DHAKA, May 2, 2023 (BSS) - Congratulating the World Bank, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the global bank wants to extend its assistance realizing its mistake of withdrawing financing from the Padma Bridge Project.

"The World Bank took Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Washington DC by giving special invitation after the bank realized its mistake. But it is not right that we will receive all of its assistances," he said. 

The minister said this replying to a question of reporters on signing loan deals of 225 crore US dollars with the bank, at the conference room of his ministry at Secretariat here.

Hasan said the bank (WB) wanted to finance in the Padma Bridge project later. "But we didn't take it. They also wanted to finance in some other projects. Bangladesh has achieved the courage and capacity under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to decide on which assistance would be taken or not," he added.

He said the IMF chief said that 'Bangladesh is a role model before the world. And the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is needed for the economical prosperity and development progress', he added.

He said the image of Bangladesh has reached a new height under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

About the May Day, Hasan said the present government is a government of the poor and toiling masses. For this, the government is working for the welfare of labourers, employees and farmers, he added.

He said the minimum wage of garments workers was only Taka 1662 in 2006 during the BNP regime. And now the minimum wage is Taka 8000 and there are other benefit and allowances, he added.

He said discussions are going on to increase the wages.

The information minister said the demand of leftists, before 20 to 25 years, was the wage of labourers would be equal to three and a half kilograms of rice. But now, the minimum wage of a labourer is Taka 500 which is equal to 10 kilograms of rice, he added.

Even, he said, workers are not available at below Taka 800 to Taka 1000 during the paddy harvesting in Chattogram and areas of North Bengal. 

He said the income and purchasing power of people have increased. But it is also true that the prices of commodities have also increased in the world. But, people can now buy and the 'Monga' is now a history, he added.

Replying to another query, the minister said labourers, employees and farmers were shot dead during the BNP regime. BNP had snatched the rights of labourers as the party did not lead the poor people, he said, adding BNP represented the rich and merchants.

He said Zia used to say that 'money is no problem'. And Zia had started the culture of not returning loan of the bank, he added.
 
Earlier, the minister exchanged views with the leaders of Bangladesh Newspapers Employees Federation (BNEF) and Bangladesh Federal Union of Newspaper Press Workers (BFUNP).

BNEF president Matiur Rahman Talukder and BFUNP president Md Alamgir Hossain Khan raised their demands to the minister.

In his speech, Hasan said employees and workers are also playing a pivotal role in the mass media along with journalists.

He assured them of considering their demands soon.

Federation leaders Khairul Islam, Rafiqul Islam, Tanvir Islam, Abida Sultana, Shamim Chowdhury, Anisur Rahman, Mostaq Ahmed and Abdur Razzak, among others, were present.