Elect honest candidates for country’s prospersity

Army chief General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday urged the people to elect honest candidates in the next national elections to move the country towards prosperity.
He made the call while addressing a function organised by Old Rajshahi Cadets Association (ORCA) on Kuakata Sea beach. ORCA Preisdent Engineer Siddiqur Rahman, Secretary Firoz and a Sidr victim also spoke at the function.
“Bangladesh has huge resources. So, it needs honest and efficient leadership to make more progress through proper utilisation of these resources,” the army chief said.
Urging all not to sell their votes in the election, Gen Moeen said, “ If you sell vote, you night live better for a day, but not for the next five years.”
About voter list preparation by the army, the army chief said the countrymen will remember forever the contributions of the army personnel in voter enrolment.
He also stressed the need for development of tourism, agriculture and garment sectors to achieve country's solvency.
Gen Moeen hoped that Bangladesh will become a middle-income country by 2015 if the natural resources are properly utilised and the sectors like tourism, garments and agriculture developed.
ORCA built 85 houses under its Palli-6 Project on Kuakata beach for Sidr-hit victims. It also built a mosque, a community centre and installed three tubewells there.
General Moeen handed over deeds and the keys of the houses to the cyclone victims.
GOC of 55 Infantry Division Maj General Rafiqul Islam and Deputy Commissioner, Patuakhali, AGM Mir Mashiur Alam were, among others, present.
Earlier in the day, the army chief inaugurated a mosque-cum-cyclone centre at Gabtala village in Sharankhola upazila under Bagerhat district.
Addressing a function there, he called for growing more crops to increase food production, according to UNB.
“We should cultivate twice on one-crop land and thrice on two-crop land to achieve self-sufficiency in food,” he said.
The cyclone centre was built on 16 decimals of land at Gabtali village in Southkhali Union, one of the unions affected most by cyclone Sidr on the night of November 15 last year. One Barik Hawlader donated the land for the centre.
The army has implemented the project at a cost of Tk 55 lakh.
Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Shahidul Islam, Jessore Cantonment GOC Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam, 88 Brigade Commander Brig Gen Ehteshamul Haque, Bagerhat Army Camp Commander Lt Col Shahinul Haque, and Bagerhat Police Superintendent AKM Shahidur Rahman were, among others, present.