prime minister
Dhaka, Delhi want enhanced connectivity for prosperity
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Saturday reiterated the importance of enhancing connectivity for facilitating regional economic integration for the benefit of all parties involved.
To facilitate better connectivity and simplify movement of passengers and goods between the two neighbouring countries, both leaders agreed to an early operationalisation of the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement through expeditious signing of the enabling MoU for Bangladesh, India, and Nepal to commence the movement of goods and passengers, with provision for Bhutan to join at a later date.
India expressed gratitude for Prime Minister Hasina’s initiative of revitalising the pre-1965 rail connectivity as well as for Bangladesh’s support for the numerous connectivity initiatives through rail, road and waterways, according to joint statement issued on the occasion of the visit of Prime Minister of India to Bangladesh.
In the same spirit, Bangladesh reiterated its eagerness to partner in the ongoing initiative of the India–Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway project.
Bangladesh side also requested India for favourable consideration of the new connectivity routes proposed by Bangladesh, namely allowing additional land ports of Bhadrapur-Bairagi Galgalia, Biratnagar-Jogmani and Birganj-Raxaul to be connected with Banglabandha-Fulbari and Birol-Radhikapur by road as alternative routes.
India was also requested to consider connecting Birol-Radhikapur and Rohanpur-Singhabad rail-interchanges with Biratnagar-Jogmani as this would help reduce the distance and cost of transportation of goods by rail from Bangladesh to Nepal.
Bangladesh side also sought rail connectivity with Bhutan through the newly inaugurated Chilahati-Haldibari route.
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Hasina, Modi jointly open five projects
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday jointly inaugurated five projects.
They inaugurated the projects virtually after bilateral talks between Bangladesh and India that took place at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The projects are Ground-breaking ceremony for Infrastructure Development for Power Evacuation Facilities of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, introduction of a new passenger train service, ‘Mitali Express’, between Dhaka and New Jalpaiguri and extended development work at Rabindra Bhawan Kuthibari in Shilaidaha, Kushtia.
Also read: Bangladesh, India for progress of whole world: Modi
The other projects are laying the foundation stone of a monument at Ashuganj in memory of martyred members of Indian Allied Forces in Ashuganj and three new Border haats along the India-Bangladesh border.
PM Hasina greets FFs with fruits and flowers
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday greeted the freedom fighters (FFs) of the country on the occasion of its Golden Jubilee of Independence and National Day.
Also read:Will deliver benefits of independence to all doors: PM Hasina
As in the past, the Prime Minister sent flowers, fruits and sweetmeats to the war-wounded freedom fighters and members of the martyred families at Martyred and War-wounded Freedom Fighters’ Rehabilitation Centre (Muktijoddha Tower-1) at Gaznavi Road in the capital’s Mohammadpur area as a mark of her good wishes for them.
PM’s Assistant Private Secretary (APS)-2 Gazi Hafizur Rahman Liku and Assistant Press Secretary ABM Sarwer-E-Alom handed over the items to them.
According to a media release of the PM’s press wing, the war-wounded FFs and members of the martyred families thanked and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for remembering them on every National Day and festival like the Independence Day, the Victory Day, Eid and Pahela Baishakh.
Also read:PM for regional development through cooperation
They also thanked the Prime Minister for organising programmes to celebrate the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Golden Jubilee of the Great Independence.
They wished the Prime Minister good health and long life.
PM releases commemorative stamp marking Golden Jubilee
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday released a commemorative postage stamp, a first-day cover and a data card, marking the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's independence.
Also read:PM releases postal stamp on Bangabandhu's birth centenary
She released the stamps and the first-day covers of Tk 10 each and the data cards of Tk 5 each at her official residence Ganobhaban in the afternoon. Two special cancellers were used on the occasion.
Also read:Postage stamp launched marking PM's birthday
Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Afzal Hossain and Director General of Bangladesh Post Office Md Siraj Uddin were present on the occasion, among others.
Also read:PM releases postage stamp on Victory Day
The stamps, first-day covers and data cards would be sold from Philatelic Bureau of Dhaka GPO from today and those would be available at other GPOs and head post offices across the country later.
Modi lauds Bangladesh’s remarkable growth under Hasina's leadership
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his Bangladesh visit will be an occasion to convey appreciation for Bangladesh’s remarkable economic and developmental strides under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visionary leadership.
His visit will also be an occasion to commit India’s abiding support for these achievements.
"My visit will not only be an occasion to convey appreciation for Bangladesh’s remarkable economic and developmental strides under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visionary leadership, but also to commit India’s abiding support for these achievements," Modi said adding that he will also express India’s support and solidarity for Bangladesh's fight against Covid-19.
In a pre-departure statement, Modi said he will be having "substantive discussions" with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, following their very productive virtual meeting in December last year.
Also read: India committed to deepening ties with Bangladesh: Modi
Modi is scheduled to arrive here on Friday morning on a two-day state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"I am happy that my first foreign visit after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic will be to our friendly neighbouring country, with which India shares deep cultural, linguistic and people-to-people ties," he said.
