Be more active in achieving uplift targets of govt: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday directed the government officials to be more active for achieving the government’s goals of advancing the country further.
“I call upon you to be more active to take the country forward further by implementing the government’s economic policy and goals,” she said.
The prime minister said this while exchanging opinion with the senior officials of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) at the PMO in Dhaka Tuesday morning.
PM’s Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad presented the introductory speech, while advisers to the Prime Minister and heads and senior officials of the affiliated organizations of the PMO were present on the occasion.
Sheikh Hasina said: “I know that the government officials have to face both advantages and difficulties in performing their responsibilities. But they will first have to think about the people of the country, especially the poor and working class.”
“It’s not a big matter how we remain. We will have to focus on those who are less advantageous, poor and extreme poor. Changing their lot should be our responsibilities,” she said.
The PM said: “What we get or not will not be seen as a big matter, if we think looking at the below. Our main consideration should be how much we could serve the people and the country.”
Sheikh Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had dreamt of building a hunger-free Sonar Bangla and ensuring a better life of the people.
She said Bangladesh Awami League which has been founded to establish the rights of the common people have been working to materialize the dream of Bangabandhu.
“Whenever Awami League came to power, it worked to reach the fruits of the independence to the people by changing their lot and developing the country,” she said.
The prime minister said Bangladesh has now been established as a role model in the world due to its impressive success on all socioeconomic fronts.
“I have firm belief that we could establish Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous nation in South Asia and we are working with that self confidence,” she said.
In this connection, she referred to the construction of the much-awaited Padma Bridge. “There was a challenge before us regarding the mega project. We announced that we would construct the bridge with our own funding and we have been able to start its work by keeping our commitment,” she said.
“As we are implementing such a big project like the Padma Bridge with our own funding, the government officials must have such a confidence,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the aim of her government is to ensure overall welfare and development of every citizen of the country and asked the PMO officials to make proper coordination with concerned ministries to achieve the target.
She also suggested the PMO officials completing the government programs and projects to achieve its vision 2021 and 2041 to be a higher middle income and a front-ranking developed nation respectively.
While putting emphasis on reducing the income gap among the lower and higher income group people, the Prime Minister said the government is implementing various programs to graduate the lower income people to middle income group.
In this context, she mentioned that over five crore people were graduated to middle income group over the last six years and poverty has been reduced to 22 per cent thanks to various pragmatic steps of her government.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has been upgraded to the lower middle income country and its target is to become a middle income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.
“We don’t want to be confined to only lower middle income country, if we work together we would be turned into a middle income country much earlier of the target,” she said.
Despite worldwide economic recession, she said, Bangladesh maintained over six percent GDP growth over the last six years, increased per capita income to 1,314 US dollars and foreign currency reserve enhanced to 25.2 billion.
Stressing the need for increasing connectivity among the neighboring countries for further socioeconomic development of Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said there is a geographical importance of the country in the world.
“Bangladesh would be turned into a hub between the East and West if we could increase connectivity,” she said.
In this connection, she mentioned the signing of the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement and an initiative for implementation of the Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor.
At the outset of her speech, Sheikh Hasina greeted the officials of the occasion of the Eid-ul-Fitr and spelled out her government different steps to celebrate the Eid in a festive and joyous mood.
At the function, the heads of the affiliated bodies of the PMO made power presentation highlighting their activities.