Bangladesh leads the fight to end hunger: PM Hasina

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hopes Bangladesh will inspire global efforts to eradicate hunger and ensure food security, as she inaugurated the 'Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room’ at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.

The room is emblematic of the strong relationship between Bangladesh and the FAO that has endured for the last 50 years, according to the premier.

"We’re delighted to have a little piece of Bangladesh inside the FAO headquarters,” she said while inaugurating the room.

The room was opened to mark the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu also attended the inauguration ceremony.

PM Hasina said Bangladesh has almost reached the end of its fight against hunger and malnutrition as it strives towards a hunger-free future. “It is my life’s purpose to ensure a zero-hunger and zero-poverty future for all people, and we are almost at the last miles of our struggle.”

“I hope the international delegates gathered in this room will take a moment to reflect on our achievements,” she said, adding, “I hope they will draw inspiration from our example to promote food security and sustainability all over the world.”

Recalling Bangladesh’s membership in FAO in 1973 under the leadership of Bangabandhu, Hasina said the Father of the Nation always nurtured a goal to free his countrymen from poverty, hunger, and oppression.

She highlighted the contributions of Bangladeshi farmers to producing food for 168 million people and thanked the United Nations for supporting them for years.