The Indian Prime Minister said he looks forward to his participation at the National Day celebrations on Friday, which will also commemorate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
"Bangabandhu was one of the tallest leaders of the last century, whose life and ideals continue to inspire millions," he said.
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Modi said he looks forward to visiting Bangabandhu’s Samadhi in Tungipara to pay my respects to his memory.
He will be offering prayers to Goddess Kali at the ancient Jashoreshwari Kali Temple, one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in the Puranic tradition, according to the Press Information Bureau of India.
"I am particularly looking forward to my interaction with representatives of the Matua community at Orakandi, from where Sri Sri Harichandra Thakur ji disseminated his pious message," Modi said.
He will meet President Abdul Hamid, and will have interactions with other Bangladeshi dignitaries.
The Indian Prime Minister said Bangabandhu's vision continues to light the Bangladesh-India friendship. "I had the privilege of honouring his memory during my previous Bangladesh visit," he said.
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Modi said he will again pay homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, alongside Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during the ongoing Mujib Borsho celebrations.
Earlier, he said Bangabandhu was a champion of human rights and freedom, and is a hero to Indians as well.
He also said the legacy and inspiration of Bangabandhu has made the heritage of both countries more comprehensive and deep-rooted, and that the path shown by Bangabandhu has laid a strong foundation for the partnership, progress and prosperity of both countries over the last decade.
Don’t allow development and democratic progress to be disrupted: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged people to take a vow afresh not to allow anyone to hinder Bangladesh’s democratic and development progress by playing ducks and drakes with their fate.
“On this auspicious occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Independence, we’ve to vow afresh that no one can play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people of Bangladesh. No one can hinder the country’s democratic and development progress,” she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing the nation on the eve of Independence Day 2021.
State-owned Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar simultaneously broadcast the Prime Minister’s speech at 7:30 pm on Thursday. Private television channels and radio stations also aired the speech.
The Prime Minister called upon people to work for building Bangladesh as a developed, prosperous and non-communal Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.
“Let’s build Bangladesh as a developed, prosperous and non-communal Sonar Bangla by forgetting all the differences and being imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War,” she said.
Noting that the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Independence just should not be a formality, she said, “On the occasion of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation and the Golden Jubilee of Independence, we’ve to take vow afresh to take our country to a new height.”
Also read: Make a vow to implement Bangabandhu’s dreams: PM
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has achieved an unimaginable success in the socio-economic index as a result of her government’s tireless works over the past 12 years.
Last month, she said, Bangladesh received the final recommendation to graduate from the least developed country (LDC) group.
“Bangladesh has not only surpassed its neighbours in various indexes like life expectancy, gender equality, universal primary education, women education, women's political rights, women and child mortality, sanitation and food availability, but also exceeded many developed countries in many cases,” she said.
But the path of this development has not been smooth at all as the anti-liberation forces inside and outside the country carried out various ill-motivated activities to hinder the progress of Bangladesh. “This process still continues. So, we all will have to resist all the anti-state attempts by playing the role of vigilant watchdogs.”
Sheikh Hasina said passing half a century of independence is a significant milestone for the life of a nation.
“For us, this Golden Jubilee celebration has become more colorful as Bangladesh Awami League, forming the government, started running the government with the ideology of Liberation War. Today, Bangladesh has stood raising its head in the world as a proud country proving all the negative and pessimistic predictions against Bangladesh wrong, she said.
Even a decade ago, Sheikh Hasina said, Bangladesh was presented as an example of poverty. “But today development experts are presenting Bangladesh as a role model for poverty alleviation and development.”
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Presenting the current picture of several socio-economic indicators compared to the 2005-06 fiscal year, she said the per capita income increased to US$ 2,064 now from just US$ 543, while the poverty rate dropped to 20.5 percent from 41.5 percent, the GDP size rose to Tk 2800,000 crore from only Tk 482,337 crore, and the foreign currency reserve to US$ 44 billion from only US$ 0.744 billion during the period.
She said the budget size has increased to Tk 568,000 crore in the current fiscal year from only Tk 61,000 crore in 2005-06 fiscal year, while the average life expectancy to 72.6 years in 2019-20 fiscal from 59 years in 2005-06 fiscal, the infant mortality rate has come down to 28 from 84 per thousand, the maternal mortality rate to 165 from 370 per lakh and the power generation capacity has increased to 24,421 megawatt from 4,900 megawatt. “Today's achievement is, in fact, the achievement of the common people of this country,” she added.
She said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had declared the Independence of Bangladesh in the early hours of March 26, 1971 just before he was arrested by Pakistani army. His announcement spread across the country through the wireless of the then EPR, she said.
The independence of Bangladesh had come as the result of the 24-year continuous political struggle. And Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had led from the front in this struggle from the beginning to the end, said Sheikh Hasina, also the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu.
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“Today, we’re proud citizens of independent and sovereign Bangladesh thanks to the birth of that great man named Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. Today, we’re proud of our own country, language and culture because he was born,” said the PM.
Sheikh Mujib is the creator of a country and a state. “So, we’re celebrating his birth centenary and the golden jubilee of independence simultaneously,” she said.
On the eve of the Independence Day, the PM extended her sincere greetings to all the citizens of Bangladesh living at home and abroad.
