The focal point of discussion on Sunday was the mutual accountability between the government and donors. The Joint Cooperation Strategy (JCS) was the main topic, which was established during a meeting earlier this year between the government and development partners. The Bangladesh Development Forum decided that this strategy would help coordinate development efforts. The session on Sunday, led by finance minister A M A Muhith, aimed to receive input on the draft framework from members of civil society such as economists, NGO leaders, and former bureaucrats. However, the conversation mainly focused on the details of mutual accountability. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, head of the Palli Karma Shahayak Fund and a member of high-powered committees on education policy and climate change, noted that the draft JCS overlooked issues such as unemployment, underemployment, and education. He emphasized the importance of harmonizing growth projections published by various agencies to align with government forecasts. Ahmad expressed concern that this lack of coordination is not favorable for development partners. The draft JCS highlights the need for improved mutual accountability to enhance aid effectiveness, but former caretaker government advisor A B Mirza Azizul Islam pointed out that it does not specify how this accountability will be measured. "The JCS's performance cannot be evaluated using any quantifiable or measurable indicators," he stated. Other participants in the discussion agreed with the former advisor. Regarding aid conditionality, Islam mentioned that development partners were imposing irrelevant conditions. He also suggested that the government should create project portfolios for development partners to choose specific projects for financing. Mustafizur Rahman, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue in Dhaka, highlighted the commitment of developed nations to provide 0.7 percent of their national income in aid to impoverished countries. "Where has the responsibility of that commitment gone?" Senior Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta emphasized the importance of parliamentary discussions on the JCS draft. He pointed out that the framework is intended for the welfare of the people, and the parliament is the representation of those people. The prime minister's economic advisor Mashiur Rahman proposed the creation of a body with government and development partner representatives to ensure mutual accountability through monitoring project outcomes and efficiency. The finance minister, concluding the session, noted that the draft overlooked crucial areas such as migration, land use planning, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). He emphasized the significance of having a land use plan for the country's planned growth and highlighted the importance of ICT as a valuable tool for development, noting its role in promoting transparency and preventing corruption.