Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the aim of her government is to improve the living standard of people and free the country from poverty.
"We're taking Bangladesh to the trajectory of development through reducing poverty...we've always one goal -- to develop people's lifestyle, free them from poverty and make the country economically self-reliant," she said.
The prime minister said this after opening the second Meghna and second Gumti Bridge on Dhaka-Chattogram highway through a video conference from her official residence Ganobhaban in the capital. The newly-constructed bridges will be very much helpful for the socio-economic development of the country, she said, adding, “These bridges will help boost regional cooperation."
P M Sheikh Hasina mentioned that it is now a global village, and all will have to catch up with others. "These works, we think, aren't only for us...these will contribute a lot towards enhancing regional cooperation." The P M said the government is developing roads, rail routes, waterways and air communications, and the people of the country are getting the benefits of the government's various programmes.
Talking about the construction of Metro Rail to ease the sufferings of people living in Dhaka, the Prime Minister said once the work is completed, there will be no pain. She said there will be 16 stations for Metro Rail and it will be possible to carry 60,000 passengers per hour. For developing the country, Hasina said, the government is getting cooperation from friendly nations, development partners and above all the cooperation of the country's people.
The premier also inaugurated the country’s largest Konabari Flyover and Chandra Flyover, Kaliakair, Deohata, Mirzapur and Gharinda underpass and Kadda-1 and Bimail bridges on the Joydebpur-Chandra-Tangail-Elenga Highway under the SASEC Road Link Project. She later launched the new intercity train named “Panchagarh Express” on the Dhaka-Panchagarh route.
BSS adds: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also stressed the need for imparting training to the people on traffic rules and regulations from childhood or school-life to make them aware of using roads and their safety. “I personally believe, it is really needed to give training (to the people) on traffic rules and regulations from childhood or school life to make them cautious about using roads and their safety as well,” she said.
The premier called upon the authorities concerned of educational institutions particularly the schools to take their own initiatives to help their students to cross the roads towards the institutions at school breakups. “You (authorities of educational institutions) should take the initiative to engage your own people for assisting your students in crossing the roads while law enforcers and traffic policemen will extend support to this endeavor,” she asked the school authorities.
In this context, she referred that authorities in abroad stand with placard to help their students to use the roads adjacent to the educational institutions.
The premier also called upon the drivers to drive cautiously keeping speed limit of their vehicles under control and advised the pedestrians to use foot-over bridges and underpasses and be careful while crossing the roads to reduce the road accidents.
Mentioning the enactment of Road Transport Act, 2018 by her government and starting the implementation of the law to reduce the road accidents, the premier said, “It is also necessary to impart the drivers with proper training on driving and traffic rules.” The government has taken initiatives to train the drivers at upazila levels alongside setting up places for relaxation of drivers besides highways and roads.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader gave welcome address on the occasion while Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque were present on the dais. Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Hiroyasu Izumi also spoke on the occasion. Indonesian Ambassador in Dhaka Rina P. Soemarno was present at that time.
PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman moderated the inaugural ceremony while Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division Md Nazrul Islam gave brief pictorial and video presentation of the uplift schemes on the occasion. Cabinet members, PM’s advisers, lawmakers, high civil and military officials were present on the occasion. The prime minister later talked to the cross section of people including public representatives, freedom fighters, government officials, students, teachers and beneficiaries of different projects.