Sheikh Hasina thanked the people of Bangladesh for keeping Bangladesh Awami League, the political party that led the Liberation War, in power while celebrating these two important milestones in the national life.
Hasina to South Asian leaders: Work together for common prosperity
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged the South Asian leaders to work together to build a prosperous South Asia.
“At this auspicious moment of celebrating the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation and the Golden Jubilee of our Independence, I call upon the political leaders and policymakers of South Asia to work hand in hand to build a peaceful and prosperous South Asia,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing a programme arranged at the city’s National Parade Square, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence.
Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering was present at the event as the guest of honour.
Sheikh Hasina said South Asia is a home to about a quarter of the world population. As much as there are challenges, there are a lot of possibilities as well in this region. The people of this region possess unbelievable spirit, innovation, and the ability to survive against natural disasters.
“We can easily improve the fate of the people of South Asia by utilising the resources we’ve been endowed through exhibiting mutual cooperation. If we work together for the betterment of our people, South Asia will surely be flourished as one of the most prosperous regions in the world,” she said.
“In Bangladesh, we’re working relentlessly to establish the hunger- poverty-free non-communal ‘Golden Bangladesh’ of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she said.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh has already received the final recommendation to shift from a Least Developed Country to developing country status.
She said Bangladesh will be a higher-middle income country by 2031 and a developed and prosperous one by 2041.
Sheikh Hasina, also the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rashman not only fought for the political and economic freedom of the people of Bangladesh but also dreamed of the emancipation of all the oppressed and deprived fraction of people of the world.
Also read: PM Hasina welcomes her Bhutanese counterpart Dr Tshering at Dhaka airport
“He (Bangabandhu) was respectful of peaceful co-existence and regional integrity. He believed that any problem could be solved through mutual cooperation,” she said.
Dhaka, a place of reunion
Noting that the 10-day programme from 17 to 26 March, 2021 with the theme ‘Mujib Eternal’ is being held in the Dhaka, the Bangladesh PM said Dhaka has become a place of reunion for South Asian leaders centering this event.
Bangladesh-Bhutan ties
Sheikh Hasina said Bhutan is a very close neighbor and friendly-country of Bangladesh. “Apart from the geographical proximity, we’ve almost identical history and tradition. Our position on various international and regional issues is characterised by uniqueness and similarity in all aspects. We’ve always been extending support and cooperation to each other,” she said.
She said the people-to-people contact between the two countries dates back to time immemorial. Mahasiddha Tilopa, who preached Buddhism in Tibet and Bhutan, was born in the 10th century in Bangladesh territory.
In the great Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971, late third King of Bhutan Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, and the Bhutanese people not only supported the freedom-loving Bengalis but also extended necessary help as much as they could. The Bhutanese youth volunteered in various refugee camps in India to serve injured and sick Bengali refugees, she said.
Bhutan is the first among all countries to recognise independent Bangladesh. Before achieving the final victory on 16 December 1971, Bhutan formally recognized Bangladesh on the 6th of December, she added.
“We gratefully recollect the contribution of the people of Bhutan. We awarded His Excellency Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, the third King of Bhutan, with the ‘Bangladesh Liberation War’ accolade in 2012 for his outstanding contribution to the great liberation war of Bangladesh,” she added.
The PM said cooperation between Bangladesh and Bhutan in the fields of trade, commerce, communication, tourism, education and others is continuously growing. A significant number of Bhutanese students are pursuing higher education, including in medicine, in various universities of Bangladesh, she said.
“Our guest of honor today, Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering studied medicine at Mymensingh Medical College. It’s a matter of great pride for us. We’re honoured to be a partner in Bhutan’s human resource development,” she said.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen delivered the welcome speech, while former foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, MP and noted political scientist Dr Rounaq Jahan was the keynote speaker and she spoke on ‘‘Bangabandhu: Pioneer of Peace, Freedom and Humanity.’
Also read: Bangladesh achieved enviable successes in socio-economic indicators: PM Hasina
At the event, the Bhutanese Prime Minister handed over a memorial postal stamp to Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of the 50 years of Bangladesh-Bhutan diplomatic relation.
Dr. Lotay Tshering was honoured with Eternal Mujib Memento. Former Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, MP handed over the memento to the guest of the honour.
President of France Emmanuel Macron, President of Italy Sergio Mattarella and President of European Council Charles Michel sent congratulatory messages on the occasion of the grand celebration.
French and Italian Ambassadors in Dhaka read out the messages of their respective Presidents, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam read out Michel’s message.
The video messages of Pope Francis and President of Indian National Congress Sonia Gandhi were screened in the discussion, which was followed a cultural soiree.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accompanied by Sheikh Rehana received the Bhutanese Prime Minister at the venue.
Bangladesh achieved enviable successes in socio-economic indicators: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said Bangladesh has attained enviable successes in socio-economic indicators in a short period of time.
Bangladesh begins birth centenary, golden jubilee of independence celebrations
It’s a proud moment for the nation. Bangladesh is celebrating 50 years of its independence and birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the nation to freedom.
No chance for Bangladesh to look back: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said there is no chance for Bangladesh to look back as it is time to march forward.