Govt focused on fulfilling electoral pledges: PM

The Awami League government is focused towards fulfilling its electoral pledges and continuing to build on the ongoing development of the country, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Sunday.

"We want to implement the electoral pledges, based on which we assumed power," she said at the signing event of Annual Performance Agreement (APA) for FY23 by the ministries and divisions at the capital's Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

The government has transformed Bangladesh into a developing country in 2021 when the nation celebrated the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of independence, as envisioned in AL's 2008 election manifesto, added the premier, joining the event online.

She said her government is now working tirelessly to transform Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country free from poverty and hunger by 2041.

The government has been implementing a Perspective Plan for 2021-2041 to pursue the target, she added.

Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League President, said her party never disregards the election manifesto after coming to power.

"We have changed the living standard of the grassroots people a lot since we assumed power continuously from 2009," she noted.

The premier added, "We have introduced the APA system from FY 2014-2015 to do the development work accordingly. In continuation of that, the agreement was signed this year for the ninth time."

Sheikh Hasina congratulated all who got the awards for successful implementation of the APA and asked government officials to ensure maximum utilisation of the domestic resources.

For successful implementation of the APA for FY 2020-21, ten ministries and divisions have won the government recognition while three ministries and divisions for exercising integrity.

The Information and Communication Technology Division has secured the first position while the Secondary and Higher Secondary Division and Agriculture Ministry obtained second and third positions respectively in APA implementation and received each a crest and an honorary letter.

The Water Resources Ministry, Livestock and Fisheries Ministry, Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, CHT Affairs Ministry, Public Administration Ministry, Local Government Division and Finance Division obtained fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth positions respectively and each received an honorary letter from the prime minister.

In the personal category for FY 2020-21, former Food Secretary Dr Mosammat Nazmunara Khanum and Member of Planning Commission (Infrastructure Development) Md Mamun Al Rashid received the recognition for their outstanding role in exercising integrity.

The Food Ministry, Roads and Highway Division and Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry received the first, second and third positions, in exercising their integrity.

On behalf of the prime minister, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque received the APAs from secretaries of the ministries and divisions and handed over the award to the recipients.

All credit goes to countrymen for Padma Bridge

Prime Minister Hasina expressed her gratitude to the countrymen for standing beside her in building the Padma Multipurpose Bridge and said all credit goes to the people of Bangladesh.

"I am really grateful to the people. Their strength is the greatest strength (for me)," she said.

The premier made the remark at the Cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat on Sunday.

She chaired the meeting virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.