Re-elect AL for development: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Star file photo

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday reiterated her call upon the countrymen to reelect her party in the next general election to maintain the continuity of existing pace of development.

She made the call while inaugurating the Purbachal Balu Bridge over the river Balu in Rupganj to traffic this morning.

The 108-meter-long four lane bridge was constructed by Rajdhani Unnyan Kartripakkha at a cost of Tk 32 crore.

Hasina said the bridge over the river Balu is her Eid gift to the people of the area.

With the inauguration of the bridge, the people of the area can now travel to Dhaka within 15 minutes instead of the existing 3-4 hours.

Before 1996, the people in Rupganj area had to lead unhappy life as there was no scope to upgrade their lifestyle, she said, adding that with the construction of 300-meter wide Kuril Purbachal Link Road and the opening of Balu Bridge to traffic will raise the living standard of the people.

She assured the local people of providing necessary compensation for their lands along with plots in the project area.

The prime minister said the main objective of her politics is to bring smile on the face of the common people.

She said she has nothing to gain as she lost all the members of her family including father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975.

Hasina said: “The government kept the prices of essentials within the reach of the common people during the holy month of Ramadan through strong monitoring.”

She said that her government is implementing massive development in agriculture, health and education, and has been able to reduce poverty significantly through the expansion of social safety programmes.

Terming education as the main tool of poverty-alleviation, the prime minister said the present government took the responsibility of education of all children of the country.

She mentioned that the government is providing free textbooks up to secondary level on the first day of the year, giving stipend to 78.18 lakh to primary level, 40 lakh secondary level and 1.33 lakh female students of degree level from the Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Fund.

Referring to the results of this year’s HSC examination, Hasina said the desired result could not be achieved due to “indiscriminate hartal programmes of BNP-Jamaat.”

She strongly criticised the main opposition for “unleashing various terrorist activities including grenade attacks on the pro-Awami League people, and for indulging in massive corruption.”

“The present government brought back the money laundered by the son of the opposition leader from abroad and the process is underway to bring back more such money,” she added.

The prime minister said her government is working tirelessly to turn Bangladesh into a middle income country by 2021 as part of its election pledges.

“Awami League comes to power to give something to the people and bring improvement in the lifestyle of the common people,” she said, adding that the government has been implementing a large number of development projects since assuming office in 2009.

Hasina mentioned that the government as part of its promise of building digital Bangladesh reached internet facilities to union level and set up 4,501 Union Information Service Centres across the country.

People of the rural areas are now able to avail all the facilities of digital technology through these centres, she said.

Post and Telecommunication Minister Sahara Khatun, State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan and local MP Golam Dastagir Gazi were, among others, present.