Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam Tuesday sought specific proposals of additional assistance from the international community to help Bangladesh face the threats to sustain the progresses the country has so far made, reports UNB.

"The progress we achieved so far is now under threat… Bangladesh has no contribution to global issues like climate change and consequently the global warming, but it is the worst victim," he said at the inaugural season of a symposium on social protection at Sonargaon Hotel.

Policymakers from eight South Asian countries are participating in the 3-day symposium, titled `Social Protection as a Strategy in Transformative Social Policy''. UNICEF regional director for South Asia Daniel Toole, who also spoke on the occasion, told reporters after the meeting that "the government has to ask the donors what they need" to face the situation.

SAARC social affairs director Hassan Shifau also spoke at the session, chaired by UNICEF Bangladesh Officer in-charge Uhaa Lyorlumun. The Finance Adviser said the increase in prices of fuel oil, fertilizer, and especially the food has also threatened family budget, affecting the government ability to provide social safety net for the people.

"I hope, the symposium will come up with specific proposal about what the international community should do." He pointed out that international donors frequently commit to provide assistance to social safety net programmes and climate changes issues, but so far they have not provided any additional assistance in these regards.

"At present, the World Bank and IMF are very much concerned about food price increase, but they have taken no concrete initiative so far," he said. Dr Aziz said no matter what development programmes a country undertakes, there would always be a group of people to remain unattended and cannot participate in the development process.

"(At this point) there is a role of the government which can be done in coordination with NGOs and private sector to bring this missing middle under safety net," he added.

During the 3-day deliberations, around 70 senior government officials, representatives from international NGOs and development agencies, researchers and experts will discuss how could social protection systems, legislation and policies contribute to the achievement of MDGs.

"Women and children, and notably those excluded from resources, incomes and social services, are the most affected by the disconnect between high economic growth rates and low progress on human development indicators," said Daniel Toole, the UNICEF regional director for South Asia.

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