UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the ruling Awami League is her government’s main strength.
“Our party is the main strength and so we have to organize the party so it gets stronger,” she told the joint meeting of Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) and Awami League Advisory Council at her official residence Ganabhaban.
Sheikh Hasina, who is also the president of the Awami League, said seven teams have been formed for the seven divisions of the country.
“These teams will tour the country to inject pace in the activities of the organization,” she said.
She said, the Awami League is holding party councils at unions and upazilas across the country. These councils, she said, will help bring new leadership from the grassroots level.
Hasina said, like in the past her government will march ahead defying all obstacles. “We had overcome many obstacles with firm determination in the past. We will keep moving ahead the same way,” she said. She said though time is short for the country to reach the middle income status by 2014, her government will make it.
“This is the last part of the 2014 and we don’t have much time in our hands. But I firmly believe that we will be able to make the country a middle income one by 2014,’ she said.
She said, Bangladesh aims to become a developed nation by 2041. The Prime Minister underlined the importance of long-term planning to achieve the goal.
“Without long term planning it is not possible to make a country developed one. We have to fix our goals now if we want to see our country become a developed one,” she added.
The Prime Minister said that the government would set up 13 industrial zones across the country apart from setting up seven economic zones in seven divisions.
“As a result we will be able to create huge employment in the country,’ she said. She called for proper utilization of the martitime resources as the country has established its rights over the maritime boundary.
Hasina said the government is providing relief to the flood-affected people. “We are building homes for those who lost their homes,” she said.
She said that the government this year distributed nearly 32 crore text books among the students successfully.
“Now the poor parents do not need to think about the text books for their children. We have taken care of that responsibility,” she said. Highlighting successes in the health sector she said that the government is providing 30 types of medicines free to the patients.
“We have proved that the government is the servant of the people, the government works for the people,” she said. Regarding the much-talked-about Padma Bridge she said keeping its pledge the government has started the construction with its own funding. “Bangladesh is now a role model of development,” she said.
She defended the just-done 16th amendment of the Constitution, saying from now on the Parliament would take the decision about removing any judge of the Supreme Court.
Recalling last year’s atrocities of BNP-Jamaat alliance she said that in the name of caretaker government and foiling the election they killed innocent people.
She also said that during the BNP regime the country plunged into militancy and terrorism.
“They wanted to disrupt the democratic process through militancy,” she said.
