PM Sheikh Hasina directs public servants to continue country's development work

"After being elected, we come to power for five years..but you remain in the service for many years. So you will have to stay alert so that the country's uplift is not halted and it's your responsibility to maintain the trend of development spree to build Bangladesh a dignified nation on the world stage," she said.

The Premier said this while addressing the installation ceremony of the newly-elected executive committee of the Officers Club-Dhaka in the city on Thursday evening.

Chairman of the Officers Club and Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam presided over the function, while newly-elected General Secretary of the club Ibrahim Hossain Khan delivered the welcome address.

The Premier also expressed her firm optimism to build a hunger and poverty-free Sonar Bangla by 2021 with united efforts of all.

"If we work together and utilise our all strength, we must establish a hunger and poverty-free Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Bangabandhu ... we have already proved that we could make many impossible possible," she said.

The Premier also urged all to help maintain peace and stability and always remain vigil so that terrorism and militancy could not engulf the country.

She said since her government has the capability and sincerity of fulfilling the pledge given before the common people, the country has attained successes in various fields for which the credit also goes to the government officials.

"I hope that you would maintain such pace of works in the coming days so that we could move ahead in global arena keeping our head high," she said adding that successful and speedy implementation of works would reach the country and the government into its desired goal.

Mentioning again the present government's Vision 2021 and the Vision 2041, Sheikh Hasina vowed to further reduce poverty rate by another 10 percent by 2021 so that none could neglect anymore Bangladesh as a country stricken with poverty and hunger.

She also sought cooperation and support of the public servants in fulfilling the basic needs of the country's people through their whole-hearted efforts alongside implementing the 7th Five Year Plan like their support in materializing the previous long-term plans.

Acknowledging the long standing housing problem of the government officials and employees, Sheikh Hasina said that some 7-8 percent government officials and employees now get the housing facilities and suggested the authorities concerned to take steps in this regard.

Mentioning her government's various measures to address such residential problem, she expressed her optimism to arrange some 40 percent housing facilities for them in future not only in the capital, but also in district and upazila levels.

In this connection, she said that there would be arrangement for the public servants including retired ones to buy flats on higher purchase basis.

The Prime Minister said the aim of her government is not only to confine the developments activities to the capital, rather to spread those across the country so that the rural people need not to influx to the capital.

Expressing hope that the Officers Club would go ahead by upholding its tradition, she requested the authorities concerned to give attention to establishing it a centre of practising knowledge and artistic bent of mind.

"I would like to request you to give focus so that the club could be established as a centre of practising knowledge and artistic bent of mind, not only a place for sports and games and entertainment," she said.

The Prime Minister said the Officers Club is a place of get together for the government officials who take part in sports and games and cultural activities.

"It keeps their body and mind healthy and creates a (fresh) inspiration in their work. Besides, opportunity for introduction and discussion among the officials are created through it, she said.

"I think this type of informal discussion helps to create harmonious relations with the officials of different cadres and have a (positive) impact on their work," she said.

Elaborating various measures undertaken for the welfare of the public servants, the Prime Minister said two pay scales were given in last seven years with 123 percent hike in the recent one.

A huge opportunity has been created to upgrade status and promotion, she said, adding that 3,567 officers have been promoted from deputy secretary up to secretary since 2009.

Besides, retirement age of the public servants has been raised to 59 years while it has been fixed at 60 years for the freedom fighter public servants, she said.

Saying that Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation through huge bloodshed and under the leadership of Bangabandhu, the Prime Minister said Bangabandhu wanted economic emancipation of the people alongside establishing political freedom.

"But, the work on developing Bangladesh was halted following brutal assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975 as military rulers were indulged in serving their own interest instead of changing the fate of the people," she said.

Sheikh Hasina, however, said taking office in 1996, her government returned the country back to the normal situation very quickly and the country witnessed huge uplift during 1996-2001 and later in the last seven years.

Despite worldwide economic turmoil, she said, the country witnessed average 6.3 percent GDP growth over the last seven years while it was 6.55 percent only in the last fiscal thanks to various pragmatic steps of the government, she said.

"We also started construction of the 6.15 kilometre long Padma Multipurpose Bridge with own fund which would be completed by the end of 2018," she said.

Referring to the maritime boundary cases, the Prime Minister said her government has been able to solve long standing dispute with Myanmar and India peacefully establishing sovereign rights of the country over one lakh 18 thousand 813 square kilometre sea areas.

Besides, she also elaborated her government's huge success in increasing the size of the national budget, poverty reduction and reduction of gap between the rich and the poor by undertaking poverty friendly programmes, export of rice meeting the domestic demand and increase of per capita income to 1,316 dollars.

Later, the Prime Minister witnessed a cultural function performed by the country's eminent artistes.