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Noting that Bangladesh wanted to stand as a beacon of hope for the world, chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday placed six proposals at Earthna Summit in Doha of Qatar, saying the path to a sustainable and equitable future lies in collective action.

‘My country, Bangladesh, now stands at a turning point to forge a new social contract in which the state and its people, especially its youth, co-create a future rooted in inclusion, tradition, justice, dignity, and opportunity,’ he said.

While delivering his keynote speech at the summit, Yunus said that first, the world had to expand financial inclusion to reach all marginalised communities empowering individuals with the financial tools they needed to build livelihoods and participate fully in the economy.

‘Second, we must champion social business as a powerful tool for addressing social and environmental challenges, fostering enterprises that prioritise purpose over profit.’

Thirdly, he said that the world had to recognise the crucial role of youth as agents of change, creating platforms for their voices to be heard and investing in their skills and potential.

‘Fourthly, we must work towards peace and justice globally, recognising that these are fundamental prerequisites for sustainable development and the well-being of all humanity,’ he said.

In his fifth proposal, Yunus said that the moral obligation of the global community should not be forgotten for providing necessary financing for undertaking the aforementioned activities.

He said that developed countries had to meet their ODA commitments, particularly the 0.2 per cent GNI target for the LDCs, which remained at 0.09 per cent.

‘Enhanced concessional financing, with disaster clauses, is critical for sustaining development momentum including in the graduating countries,’ the chief adviser said.

‘Finally, we must create another culture; a counter-culture based on a different lifestyle. This lifestyle will be rooted in zero waste, zero carbon, and an economy based primarily on zero personal profit, i.e., on social business,’ he said.

He mentioned a social contract in which financial inclusion and the empowerment of marginalised communities become integral.

Noting that Bangladesh wanted to stand as a beacon of hope for the world, he invited its friends and partners to rewrite inclusive social contracts and to explore the role of social business, financial inclusion, and microfinance in fostering sustainable development and economic opportunities for the marginalised.

‘Let us be bold. Let us build a world where no one is too poor to dream and no dream is too big to achieve. I leave you with this: the future is not something we inherit. It is something we create. And each one of us has a role to play,’ Yunus said.

The chief adviser described how the youth of a country imbued with a sense, purpose and awakening can break free from the oppression of a tyrant and write a new future for their country that will be embedded in the virtues of democracy, equality and non-discrimination.

In July 2024, he said that Bangladesh experienced a historic, youth-led mass uprising that began as a protest against discrimination evolved into a nationwide call for justice, good governance, and accountability.

This movement led and planned by the Bangladeshi youth happened simultaneously both on the streets and online, he said.

Meanwhile, the chief adviser urged the global leaders not to forget Palestine and Rohingyas crises, saying the Palestinians are not expendable.

‘The world must not ignore the humanitarian crises that affect people from Palestine to the Rohingyas in Bangladesh,’ he said, adding, ‘impunity and blatant disregard for human rights are threats to development anywhere in the world.’

‘The ongoing suffering in Palestine concerns not just a region, but all of humanity. Palestinians are not expendable,’ he added.

Professor Yunus, also the 2006 Noble Peace Laureate, said that the protracted crisis in Myanmar continued to threaten regional stability.

The chief adviser said that although the world dreamt for a resilient, prosperous, and sustainable future for all, there were various threats that could derail the future development.

‘We live in a time of profound uncertainty, where multilateralism is under serious threat, climate change is accelerating, geopolitical tensions are rising, and humanitarian crises are deepening,’ he noted.

‘Emerging norms, technologies, and governance models are rapidly reshaping our world, rendering many past assumptions obsolete. The urgency for renewed regional and global cooperation has never been greater,’ he said.

‘Peace and stability are fundamental prerequisites for any meaningful and sustainable development,’ he opined.

He highlighted that the climate crisis was also intensifying and the fact that funding for the global effort in this regard might dwindle in future.

He also said that access to finance was critical for sustainable development, good governance and empowerment of women and youth.

‘In this venture of ours of a new kind of economics-one that centres on people, not just profit; one that builds resilience instead of deepening inequality can play a prominent role,’ he said.

Earlier, Professor Yunus held a meeting with Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, mother of the amir of the State of Qatar and chairperson of Qatar Foundation, on the sidelines of the summit.

He also joined a meeting with Sheikh Thani bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, chairperson of Qatar Fund for Development. Besides, he held a meeting with Nawaf Abdullah Al Hammadi, assistant CEO for international operations sector of Qatar Charity.

Bangladesh ambassador to Qatar Md Nazrul Islam received Professor Yunus upon his arrival at Hamad International Airport on Monday.