Government believes in inclusive development of people from every sphere: PM Sheikh Hasina

She said economic development of marginal people is very crucial for making the country self-reliant economically. In view of this the government has taken plan for development of every people ranging from ethnic groups to physically challenged persons, she said.

She said this while distributing scholarship among the meritorious students of small ethnic groups living in plain land at her Tejgaon office on Sunday.

The prime minister assured giving all possible assistance of the government for social, cultural, economic and educational development of the minor ethnic communities living in plain land. The government has taken steps for correction of the gazette published earlier in which the minor ethnic people of plain land were left out, she said.

The scholarship was given under a special program initiated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for development of minor ethnic communities living in the plain land.

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad presided over the function while Kabir bin Anwar, Director General (admin) of Prime Minister office (PMO), who is in charge of implementing special program of the PMO and Raju Deshwara, a student of Dhaka University, belonging to a minor ethnic group of Moulabibazar, Sylhet, also spoke on the occasion.

PM said people of small minor ethnic groups have long been neglected though Father of the Nation mentioned about their rights in the constitution. After his brutal murder no government cared about their rights of living. Even many schools denied admission of their kids, she said.

The prime minister said people of the ethnic minority groups are citizens of Bangladesh. "So they will live in the country as a real citizen and will have access to every rights," she said.

After assuming office in 1996, the prime minister said, her government introduced special assistance program for minor ethnic people living outside Chittagong Hill Tracts aimed at development of their social, cultural, economic and educational uplift.

The prime minister said her government has given attention to improve the condition of the underprivileged people at grassroots level aimed to develop the country economically.

She urged the scholarship recipients to devote them in studies to build them up as worthy professionals side by side to become citizen upholding their own culture, tradition and indigenousness.

This year 350 students were given scholarship. Out of them 20 students received the cheques from the prime minister.

Photo: Focus Bangla News