Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged local government representatives to pay special attention to building a society free from drugs, terrorism, militancy and corruption to move the country forward. He said, ‘Drugs lead to corruption, militancy and terrorism. Let our society get rid of it. We want the public representatives to take special care to create awareness among the people and take the country forward.’
Sheikh Hasina said this while addressing the chief guest at the Local Government Day-2024 celebrations organized by the Ministry of Local Government at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital on Sunday (February 25).
He also said, I will tell all the representatives of our local government that we have been in the government since 2009. Today Bangladesh has taken a step forward, Bangladesh will move forward. It should not lag behind. Keeping that in mind, you will perform the duties and public service assigned to you. May we take the country forward.
The Prime Minister said that the most important thing is to build the society free from terrorism, militancy, corruption and drugs. You should pay special attention to that. Because, this drug has an adverse effect. From this again corruption, militancy and terrorism are created. We want you to take the country forward by creating awareness so that our society is saved from them.
The head of government said, I think the local government system should be strengthened in the coming days. The local government will play the most responsibility in the overall development of a state. So the local government will be the most powerful.
He said, ‘We will make arrangements from the center but the local government will develop the country locally and fulfill the dream of the father of the nation. We got the status of a developing country from the least developed country that the father of the nation left behind. As this developing country we have to move forward. We will walk with our heads raised and not bowed down to anyone. We will develop skilled manpower.
Sheikh Hasina said, ‘We have arranged computer training, development of every school, making it a university in every district. We are making medical universities in departments, we are improving the quality of education by making multi-purpose universities.
The Prime Minister said, we have gained independence in exchange of the blood of lakhs of martyrs of 1971. This freedom cannot be allowed to fail. It is our goal to reach the benefits of this freedom to every people’s homes. And we can do that only if you actively work and serve people, only then it is possible.
The head of government said, ‘Bangladesh in 2041 will be ‘Smart Bangladesh’. We have freelancers, online shopping is going on, trade is going on, we have improved the roads, the communication system has been developed, we have to continue development from all sides. And you have to do the maintenance and care of the work that we do.
Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. Local Government Department Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam, Barisal City Corporation Mayor Abul Khair Abdullah, Shariatpur Zilla Parishad Chairman Sabedur Rahman Khoka Shikdar, Rajshahi Bagha Upazila Chairman Laib Uddin Ahmed Lablu, Panchagarh Municipality Mayor delivered the welcome address under the chairmanship of Tajul Islam. Zakia Khatun, Chairman of Jagdal Union Parishad of Dirai Upazila of Sunamganj, Humayun Rashid Lablu also spoke on behalf of representatives of different levels of local government bodies.
The Prime Minister said that the government runs on people’s money. This money belongs to the people – it should be kept in mind. The government does the work, but the thing belongs to the people. Care must be taken keeping this in mind. So, you proceed that way. Inshallah, we will achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) announced by the United Nations and by 2041, we will build a country that has efficient manpower, efficient government, efficient economy and efficient social system. We have already adopted ‘Delta Plan 2100’ and started implementing it with the aim of continuing the country’s development journey by confronting the impact of climate change. Because our goal is that generations after generations can have a beautiful life.
He said, keeping personal interests aside, you have to think as people’s representatives for overall development. Besides looking into the provision of proper health care in the government’s community clinics, you should also pay attention to the preservation of the environment. You have to look at all aspects of planting trees and gardening on a large scale. Moreover, we need to preserve the wetlands properly and ensure that they are kept clean.
Sheikh Hasina said, our Bangladesh is a delta and the rivers, canals and canals in this country are like the veins of a body. These veins will remain active by maintaining the flow of water. Emphasizing on maintaining the reservoir, he said, if you see a pond in one place, you have to fill it and build a building there, you have to shake it off.
Because we need these reservoirs – we need to store the rainwater that comes during monsoons. We have to save rain water and use it. The more rainwater we can store, the less dependence we have on groundwater. And the project should be taken for public interest. In this regard, he urged everyone to be aware of unnecessary waste of money.
The Prime Minister said that he cares more about the village. Cities have sewerage master plans like ours. Similarly, he wants waste management and sewage system to be done by making master plan in every village level. Only then can people live healthily.
He said, there is a plan to make solar management in all the irrigation systems used in our agriculture. If we can utilize the solar energy by using solar panels and storing that water, then the pressure on the electricity will be reduced. At this time, he reiterated the call to everyone to be economical in the use of electricity. He also urged the local public representatives to focus on ensuring the supply of clean water to the people by keeping the water treatment plants built by his government clean.
Sheikh Hasina said that only those who are local public representatives have to answer to the people. He urged the public representatives to take responsibility for this and also said to the government employees that the responsible government employees who are there also have responsibilities, so they will also perform their duties properly – whether they are being cleaned after certain times.
Pointing out that her government has rehabilitated 8 lakh 41 thousand landless homeless families and provided them with livelihood, Sheikh Hasina said that no people will remain landless and homeless in Sheikh Mujib’s Bengal. Therefore, he requested the public representatives to find out whether there are any landless-homeless people in their area. The government will arrange for their rehabilitation. He also called upon the public representatives to maintain these projects as well as keep track of the resettled people.
He said, you also benefit from keeping track of them. Because you also need their vote in the election. So they will trust you if they get service from you. The head of government said that the most important thing for people’s representatives is to gain people’s trust and confidence. He who can do that has no difficulty. And the one who can’t do that has to fail, has to fail, that’s the reality. Keeping that in mind, the Prime Minister urged their representatives to focus on the people of their respective constituencies.
