Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday said the country has entered a period of national reconstruction after years of what he described as authoritarian governance, unveiling a five-year strategic framework designed to align national development priorities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Addressing a national conference on SDG implementation at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka, Rahman said Bangladesh had been left economically vulnerable by years of debt dependence and import-driven growth, creating challenges across sectors including education, healthcare and environmental management.

He said the government’s new development strategy seeks to address those challenges through long-term reforms and targeted social programs aimed at improving living standards and strengthening economic resilience.

According to the prime minister, the framework integrates Bangladesh’s national development agenda with the global SDG roadmap and reflects the government’s broader commitment to inclusive growth.

Rahman argued that many of the policy visions previously advanced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), including former President Ziaur Rahman’s development agenda, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s “Vision 2030,” and the party’s current reform proposals, share common objectives with international development frameworks such as the Millennium Development Goals and the SDGs.

He said the government’s guiding principle of “Bangladesh for All” aligns closely with the SDG commitment to ensure that no one is left behind.

The prime minister highlighted what he described as the government’s “Five Pillars of Reform and Development,” which focus on poverty reduction, social protection, education, healthcare, gender equality, climate resilience and governance reforms.

Rahman also outlined a broader “Three-R Strategy” — Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction — aimed at supporting Bangladesh’s transition from a least-developed country while maintaining progress toward achieving the SDGs by 2030.

As part of the government’s social protection agenda, he cited initiatives including family assistance cards, farmer support cards and digital health cards designed to expand access to subsidies, agricultural support, financial assistance and healthcare services.

The government is also planning pilot projects under a new “SDG Village” initiative. Three villages — Mitingachhari in Rangamati’s Kaptai upazila, Pankhali in Khulna’s Dacope upazila and Nafanagar in Dinajpur’s Bochaganj upazila — have been selected for the initial phase.

Officials said the pilot program will combine a range of development measures, including social welfare services, agricultural support, renewable energy projects, rural tourism, education initiatives, environmental conservation and small-business financing. The results will be monitored before considering a nationwide expansion.

Rahman stressed that achieving the SDGs would require cooperation beyond government institutions, calling for partnerships among the private sector, development organizations, civil society groups, media outlets and citizens.

He said the government’s long-term vision includes strengthening democratic institutions, ensuring universal access to education and healthcare, protecting civil rights and expanding economic opportunities.

The three-day conference brought together senior government officials, policymakers and development stakeholders to review progress, discuss challenges and formulate strategies for meeting Bangladesh’s development objectives by 2030.