People to judge govt success
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said in the last one year her government tried with all sincerity to live up to the public trust bestowed upon it in the last general election.
Addressing the nation last night on the occasion of her government reaching its one year mark in power, Hasina said Awami League (AL)-led alliance's landslide victory in the election was the manifestation of that public trust.
"Therefore, our responsibility towards the people also increased manifold. We tried to live up to that trust over the last one year. It is up to the people to judge how successful we have been," the premier said.
"Our election pledges were to reduce prices of essentials and to ensure food security. We have largely succeeded in delivering on those pledges," said the prime minister, whose cabinet focused on boosting up the agriculture sector from the very beginning.
In the recorded televised address, Hasina, also the leader of the House and chief of the AL-led grand alliance, pledged to establish a healthy, positive political trend breaking away from traditional political culture.
She urged the main opposition to join the parliament and play an effective role in building a prosperous Bangladesh, shunning all narrow partisan and personal interests.
"Let's unite to search for an enlightened way to build a golden Bangladesh," Hasina urged the nation.
The premier elaborated on her government's measures in different sectors including agriculture, communications, energy and power, education, ICT, commerce, food, poverty reduction, health, climate change, and protection of the environment and rivers.
Talking about massive plans in the communication sector, the prime minister said her government will build a rail line connecting the capital and Cox's Bazar. A thirty-two kilometre long elevated expressway will also be built in Dhaka connecting Jatrabari and Zia International Airport to ease traffic congestion in the capital, she added.
The prime minister sought cooperation from all citizens for implementation of her government's programmes and promises for building a prosperous Bangladesh.
"We want to free the country of corruption, misrule, illiteracy and poverty by 2021," she said.
On curbing corruption, the premier said, "We want to see the country free of corruption. For that we have taken steps to reform and strengthen organisational structures. The Anti-corruption Commission is working independently."
Speaking on establishment of rule of law, she firmly pledged to begin the trial of war criminals within the shortest possible time. None with connection to last year's BDR mutiny will be spared, she said.
She also said the killers of four national leaders assassinated inside Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975 will face justice. The perpetrators of the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on an AL rally, and the persons responsible for the 10-truck arms haul in Chittagong will be punished as well, she added.
"The government has taken different measurers so that no militant and terrorist activity can be carried out in Bangladesh," said the premier adding that her government took different steps for strengthening law and order, and to that end it increased facilities and allowances for law enforcers.
In the speech the prime minister thanked the people of the country and expressed deep gratitude to those who voted AL to power.
She held the last BNP-Jamaat coalition government responsible for ushering in the immediate past state of emergency for two years by resorting to widespread corruption and misrule.
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