Assess country's massive dev by Awami League: PM urges countrymen

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (30 January) called upon the people of the country to take into consideration Bangladesh's massive development in the past 14 years.

"I hope the people will pay special attention to Bangladesh's massive changes in the last 14 years which has only been possible because the Awami League was in power," she said while inaugurating 11 development schemes at a function at Ramna Batamul in the city, joining virtually from Ganabhaban.

The development schemes were accomplished by the Public Works Department, National Housing Authority and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.

The premier said the people voted the Awami League to power in 2014 and 2018 and "they only did it as we were working for the development and welfare of the people".

She said Bangladesh was liberated under the leadership of the Father of the Nation. "So, we have responsibilities to the country and its people. We are running the state from that responsibility," she added.

She said her government has already built "Digital Bangladesh" and is working to transform it into a "Smart Bangladesh" by 2041 where everything including people, governance, economy, education and health sectors will be smart.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has attained the status of a developing nation as her government successfully implemented the "Vision 2021", announced before the 2008 general election.

"It has been possible for continuation of democratic process and having public representatives in power since the Awami League assumed office in 2009. It is quite natural that people's development will happen if the country's democratic process continues," she said.

She said due to her government's timely and pragmatic initiatives, Bangladesh has entered into the satellite, digital and nuclear power era.

Unveiling the 11 development schemes, she said they are working for the balanced development of the country.

"We are not only taking our development schemes centring the Dhaka city, but also elsewhere across the country to solve the problems of every person in each area," she said.

The projects include six of the Public Works Department, three of the National Housing Authority, and two of Rajuk.

The six projects of Public Works Department are 20-storey Judges Quarters (90 flats) at Azimpur in Dhaka; nine 10-storey housing buildings (324 flats) for government officials and employees at Mirpur-6 in Dhaka; Renovation of Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Library Bhaban, Annex Bhaban and Auditorium; Nine 10-storey housing buildings (324 flats) for government officials and employees at Noakhali Sadar; Infrastructural Development and overall beatification of Dhaka Ramna Park including Ramna Lake; and six 13-storey housing buildings (288 flats) for government officials and employees at Tejgaon in Dhaka.

Three projects of National Housing Authority are 1040 residential flats (Swapnanagar-1) for middle-income people at Mirpur-9; one 14-storey housing building (100 flats) at Mirpur-15; and Site and Services Residential Plots in Sunamganj.

Two Rajuk projects are Purbachal Water Supply Project Phase-I; and Progati High School Bhaban, Palkhan High School and Purbachal Adarsha College Bhaban in Purbachal new city project.

The prime minister recalled her memories of going to Ramna Park for morning work with her Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman when they were residing in Segun Bagicha.

She asked all concerned to take development schemes in view of the protection of the environment.