Momen urges vigilance to keep development

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DHAKA, May 16, 2019 (BSS) – Foreign Minister DR AK Abdul Momen today urged all to be vigilant for continuing the country’s ongoing development trend. He also apprehended that some quarters were active to undermine it.

“The countries, those that are doing well will always create some enemies, so countrymen must be vigilant so that nobody can harm Sheikh Hasina” he said.

He was speaking at a seminar organized by Bangabandhu Academy marking the 39th Homecoming Day of Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the National Press Club here.

Terming Sheikh Hasina’s homecoming in 1981 as a blessing for Bangladesh, Momen said Bangladesh was able to make its strong socio-economic strides in the world arena due to the leadership of the Prime Minister.

He praised Sheikh Hasina’s development endeavors especially the establishment of digital Bangladesh and achieving self-sufficiency in food production.

Momen lauded the farsighted leadership quality of Sheikh Hasina as she had decided to give subsidies to agriculture inputs defying the reservations of the World Bank and IMF.

The foreign minister applauded the prime minister’s determination recalling that she showed great courage by deciding to build mega Padma Bridge with the country’s own fund defying fake allegations of the World Bank.

Mentioning that the country’s ultra-poor poverty has been down to only 11 percent, he said “we will be able to reduce the rate by five percent within next five years under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina,” he added.

Momen said Sheikh Hasina will be able to upgrade Bangladesh into middle income country by 2021, achieve sustainable development goal by 2030 and turn Bangladesh into a prosperous “Sonar Bangla” by 2041.

On May 17, 1981, Sheikh Hasina returned home after six years in exile following the assassination of her father, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of her family by a group of disgruntled army officers on the night of August 15, 1975.