEF chief also invited the prime minister to attend the forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury and Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon were present at the meeting.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Dalian on Monday night from Malaysia for a four-day official visit to China, following an invitation from Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
He is attending the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum, also known as the Summer Davos, held from 23 to 25 June in Liaoning Province.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a reception hosted by Chinese Premier Li Qiang and hold a series of bilateral meetings during his visit.
On 24 June, he is expected to meet the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan before travelling to Beijing by train in the afternoon.
He will later hold bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on 25 June and with Chinese President Xi Jinping on 26 June.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to return home on the night of 26 June, concluding his first official overseas tour since taking office.
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