In the context of the fight against global crises, including the Covid-19 pandemic, Bangladesh is still ahead even of many developed countries in different indices.
It has been possible due to various steps taken by the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the situation in the country is more resilient comparing to other countries.
Immediately after the Covid-19 pandemic comes under control, another global crisis has started with the war between Russia and Ukraine. But Bangladesh government is trying its best to keep the situation under control so that the people of the country do not have to suffer much.
Amid the global crisis, the government has kept continuing all the development activities.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday refuted BNP leaders' propaganda on foreign currency reserves, saying that the Awami League government never wastes a single paisa from it, rather uses money for the country and its people's interest.
"The Awami League government doesn't waste a single paisa of the country. It spends every penny for the interest and welfare of the people," she said.
The premier said this while inaugurating the construction work of the 24-kilometre long Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway involving Tk 17,553.4 crore.
She virtually joined the inaugural function, held at the construction site adjacent to Ashulia Bazar in Savar, from her official Ganabhaban residence in capital Dhaka.
The prime minister said the BNP leaders are always raising questions on the expense of reserve money and trying to mislead the nation by giving false information.
"No paisa from reserve money is misappropriated. They (BNP leaders) are always talking about this as their leader Tarique Zia was awarded seven years’ imprisonment and Tk 20 crore-penalty in a money laundering case and he is now a fugitive accused," she said.
The prime minister said her government is using reserve money to meet import expenses including purchasing food, fuel, edible oil, wheat, capital machinery, medicines for cancer and Covid-19 vaccines despite the prices of goods, fuel and transportation cost are skyrocketing for global high inflation and economic meltdown stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, sanctions and countersanctions.
Sheikh Hasina said they have to purchase the Covid-19 vaccines in cash and are giving the vaccines to the masses alongside conducting the coronavirus tests free of cost using the reserve money.
The prime minister said that Bangladesh has later got donations of the Covid-19 vaccines from various countries.
"No developed country even administered the Covid-19 vaccines to their citizens free of cost," she said.
The government has purchased planes for the Biman Bangladesh Airlines and is dredging the rivers using the reserve money, she said.
"We are investing some reserve money to keep our money within the country. Otherwise, we have to take loans from foreign banks and repay the debt by dollars with interest," she said.
The prime minister said they have given some money to Sri Lanka from the reserve after it has fallen into crisis.
Bangladesh is a self-reliant country in food production, she said, adding that despite the fact, it has to import rice using the reserve money as the paddy was badly damaged during the recent flood and cyclone.
The prime minister said they would do nothing harmful for the country as her government has liabilities to the people.
"We are Awami League and we have liabilities to the people as Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dedicated his entire life to give the masses an improved and beautiful life," she said.
The reserve was only 2.9 billion US dollars when BNP was in power while it increased to five billion US dollars during the 2001-08, she said, adding that the present government has been able to raise it to 48 billion US dollars.
She said the 48 billion dollar reserve was possible as communication, transportations and import was almost halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Referring to apprehension of the global famine, the prime minister reiterated her call to the countrymen to grow more food using every inch of land so no famine can hit Bangladesh.
About the 24-kilometre Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway from Shahjalal International Airport to EPZ through Ashulia, she said the project is taken up mainly to make free Savar, Nabinagar, Ashulia and the North Bengal from traffic snarl and ensure uninterrupted communication.
The premier said her government had built the Dhaka-Ashulia Highway after coming to power in 1996.
She added that the expressway will make uninterrupted communication on 44-kilometre highway up to Kutubkhali under Jatrabari Police via EPZ, Ashulia, Abdullahpur, Shahjalal International Airport, Kawla, Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Kamalapur, Sayedabad and Jatrabari after connecting the Dhaka Elevated Express Highway.
The prime minister said the communication of the Ashulia-Savar industrial area with the rest of the country would be easier and the expressway will contribute immensely to the national economy.
"Once completed, the expressway will boost the country's gross domestic product (GDP) 0.21 percent," she hoped.
People from 30 districts will be highly benefited from the expressway as it will make transportation of people and goods easier and quicker as it would help cut traffic congestion, she said.
The prime minister thanked the Chinese President for his support to Bangladesh's development including the construction of the Dhaka-Ashulia expressway.
Briefly describing the government's measures for the overall development of the communication system, she said, "We have made tremendous development in all the road, river, rail and air ways for which the people are now getting benefits of those."
The prime minister said her government is working to transform Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous one by 2041.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming spoke at the function moderated by PM's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus.
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md. Enamur Rahman and people from all strata of life and local public representatives were present at Ashulia site.
Bridges Division Secretary Md Monjur Hossain made a power-point presentation on the express way.
A video documentary on the elevated expressway was also screened on the occasion.
