10 million families will get ration cards: HPM Sheikh Hasina

To tackle the global recession from hitting Bangladesh, 10 million families will be provided with ration cards soon, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.

“Considering the global economic situation, the government will give 3.5 million people rice at Tk15 per kg only. We are also arranging ration cards for 10 million families,” she said at an event arranged to mark the 18th anniversary of the grenade attack in Dhaka on Sunday.

The prime minister also mentioned that the ration cards would allow the families to buy rice, lentils, oil and sugar with Tk30 per kg.

“We are trying our best to tackle the global recession. I don’t want my country’s people to suffer in any way. I am here to only help them,” she added

While talking about the 2004 grenade incident, she noted that she has been attacked in almost every region of Bangladesh.

“There is no place in Bangladesh where I was not attacked. Still, I am alive, and doing my best to serve the people of my country.”

Twenty-four people, including then-president of Awami Mohila League and the late president Zillur Rahman's wife Ivy Rahman were killed in the attack on August 21, 2004.

Over 500 others suffered splinter wounds in the attack and many of them were disabled for life.

The attack was carried out on an anti-terrorism rally of the Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka.

Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped fatal injury in the attack. However, her hearing was impaired by the impact of the repeated grenade blasts that occurred near the truck-dais at the huge public rally.