PM vows to eliminate poverty through united efforts

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today vowed to eradicate poverty from the country through united efforts of all.

"If we all work together, there will be no poverty in the country," she said while addressing a programme virtually titled 'Gift of house to the homeless people in Mujib Borsho'.

The programme was organised -- at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) -- to hand over 160 homes among the homeless.

Senior secretaries and secretaries of the government took the initiative to provide homes to homeless people.

The prime minister attended the programme from her official residence Gono Bhaban.

She said that the government has already reduced the rate of poverty significantly and want to reduce more.

"We pledged to declare the country free from poverty by 2021, but due to coronavirus it could not be done, but our efforts are on and will be continued," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that the people of the country are very brave and they have earned independence from the Pakistani occupational forces under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She urged the well-off to come forward to help people of their respective areas.

"We will take initiative to illuminate every house in the country during the Mujib Borsho, we have taken plan towards that end and we are working also as per the plan," she said.

Talking about the government's success in ensuring food security in the country, she mentioned that the government is now taking steps to ensure nutrition for all and it has taken initiative to increase the production of fish, meat, milk, eggs and more.

She urged all not to leave one inch of land without cultivation for better production of food grains.

She mentioned that the government has given special attention to the mechanisation of agriculture.

The prime minister said that the government is establishing 100 economic zones across the country. "We have also taken initiative to establish food processing industries in different parts of the country."

She said that due to coronavirus many initiatives of the government for the welfare of people has been stalled, but the government is working to extend financial assistance in the rural areas.

Sheikh Hasina said that working for the people of the country is the prime task of her life as she lost everything on August 15, 1975.

"It would be the success of my life if I can do something for the people of this country… I never consider what I have gained, to me what I can give to the people of the country is the primary objective," she said.