Govt doing everything to keep economy booming: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said that the government is making every effort to keep the country's economy alive despite the global economic recession caused by the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. 

The prime minister told this in reply to a question by Chattogram-11 constituency lawmaker Abdul Latif at the Jatiya Sangsad on Wednesday.

The prime minister said that the government successfully managed to stabilise the country's economy by taking quick steps to deal with inflation and recession.

“Despite the pandemic, our growth in the financial year 2019-20 was 3.45% which was one of the highest in the world at that time,” she said.

She said that as a result of various measures taken by the government to strengthen the economy, the GDP growth in the 2020-21 fiscal year was 6.94%. It further increased to 7.1% in FY22.

At this time, she highlighted various measures taken by the government to keep the economy alive. 

Notable among these are government expenditure rationalisation, social protection, subsidies in power-energy and agriculture sectors, export incentives, increase in remittance flow, and adopting monetary policy.

In response to another question by Jatiya Party’s another lawmaker, MP Syed Abu Hossain, the prime minister highlighted various steps taken by the government to control the prices of daily commodities. 

Sheikh Hasina said that as a result of the government's activities, it has been possible to control the prices of daily necessities and poor people are benefiting from it.

In response to a question from Jatiya Party's Rustam Ali Farazi, the prime minister said that the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga section of the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project will be completed in September 2023 and the Bhanga to Jessore section will be operational in June 2024.

UNB adds; Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also said the role of Awami League lawmaker and noted film actor late Akbar Hossain Pathan, popularly known as Farooque, in the Liberation War is unforgettable as he contributed to every struggle and movement with a great fortitude.

“Farooque was a freedom fighter. He had been a vibrant activist of Chhatra League since the Anti-Ayub movement. He had contributed to every struggle and movement with great courage. His role in the six-point movement and the 1971 Liberation War is never forgettable,” she told Parliament.

The premier made the remarks, joining the discussion on a condolence motion placed in the House to express shock at the death of Farooque.

Sheikh Hasina said Farooque was not only a politician, but he had also contributed to the cultural arena. “His death is an irreparable loss to our cultural sector,” she said.

She said the cultural activists had taken the side of Awami League and emboldened the courage of its leaders and activists in every struggle and movement.

When the name of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was being erased after the 1975 incident and none dared to utter his name, the cultural activists came forward, she added.

“He (Farooque) had played a role in the formation of a cultural organisation after the name of Bangabandhu and bringing patriotic songs to the front and revitalising the spirit of the Liberation War at that time. So, he made a contribution to this country,” said the PM.

Earlier, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury moved the condolence motion in the House in the beginning of the 23rd session (Budget Session) of the 11th Parliament.

Parliament on Wednesday unanimously adopted a condolence motion after the discussion over it.

Deputy Leader of the House Matia Chowdhury (Sherpur-2), AL lawmakers Amir Hossain Amu (Jhalokathi-2), Tofail Ahmed (Bhola-1), Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim (Gopalganj-2), Asaduzzaman Noor (Nilphamari-2), Meher Afroze (Gazipur-5) and Habib Hasan (Dhaka-18), deputy opposition leader Ghulam Muhammed Quader, Jatiya Party lawmakers Kazi Firoz Rashid (Dhaka-6) and Anisul Islam Mahmud also joined the discussion.

Former Dhaka-17 MP Akbar Hossain Pathan died on May 15 at a hospital in Singapore.

Besides, the House expressed deep shock at the death of former state minister and BNP lawmaker Kabir Hossain, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder and freedom fighter Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Oikya NAP president and one of the organisers of the Liberation War Pankaj Bhattacharya, renowned author and novelist Samaresh Majumdar, former caretaker government's adviser Rokia Afzal Rahman, Education Minister Dipu Moni's mother Rahima Wadud and eminent singer Kalyani Kazi.