Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said her government has been working to ensure economic solvency of the grassroots people to build Bangladesh as a poverty-free country.

“If we want to build a poverty free country, we have to bring economic solvency for the commoners. If we want to speed up industrialization alongside increasing the country’s trade and commerce, we have to create our own markets that require increased buying capacity of the masses,” she said.

The Prime Minister made the comments while receiving donations for “House Construction Fund by Private Finance” and “Coronavirus Assistance Fund” joining a function virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital.

PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus on behalf of the Prime Minister received the cheques for donations from various public and private organisations and individuals at the Prime Minister’s Office here.

Sheikh Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, said that her party’s main principle is to bring economic solvency to the grassroots people and thus increase their purchasing capacity to free them from the curse of poverty.

The Prime Minister said they have initiated the funds by giving Taka five crore from the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust aimed at giving every homeless and landless people a shelter and protect the country and the people from the coronavirus.

She said, “The Coronavirus pandemic has been rattling the country. We have to save the country as well as its people from its wrath and we have been working for this.”

Stating that the Father of the Nation gave an independent nation with a view to giving the people a developed country where they can get foods, clothes, accommodations, treatments and education, the Prime Minister said that her government has been working untiringly to build a prosperous and developed country as envisioned by Bangabandhu.

The country had lost it dignity with assassination of the Father of the Nation on August 15, 1975 and none of the previous governments following the massacre did anything to restore its image, she said, adding that after assuming office, her party Awami League has been pursuing the ideology of Bangabandhu and made Bangladesh a developing nation.

She added: “Today’s Bangladesh is a developing nation. We have to survive as a developing nation. We have to move ahead in the world with self dignity and keep our heads high as we’re a victorious nation”.

The Prime Minister assured the business communities that they wouldn’t face any trouble in running their businesses since the Awami League is in power, so that they could contribute to marching the country ahead towards development.

Referring to article 16 of the constitution, she said that public and private sectors alongside the cooperatives are similarly important to make the economy vibrant that can take the country forward.

The organizations under Industries Ministries made contributions to the “House Construction Fund by Private Finance” are: Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), Bangladesh Still and Engineering Corporation (BSEC), Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Center (BITAC), Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM), Department of Patents, Design and Trademarks (DPDT), Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB), National Productivity Organisation (NPO), Office of the Chief Inspector of Boilers and SME Foundation.

Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) and National University under the Education Ministry while Chattogram Port Authority, Mongla Port Authority, Karnaphuli Shipbuilders Ltd and Three Angle Marine Ltd under Shipping Ministry, also contributed to the fund.

The organizations under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board, Bangladesh Power Development Board, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd, Coal Power Generation Company Ltd, Ashuganj Power Generation Company Ltd, Dhaka Electric Supply Company Ltd, West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd, Northern Electric Supply Company Ltd, Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Ltd, Rural Power Company Ltd, BR Power Gen Company Ltd, North-West Power Generation Company Ltd, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) made contribution to the fund.

Besides, Bangladesh Independent Power Producers’ Association (BIPPA), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), S Alam Group, City Group, Meghna Group, Walton Group, Hosaf Group, PHG Group, Pran-RFL Group, Western Engineering Private Ltd, Bengal Group, Sheltec Group, Lather Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh, Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh, Envoy Group, Minister Group and Labib Group made contribution to the “Coronavirus Assistance Fund”.

Md Jasim Uddin, chairman of Bengal Commercial Bank Ltd and President of the FBCCI, and Habib Ullah Dawn also made contributions to the fund.

According to the available statistics of the PMO, different public and private organizations and individuals had earlier contributed over Taka 263 crore to the “House Construction Fund by Private Finance” and Taka 110 crore to the “Coronavirus Assistance Fund”.

Source: BSS