DHUPCACHIA, Bogra, Jan 6: Commerce Minister Abdul Jalil said here today that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was taking right approaches for the development of the long neglected northern region and reinstating it as the 'granary of food' of the country, reports BSS.

"The government has already established direct link between the eastern and western parts of the country which has offered peasants of the northern region a chance to get fair prices of their products.

"Entrepreneurs are now looking for suitable places to set up their industries in this region," he said while speaking at a public meeting, organised by local Awami League.

He said Bogra would once again come to the focal point of the region as this industry-dominated district will get natural gas supply through pipeline soon.

Industrialists, who have been gradually pulling out due to non-availability of cheap raw materials and fuel, would now get opportunity to offer quality products in a real competitive market at home and abroad.

Jalil said the prime minister has always a sympathetic view for the northern part of the country. As part of her commitment to the region, he said, Sheikh Hasina appointed six out of nine new ministers from the northern region recently.

Jalil, a presidium member of Awami League, was critical of the politics of the opposition parties and said when the image of the nation was being brightened and development activities are on full-swing, the unholy alliance of the parties was trying to destroy all the achievements.

"The economy is now on a sound footing," he said and added the image of the country was also revived during the tenure of the present government. A number of international awards have been conferred to Bangladesh and the Prime Minister as well during the last three-and-half years period, he pointed out.

He called upon all the peace-loving people of the region to join hands with Sheikh Hasina and help implement the unfinished and untouched development projects being taken for this part.

President and general secretaries of the district Awami League Momotaj Uddin Ahmed and Ferdous Zaman Mukul respectively, among others, spoke on the occasion.