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PM-WORLD BANK-ED 2 LAST DHAKA
The prime minister said the policy of the government and Awami League is to
ensure that rural people could enjoy the fruits of development.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that after coming to power, her government had
decided to ensure food security, healthcare and development of communication
and energy sectors.
“That’s why we opened all these sectors to the private sector,” she said.
Spelling out the country’s development on various socioeconomic fronts, the
prime minister said the poverty rate has come down to 21 percent from 82
percent since independence due to various pragmatic steps of the government.
She said that the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman was the economic emancipation of the common people. “Bangabandhu had struggled
throughout his whole life for establishing a hunger and poverty-free Golden
Bangladesh,” she said.
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said her government is making efforts
tirelessly to materialise the dream of the Father of the Nation.
She mentioned that the government is improving rail, road, water and air
communications of the country.
The prime minister said that the government is establishing 100 economic
zones across the country for the local and foreign investors.
“The goal of setting up the economic zones is for further industrialization
and generating employment,” Sheikh Hasina said.
She also briefly described various incentives for the local and foreign
investors.
Sheikh Hasina said that the government has expanded the social safety net
programmes to improve the living standard of the rural and distressed people.
The prime minister said that the government is constructing mini stadiums in
all upazilas to engage the youth in sports and games which will keep them
away from terrorism, militancy and drugs.
Sheikh Hasina said the government has set up climate resilience trust fund
and taken massive programmes for afforestation to save the country from the
impact of climate change.
PM’s Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi, State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed
Palak, PM’s Principal Secretary M Nojibur Rahman, SDG Affairs Principal
Coordinator at the PMO Md Abul Kalam Azad, ERD Secretary Monowar Ahmed and
Finance Secretary Abdur Rouf Talukder were present.
Earlier, World Bank Executive Director Aparna Subramani called on the prime
minister at the same place.
Aparna Subramani, an Indian national, informed the prime minister that she
visited some rural areas, digital centres in Bangladesh and witnessed the
women empowerment in the country.
Talking about the bank interest rate, the prime minister said that the
government has already instructed the banks to bring down the interest rate
to a single digit.
BSS/SH/KU/2117 HRS