Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said her government has been working in planned way to ensure its main priority for overall development of the country.
“My party, Awami League, has prioritised the overall development of the country especially rural areas as desired uplift is impossible leaving the grassroots people behind,” she said.
The premier made this remark while receiving “Azizul Haque Polli Unnayan Padak-2021 (Azizul Haque Rural Development Award-2021)” at a ceremony at her official residence Ganabhaban here.
Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) has honoured the prime minister with this prestigious award in recognition of her contribution to rural development.
CIRDAP Director General Dr. Cherdsak Virapat handed over the award to the prime minister.
Sheikh Hasina said it is the belief of her government that the country would achieve desired development and prosperity, once rural development is ensured.
She said Awami League had drawn up necessary plan even when it was outside of the state power and that is why, after coming to power, it has been able to take the country ahead through working as per its plan.
About “Amar Bari, Amar Khamar” (My Home, My Farm) project, the head of the government said that her brain child project helped in creating employment opportunities for the unemployed poor people and thereby ensured their socio-economic development.
To this end, she mentioned the digital centre that started from a remote area named Char Kukri Mukri.
She added the government is now implementing the programme “My Home, My Farm” so that the people living in rural areas could stand on their own feet and create employment opportunities for others.
She also highlighted various achievements of her government including establishment of digital Bangladesh, setting up of at least one educational institution in two kilometres of a locality, and reaching health care services at the door steps of the people.
She continued: “To ensure education for all, the government is establishing one primary school in every two kilometres so that children could go to the school on foot.”
The prime minister thanked the CIRDAP and its board of directors for honouring her with the “Azizul Haque Polli Unnayan Padak-2021” and dedicated the award to the countrymen.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said BNP is so much ashamed as the Padma Bridge has been constructed despite all ill efforts of the party.
“BNP doesn’t want the Padma Bridge. But all people of the country are delighted and they are waiting for the inauguration of the bridge. And the people will crowd along the six kilometers of the approach road of the both sides of the bridge if they are allowed to go there,” he said.
The minister stated these while replying to a query at the meeting room of his ministry at Secretariat in the city.
But, Hasan said, BNP wants to create anarchy to suppress people’s enthusiasm over Padma Bridge. They terrorized at Dhaka University, in front of the Supreme Court and other places of the country in the name of movement to divert the people’s attention, he added.
He said BNP is trying to create an unstable situation, vandalize vehicles, and launch arson attack. Such anarchy will be resisted taking the help of the commoners, he added.
The minister said Tareque Rahman and even Begum Khaleda Zia will be responsible if any type of anarchy such arson attack, terrorism or vandalism takes place under the leadership of BNP. So, a question has been raised whether BNP chief Begum Zia will be sent back to prison, he added.
Many demanded to send back Begum Zia to jail, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
Replying to another query, the minister said the leaders of Chhatra Dal are of the age of fathers of students. The Chhatra Dal instigated the recent incident and it is normal that the regular students will protest them if they want to enter the Dhaka University campus along with outsiders, he added.
“Are the president and general secretary of Chhatra Dal students? Their age is about 40 and they are father of students,” he said.
Replying to another query over a comment of the BNP secretary general on metro rail, the minister said Mirza Fakhrul came in the role of a doctor during the COVID-19 situation. And now, he becomes an engineer.
At least 10 people were killed and 20 others injured when a passenger bus hit a roadside tree in Sanuhar area under Wazirpur upazila of the district this morning.
The accident took place around 5:30am when the bus of ‘Jamunaline Paribahan’ hit the roadside tree as its driver lost control over the steering. The name of the deceased could not be known immediately, reports our local correspondent quoting Ali Arshad, officer-in-charge of Wazirpur Police Station.
The injured were sent to Barishal’s Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, the OC said, adding that “The death toll is dared to rise.”
Unit leader of Barisal Fire Service Unit Abdur Razzak said two rescue teams are conducting rescue operation on the Dhaka-Barisal highway as it has halted traffic on the route.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said the BNP’s slogan - ‘let the weapons of the 15 August roar once again’ - has exposed its murderous character.
He made the remark while addressing a press conference at his official residence here on Sunday morning.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges, said in the name of holding rallies, the BNP and its allies are creating public sufferings in different parts of the country.
He said the BNP leaders in their statements are not showing any decency or courtesy.
They are also chanting indecent slogans against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which is not tolerable in any way, the AL general secretary said.
He warned that the consequences of chanting indecent slogans against Bangabandhu’s daughter will be terrible.
Quader said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is making remarks that the BNP would not join any polls under the AL government.
“The people of Bangladesh do not accept any arrogant and irresponsible remarks of any individual or group. They do not bow down to the bloody eyes and terror of any conspirator,” he said.