PM Asks Officials To Expedite Poverty Alleviation Programme

In view of this she asked the Deputy Commissioners of every district to find out first the homeless people in their jurisdiction and go for 'Ashrayan' project to build home for them apart from giving allotment of the Khas land.

The Prime Minister gave the directives during a video conference with the District Development Committees of Patuakhali and Netrokona districts and officials of Barisal Divisional Commissioner office.

District Development Committees of Shariyatpur and Narayanganj districts and officials of Dhaka Divisional Commissioner office also observed the video conference online.

Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan conducted the conference while PM's Principal Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhuri and senior officials were present.

"None will remain without home during the regime of Awami League as it's their basic rights," the prime minister said adding every people who lost their home because of river erosion or natural calamities should be provided with home.

Sheikh Hasina asked the officials to find out the ways of engaging the homeless people in agriculture based jobs in the area. She also asked the officials about the kind of additional social safety net (SSN) programme the government can take to support the poor to alleviate poverty in a quick pace.

Urging everybody to work sincerely for country's development the Prime Minister said not a single inch of land or water body should remain without utilization. Anything productive should be done in the area which would be useful for the people, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the whole Barisal Divison, which was known as the 'storehouse' of the country, has long been neglected. The Awami League government has taken steps to regain its glory. In view of this the communication system of the division has been improved.

Paira Port has been constructed and construction of a power plant in Barisal will begin soon, she said adding an economic region would also be set up to flourish industries and factories in the area. Barisal Division can play a significant role in making the country self-reliant in food production, she observed.

Pointing out the last three-months' political turmoil caused by BNP-Jammat hartal and blockade programme, the Prime Minister said, "the nation has passed a very bad time in the last few days." She also extended her thanks to law enforcing agencies, administrative officials for their all out cooperation to tackle the situation.

The prime minister said the main objective of her video conference with the district officials is to know about the execution of the development projects and give directives to the officials for their effective and speedy execution.

Sheikh Hasina said the first and foremost objective of her government is to build the country as a developed and prosperous one. We have to work sincerely to build a poverty free nation. We want to make the country as a middle income country by 2021, she said.

"Bangladesh cannot remain poor if we can progress under a planned development programme," she said adding each and every project undertaken by the government should be implemented effectively to invigorate the rural economy and ensure socio-economic development of the people.

Laying importance on social peace and stability, the prime minister said a political party which claims working for the cause of the people, cannot burn people alive, take innocent people as political hostages, destroy communication system and ruin economy.

People of Bangladesh never witnessed the vandalism which BNP, Jamaat and their cohorts indulged in over the last few months, she said adding there is no room for militancy and terrorism in Bangladesh.

The prime minister said the southern part of Bangladesh is always disaster prone where people used to live with disaster and hardship. So the present government has taken preparation to deal with the natural calamities. In view of this, she said, massive development programmes are being implemented in the region, she said.

Highlighting the potentials of Patuakhali , she said her government wants to build Pakuakhali as the best beautiful area. Ship building and ship recycling industries would be set up at Barguna and Patuakhali, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said a naval base has been set up in Barisal and a division of army will be constituted in the middle of Barisal, Patuakhali and Jhalkathi. Rivers of Barisal should be utilized for the country's economic prosperity, she added.

Photo: Focus Bangla