Working for strong rural economy
Says PM
Putting emphasis on improving the lifestyle of villagers, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the government was working to make the country’s rural economy stronger.
“We want to make the rural economy stronger so that people can earn enough in their own village and make the rural economy more vibrant. We are taking steps keeping that in mind,” she said.
The PM was addressing a function, marking the 48th National Cooperative Day and distribution of the National Cooperative Award at the capital’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
Hasina said people in rural areas would enjoy facilities similar to those provided in urban areas.
The government wants to improve the sanitation and communications system in villages, she added.
She mentioned that the government has already ensured internet facility across the country and the rural people can now enjoy its benefits.
Turning to the cooperative movement, the PM said the government wants more crops to be produced on the existing arable land and the cooperatives movement is very much appropriate to achieve the target. “The people of the country will never extend their hands to anyone for food.”
She also said the government would be able to develop the country through cooperatives by building an IT-based management system.
The theme of this year’s Cooperatives Day is “Development through Cooperatives: The philosophy of Bangabandhu”. The Department of Cooperatives under the LGRD and cooperatives ministry organised the event.
Describing various steps and programmes to develop the cooperatives system in the country, Hasina said there are around 174,000 cooperatives in the country and they have 109,00,000 members.
LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Tazul Islam, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the LGRD and cooperatives ministry Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, and State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Swapan Bhattacharjee also spoke at the event, among others.
Earlier, the PM handed over the National Cooperative Award to different cooperative societies and individuals for their contributions to the sector.
She visited some stalls set up on the venue premises by various cooperatives societies on the occasion.
The premier also enjoyed a colourful cultural programme.