None can suppress Bangladesh, PM Hasina tells Jatiya Sangsad
Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told the Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) that none can suppress Bangladesh and the country’s ongoing development will be continued at an indomitable pace.
“None can restrain Bangladesh anymore and it is the reality,” she said while taking part in an unscheduled discussion marking the Six-Point-Day.
To this end, she referred to the historic speech of Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s 7 March, 1971 speech, in which he asserted that none can hold back the Bangalees.
The people of the country know that they are the nation of an independent state and they will move around the world with keeping their heads high.
“We had achieved independence through shedding bloods of millions of martyrs. We can’t let the independence go in vain and we must not do so,” she said.
The prime minister reiterated her pledge to transform Bangladesh into a developed, prosperous and smart one by 2041.
“Our today’s commitment is to turn Bangladesh into a Smart one by 2041,” she said.
The prime minister further said Bangladesh has gained the status of a developing nation following the footprints of Father of the Nation. Bangabandhu was assassinated at a time when he had built a war-ravaged country socio-economically.
But, after Bangabandhu’s assassination, the country could not move ahead, she said. The prime minister, however, vowed to continue the country’s ongoing advancement at an indomitable pace.
“Our advancement will continue at an indomitable pace,” she said.
The prime minister remembered with due respect the contributions of Shaheed Manu Mia and others, who were killed on the day in a pro-six points demand.
The Awami League under the leadership of Bangabandhu called for a day-long hartal on 7 June in 1966 throughout the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) pressing the demand for autonomy to end the exploitation, deprivation, subjugation and tyranny of the then central government of Pakistan on the people here.
Ten people, including labour leader Manu Mian, Shafique and Shamsul Haque, were killed as the police and paramilitary of the then East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) opened fire on the demonstrators on the day in Dhaka, Tongi and Narayanganj during the hartal.
The Pakistani atrocities intensified the movement for provincial autonomy turning it into the historic mass upsurge in 1969 that subsequently caused the downfall of the reign of Field Marshal Ayub Khan.
‘I never pursue any evil deeds smearing countryman’s dignity’
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also told the parliament that she never pursued any evil deeds that can tarnish the dignity of the country’s people.
She said that the World Bank (WB) has also realised that it had brought false allegations of corruption against her government regarding the construction of the Padma Bridge.
“During my recent visit to the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, the US, I firmly mentioned that I would never patronise any evil purpose that would diminish the dignity of the people of Bangladesh,” she said.
She made the remarks while responding to a tabled question from Jatiya Party lawmaker from Dhaka Syed Abu Hossain Babla.
“World Bank has realised that they have brought false allegation against us,” she said.
During the discussion at the World Bank headquarters, she once again expressed her resentment regarding World Bank’s purposively bringing false allegations of corruption in the Padma Bridge construction.
Replying to another query of ruling Awami League lawmaker Kazim Uddin, the prime minister informed the Jatiya Sangsad that the amount of food grains stocked in the country at present (as of May) is over 16.27 lakh (over 1.62 million) tonnes.
“Of the total food grains, the amount of rice is 12.25 lakh (over 1.22 million) tonnes, wheat is 396,000 tonnes and paddy is 9,000 tonnes.”
Sheikh Hasina further said in the current boro season, the government has set a target to collect a total of 15.10 lakh (1.51 million) tonnes of food grains, including 400,000 tonnes of rice, to increase the food stock.
The domestic wheat procurement target has been set at 100,000 tonnes for the outgoing fiscal year 2022-23.
The prime minister said that 634,000 tonnes of rice and 680,000 tonnes of wheat have been imported as of 23 May in the current financial year to ensure maximum food security in the country.
Responding to a query from another AL lawmaker Ali Azam’s, Sheikh Hasina said that Geological Survey and Seismic Survey activities have been strengthened in new areas of the country.
Answering to another query of Jatiya Party lawmaker Mashiur Rahman Ranga, the prime minister said that Bangladesh will not get duty-free and quota-free benefits for exporting goods to India after 2026 because of its graduation from the list of LDCs .
“This may have a negative impact on the export of goods to India,” she added.
“In view of this, initiatives have been taken to execute the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India,” she said.
“It is still in the negotiation stage. If CEPA is signed, Bangladesh’s exports to India are likely to increase by 190 per cent. It is expected to increase the GDP by 1.72 per cent,” she hoped.
Replying to a question of AL lawmaker Momtaz Begum, the prime minister said that currently there are 12 million expatriates working in 174 countries across the globe.