2019 was a glorious year: PM Hasina

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday with children playing at her official Ganabhaban residence, Dhaka on 31 December 2019. Photo: PID
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday with children playing at her official Ganabhaban residence, Dhaka on 31 December 2019. Photo: PID

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday greeted the countrymen on the eve of the New Year 2020 in English calendar.

“The outgoing 2019 was a glorious year in the history of the Bangalee nation... let the new year bring in all our lives untainted happiness, peace and prosperity,” she said in a message issued on the occasion of the New Year.

The prime minister said Bangladesh witnessed glorious success in 2019 in the area of diplomacy maintaining constitutional and democratic continuation and upholding the spirit of the liberation war.

Sheikh Hasina said the annual growth rate of GDP (gross domestic product) was 8.15 per cent in the outgoing year which is the highest in the history of Bangladesh while the per capita income surged to $1909.

“Poverty rate in the country came down to 20.5 per cent,” she added.

Literacy rate increased to 73.9 per cent while the average life expectancy of the people has risen to over 72.9 years, she said, adding that students are getting free books and other supports from the government.

The prime minister said 95 per cent people have come under electricity coverage and the government has been working to ensure cent per cent power supply within a short period of time.

About the healthcare services, the Sheikh Hasina said the government has reached healthcare services at the doorstep of the grassroots people.

“The 2020 is a special glorious year for the Bengalee nation as the birth centenary of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is going to be celebrated in this year,” she said, adding, “We have declared the year 2020 as Mujib Barsha”.

The year-long programme will begin through a colourful inauguration of the birthday of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 17 March 2020, she said.

“Let’s build a ‘Golden Bengal’ free from hunger, poverty, illiteracy and communalism as dreamt by the greatest Bangalee of all time, father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she added.