The honour Bangladesh received for the progress it made in reducing poverty should be retained, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Monday upon returning to Dhaka.
She expressed the hope at a reception in the airport after flying back from New York where she attended the UN General Assembly.
Hasina dedicated the South-South Award she received for her extraordinary role in reduction of poverty to the people of Bangladesh.
“This belongs to everyone, every citizen,” she said.
“The honour that was bestowed on us internationally, pray that we can retain it and continue the progress.”
The Prime Minister mentioned the past BNP-Jamaat coalition government saying, “Bangladesh was on its way to becoming a failed state. They take the country back whenever they are in power.”
“We have been working for socio-economic developments ever since we formed our government. It is evident in how Bangladesh has progressed. The government implemented each and every programme to fulfil our Millennium Development Goal.”
“We are working so that we emerge as a middle-income country by 2020 and celebrate the golden jubilee of our liberation in 2021.”
Hasina spoke of how the current government was successful in reducing poverty and ensuring food security.
“We are ahead in MDGs 4, 5, 6 and 7. Poverty has come down to 26 per cent, which was 56 percent in 1991.”
Leaders and activists of the Awami League, its associate organisations and general people began to gather before ‘Balaka Bhaban’ to wait for the Prime Minister’s flight to land.
Leaders and activists began to wait in front of the VVIP lounge after 3pm.
Hasina, received at the airport by top ranking civil and military officials, waved at the people waiting outside as she walked out.
Source: Bd news24
