Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday expressed her happiness about fulfilment of the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and said that the happiest moment of her life was witnessing the smiling faces of the destitute when they got land and houses from the government.
The Prime Minister also assured people of keeping the commodity prices steady in the country during the holy Ramadan
Prime Minister came up with these remarks while speaking in the ongoing parliament session chaired by Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Choudhury.
She said houses for all was her father's dream and that is why, "I can't hold the tears of joy, I cried so much . . ."
The Premier expressed her joyous feelings as Jatiya Party lawmaker Fakhrul Imam of Mymensingh-8 requested her to share the most jovial moment of her life instead of asking supplementary questions.
The Leader of the House said that it was the happiest moment of her life as she has been able to bring smiles to the faces of the indigent.
She said, "This the most precious moment of my life and there is nothing like that. . ."
Sheikh Hasina said many people in the country have no land, house and address, and that's why Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had taken initiatives to provide them with land and house for free.
To this end, she said, Bangabandhu had imposed a ceiling up to 100 bighas of land in personal possession and the additional land was supposed to be distributed to the landless people.
She added that the Bangabandhu had also started working to provide houses by building clustered villages as he had a dream there would be no landless and homeless people.
She said, "My only job is to implement the dream of the Father of the Nation and give a developed life to the countrymen.
Following in his footsteps, she said, since 1996 she has been providing houses to landless and homeless people for free.
Commodity prices to remain tolerable during Ramadan
Talking about the commodity prices, the Prime Minister said, "Commodity prices are currently at a tolerable level and the government is hopeful that the market will remain stable during the holy month of Ramadan."
The leader of the House told this while replying to a question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Fakhrul Imam of Mymensingh-8 regarding price of essential commodities.
Sheikh Hasina highlighted various steps taken by the government to control the prices of essential commodities.
"A decision has been taken to sell TCB goods at subsidised prices in two phases before the start of Ramadan and in the middle of the month for one crore low-income people in city corporation, district, upazila, pourasova and union parishad levels," she said.
She added "Accordingly, the TCB goods will be sold in line with the set criteria under the supervision of district and upazila administrations."
Besides, TCB's products are being sold on trucks in Dhaka South and North City Corporations as well as Barishal City Corporation, she added.
The Prime Minister said in the international market price of wheat has been increased by 60.72 percent while soyabin by 26.41 percent, palm crude oil by 35.71 percent and normal sugar by 8.25 percent alongside the hike of shipping cost by 14.5 percent.
But, the government has taken various measures, including the withdrawal of VAT on edible oil, market monitoring and ensuring the ample supply of goods, to rein in spiraling prices, she said.
are at a tolerable level.
We hope that the prices of essential commodities will remain tolerable during the coming month of Ramadan," she said.
Bangladesh votes for humanity, not any country in UNGA
Moreover, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday cleared the stance of Bangladesh in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) regarding the Russia-Ukraine issue.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh didn't vote against any country, but it stood for humanity in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
"When there was vote against a country (Russia) we didn't go for it, but when, the issue of human rights appeared in the second proposal of UNGA, Bangladesh voted in favour of it," she said.
The premier said this in the Jatiya Sangsad here while replying to a supplementary question from Jatiya Party lawmaker Md. Mujibul Haque of Kishoreganj-3 regarding the vote against Russia in UNGA's second proposal.
She said the Ukrainian people are facing sufferings, becoming refugees and children are also sufferings due to the war.
"As the issue of human rights was involved, Bangladesh stood for it . . . It is very clear and none should have confusion on it," she added.
Sheikh Hasina said when the first proposal was tabled in the UNGA, Bangladesh found that there was no issue of human rights, no initiative of stopping the war and no other issues rather only vote against a country which is Russia.
"To see it, I decided not to vote," she said.
The prime minister, also the leader of the house, said the war didn't begin automatically; rather there might be someone who is provoking and forced to begin the war.
She questioned why a single country would be condemned?
In this context, she said, "We abstained from voting."
The prime minister mentioned that Russia is a friendly country of Bangladesh and it stood beside us when the 7th fleet was sent towards Pakistan during the War of Liberation in 1971.
"Russia stood by us in our bad time and we are surely beside the country, but if they (Russia) do unjustified anything we don't accept this," she said.
She continued that all have to see who is provoking and behind this war.
She went on saying that, "So, on that day we made a decision we wouldn't cast vote."