Speaking at a seminar titled “Bangladesh in 2017 Davos: Some Reflections”, Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali mentioned that Professor Klaus Schwab had written a letter just four days prior. He noted that Prime Minister Hasina was the first elected leader of Bangladesh to be invited to the prestigious forum, which took place from Jan 17 to Jan 20. Ali emphasized that this invitation was a recognition of the Prime Minister's visionary leadership and her efforts to lead Bangladesh towards stability, development, and prosperity through her ‘Vision 2021’. He added that this recognition was further confirmed by Prof Schwab’s letter. The annual WEF meeting in Switzerland is known as a key platform for world leaders to collaborate and shape global, regional, and industrial agendas at the start of each year. Leaders will discuss their insights and innovations for navigating the future at this Forum. Newly appointed UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will be present at the meeting. Hasina will participate in six sessions focusing on water, climate change, sustainable development, and the digital economy, where she will discuss the progress made in Bangladesh. She will also share her views on future growth, including opportunities and challenges. The foreign minister noted that Hasina's perspectives as a representative of the developing world have helped other panelists understand the complexities of the challenges we are facing. Ali explained that the challenges and limitations faced by developing countries were well articulated during the seminar, in order to find possible solutions or pathways. He acknowledged that some people may argue that the discussions at Davos may not directly apply to their situation or provide concrete solutions, but emphasized the importance of appreciating the valuable insights and perspectives offered. The seminar was jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) at a hotel in Dhaka, with MCCI President Barrister Nihad Kabir in attendance.