Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday congratulated Bangladesh Cricket team for their impressive ODI series win over touring Zimbabwe with a match in hand.

Bangladesh clinched the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe as the Tigers registered a 4-run victory in a thrilling contest during their second ODI at Sylhet International Stadium today.

Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday at her official residence Ganobhaban.

Briefing the media, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said the upcoming Bangladesh visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sub-regional connectivity and various bilateral issues were discussed.

Modi is scheduled to come to Bangladesh on March 17 to join the birth centenary celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Sheikh Hasina briefly described various programmes that have been taken to celebrate ‘Mujib Borsho’ (Mujib Year).

The press secretary said both sides also discussed coronavirus. Prime Minister Hasina said that Bangladesh already dedicated a hospital for coronavirus patients. Anyone found to be infected will be sent to that hospital.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla praised the economic development of Bangladesh and the readymade garments industry of the country.

PM's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran and Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das were also present.

Later, a seven-member delegation from Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) led by its President Professor Quazi Deen Mohammad called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

They invited the Prime Minister to their upcoming convocation. They also thanked the Prime Minister for her important role in expanding medical education in the country.

PM's press secretary said that the BCPS delegation placed various problems regarding their profession and medical education in the country to the Prime Minister.

Senior Vice-President of BCPS Professor TIM Abdullah Al Faruque, Vice president Maj Gen Abdul Ali Mia and PM's personal physician Prof Dr ABM Abdullah were, among others, also present.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday directed all the ministries and divisions not to take any unnecessary programme with big budgets on the occasion of Mujib Borsho (Mujib Year).

The Prime Minister came up with the directive at an unscheduled discussion after the weekly cabinet meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in the city, said Cabinet Secretary Khander Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters at the Secretariat.

“The Prime Minister said we (earlier) precisely asked every ministry and division to declare one of its notable programmes as one of Mujib Year with its normal budget,” said the Cabinet Secretary replying to a question from reporters.

“If there’s any exceptional activity (programme), then providing extra money could be considered. But it doesn’t need to take new programme with a big budget,” he quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

At the cabinet meeting, it was cited as an example that the Finance Division has taken a programme of Mujib Borsho declaring that it will ensure pension for six lakh pensioners at their doorsteps within December next, he said.

Like this programme of the Finance Division, a good programme can be declared as one programme of the Mujib Borsho, said the Cabinet Secretary.

Stressing that there is no need to take any new programme, the Prime Minister said if a ministry or division can ensure the wellbeing of people and better contribution to development of the country with the existing ones, it will be more synonymous with the Mujib Borsho.

She suggested making the usual programmes more effective on the occasion of the Mujib Borsho, said Anwarul Islam.

The Prime Minister laid emphasis on taking programmes maintaining coordination with the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Committee, said the Cabinet Secretary.

The Mujib Borsho celebration will begin on March 17 next and continue till March 2021 to mark the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday vowed to build the Bangalee as a dignified nation with economic emancipation freeing it from hunger and poverty and ensuring tech-based knowledge.

"We want to build the Bengalee as a modern tech-based nation, ensuring its economic emancipation. We’ll build Bangladesh as a country free from hunger and poverty with technological knowhow for making the nation a dignified one in the world as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a discussion organised by Awami League at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC), marking Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day.

She said the government is not only advancing the country economically but it has also given importance to technology-based education.

Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, said the government has ensured the scope to use various types of modern technologies, internet services and mobile phones.

She said Bangladesh is the only country in the subcontinent which came to being based on language. "Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established the country."

She mentioned that Bangabandhu started the movement to establish Bangladesh as an independent country since 1948. "The ultimate goal of that movement was to liberate this land, parting way with Pakistanis," she said.

The Prime Minister said Bangabandhu took all of his moves very skillfully with political pragmatism.

She said the people of the country gave away their blood for the language, made supreme sacrifice for its independence. "Their sacrifice must not go in vein. We won’t allow their sacrifice go in vain…this is our commitment," she said.

Focusing on the history of the Language Movement, Sheikh Hasina said although February 21, 1952 witnessed the tragic incident, the movement for the mother tongue began much earlier.

She said Bangabandhu was sent to jail time and gain for his role in the Language Movement. “Bangabandhu had been kept behind the bars at a stretch from 1949 to 1952,” she said.

The Prime Minister said following Bangabandhu’s proposal, the State Language Action Council was formed comprising Chhatra League, Tamaddun Majlish and other student organisations in 1948.

This council had called a general strike on March 11, 1948 across the country, she said, adding that Bangabandhu was arrested while picketing in front of the Secretariat. “In the subsequent days, Bangabandhu was at the centre of all movements and struggles. For his involvement in the movements, Bangabandhu had to endure inhuman torture and persecution of the rulers,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said it was Awami League which included the provision of making Bangla as a state language after its victory in the 1956 general election. “The Awami League government had declared February 21 as the Language Martyrs’ Day and allocated fund for constructing Shaheed Minars,” she said.

Awami League leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman, Dr Hasan Mahmud and AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Professor of economics at Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver Haider A Khan, among others, spoke on the occasion.

At the beginning of the programme, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, martyrs of August 15, 1975 and Liberation War.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the government has introduced gastroenterology departments at 13 medical college hospitals across the country to expand the gastroenterology treatment in Bangladesh.

She made the remarks when a delegation of British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), led by its President Dr Cathryn Edwards, met her at her official residence Ganobhaban.

A number of Bangladeshi gastroenterologists, including President of Bangladesh Gastroenterology Society (BGS) Prof Dr Mahmud Hasan, were present during the meeting.

Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

The Prime Minister also said web cameras have been installed upto upazila hospitals across the country.

Besides, the government has been providing necessary training to nurses to make them more efficient, she said.

Dr Cathryn Edwards explained the importance of the BSG in the UK and its contributions to the delivery of training and clinical best practice standards in gastroenterology and hepatology along with facilitating specialty research.

He informed the Prime Minister that the BSG has been providing assistance for the development of quality and standard of gastroenterology treatment in Bangladesh.

Dr Edwards apprised the Prime Minister of a memorandum of understanding signed between BSG and BGS with the aim to support the establishment of a national training programme for endoscopy based at Sheikh Russel Gastro Liver Institute & Hospital at Mohakhali in Dhaka.

BSG President Dr Mahmud Hasan said the aim of the MoU is to bring an opportunity for reciprocal learning and collaborative research between the two societies.

He also said the establishment of a national endoscopy training programme in Bangladesh will underpin and help promote standardisation of care for patients with gastroenterology diseases.

In reply, the Prime Minister assured the BSG of providing necessary support from the government side, saying it wants to see more success of the efforts of the British society of gastroenterologists in Bangladesh.

The BSG is a registered charity organisation and one of the largest medical gastroenterology and hepatology communities in the UK.

As a professional organisation, it is a voice for gastroenterology and hepatology in the UK, influencing health policy nationally.

The BSG has established strong links with the BGS over the past seven years.

Prime Minister’s Personal Physician Dr ABM Abdullah was present on the occasion.