"We can start these works quickly and complete those fast as the university is closed now," she said while speaking at a meeting.
The meeting was arranged to approve the design and plan of a 20-storey Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Academic and Administrative Building to be constructed at Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) at Savar and the plan for constructing Mymensingh Divisional Headquarters.
The Prime Minister joined the event through videoconferencing from Ganobhaban.
She also asked the officials concerned at the Prime Minister Office to take care of this for expediting the works. "Bangabandhu was a Dhaka University student…me as well. So, a different sentiment works (for Dhaka University)," she said.
Sheikh Hasina went on saying, “The Public Library has turned old enough…the National Museum can be left as it is right now, but its pond should be renovated and the Public Library should have a better shape integrating the landscape of the area with modern equipment, auditorium and cybercafe.
Due to the COVID-19, she said, many development programmes have stalled, but she said this renovation and repair works should be done right now as the academic activities of the university are suspended totally.
"This is the right time for the works, old student halls and ponds should be renovated, some halls are too old, accidents can occur any time," Hasina said.
The Prime Minister said she wants the government to finish the job without waiting for an initiative to be taken by the university authority. "I want to do the job by myself before the university authorities take an initiative…the government will finance," she said.
Sources said steps have been taken to strengthen the capacity of the BPATC to provide modern training to government officials aimed at developing more efficient and qualified manpower.
For this purpose, the government has taken a project titled “Strengthening the training capacity of the BPATC” under which a 20-stoery Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Academic and Administrative Building will be constructed.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in its June 20, 2017 meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair gave the approval to the project.
Under the project, a dormitory building, one medical centre and a cafeteria will be constructed along with the academic and administrative building at the BPATC complex.
On completion of the project, officials hoped it would be possible to develop more efficient and qualified manpower in the public services to materialise the dreams of the Father of the Nation for establishing a developed and prosperous Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina said the economy of the country is on the right track even in this corona situation due to timely and farsighted steps taken by her government.
Every institution in Dhaka, she said, will be restructured with new plans and designs to develop the capital city for the new generations.
As part of the move, she said, initiative has been taken to rebuild the Central Shahid Minar, Dhaka Medical College and TSC Square with eye-catching and archeological structures demolishing their old structures.
In this regard, she promised to take more such plans in the future considering the greater interests of people.
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