DHAKA – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said Bangladesh witnessed reduction of poverty rate from 40 to 21 percent in the past 10 years as a mark of great success but the country needs to go a far way to achieve its cherished prosperity.
“We’ve to sustain the ongoing development and go a far way to change the fate of the downtrodden people of rural areas,” she said while inaugurating 33 projects implemented by LGRD and Cooperative Ministry in 20 districts.
“Our prime and foremost goal was to reduce poverty and we’ve successfully done this in last 10 years,” the premier said, adding that Bangladesh is moving faster in all areas as her government embarked upon massive development programmes after taking office in 2009.
The prime minister inaugurated the projects through a videoconference with the officials, local leaders and cross-section of people of five districts from her Gonobhaban residence here.
“Bangladesh has acquired a dignified position in the world with earning the recognition of a developing country. We’ve to go further to change the fate of the people living in rural areas,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said since assuming the office, her government has been making relentless efforts to materialise the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to give the country’s people a prosperous life.
The 33 development projects include – six 6-storey urban maternity care centres, 10 3-storey urban health centres, seven bridges, one jetty at Teknaf-Myanmar transit point and five upazila administrative buildings in different areas of 20 districts.
Newly constructed 33 development projects were inaugurated to further accelerate the advancement of the country in the areas of health, communication and infrastructural development,” the prime minister said.
LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Khondkar Mosharraf Hossain also spoke on the occasion conducted by PM’s principal secretary Md Nojibur Rahman.
Sheikh Hasina said various infrastructures, including bridges, health centres and administrative buildings, have been constructed across the country as part of implementing her electoral pledge titled, “Din Badaler Sanad”.
Urging all concerned to give special attention for proper maintenance of the projects implemented by her government, she said the newly built health and mother-care centres and upazila complexes will help reach healthcare and administrative services at the doorsteps of common people.
Besides, the prime minister said, the bridges inaugurated today will strengthen communication network in respective regions as well as increase facilities for transportation of goods and boosting trade activities.
About the jetty constructed on Teknaf-Myanmar transit point, she said it will help ease communication of the people in the region and handling of goods of the Saint Martin-bound tourists.
In addition, Sheikh Hasina said, the jetty will also play an important role in flourishing tourism industry in the region as well as improving living standard of people.
She said her government has set up health complexes, community clinics and union parishad digital centres across the country to reach various services at the doorsteps of common people. Moreover, the government is also working sincerely to ensure food and nutrition security of the people, she said.
The prime minister said her government aims to illuminate every house of the country, ensure improved communication and other facility to establish a poverty- and hunger-free Sonar Bangladesh as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Later, Sheikh Hasina exchanged views with cross section of people, including parliament members, public representatives, government officials and beneficiaries of various government projects.
