DHAKA, March 6, 2024 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the government officials to reach the people and work for them, saying all activities of her government for welfare of the country's people.
 
"I urge all of you (government officials) to stand beside the people and work for the people. Our goal is very clear (to do welfare for people)," she said.
 
The premier was addressing a dinner arranged on the occasion of the conference of Bangladesh Administrative Service Association (BASA) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.
 
Referring to the election manifesto of Bangladesh Awami League, she said "We've given the election manifesto. We came (to power) giving promises with this manifesto. The country has been changed following implementation of the manifesto".
 
Sheikh Hasina said that in the last 15 years, the country has witnessed changes because the Awami League government followed the manifesto while giving the national budget.
 
"We want our program to be people centric," she added.
 
The premier said that her government wants to build transparent, accountable, people's welfare oriented, data-driven automated, efficient and smart administration.
 
"We are determined to establish good governance and you have to do that so the people get quality service," she added.
 

 
Sheikh Hasina said that today there is a global recession due to the Ukraine-Russia war, Covid-19 and Israel's attack on Gaza, which have had a massive impact on the global economy.
 
"We're not far from it. So, the pressure of inflation is on us," she said, adding, "We have to come out of this situation and we have to take measures for that."
 
To this end, she reiterated her call to boost food production locally whatever is possible, saying, "we have to increase production in our country as we have to deal with the pressure through increasing production."
 
Sheikh Hasina said that it is her government's job to reduce the sufferings of the people. So, it is needed more to do market monitoring, conducting mobile courts, recovering government property, holding public hearings, establishing smart land management and implementing social security programmes etc, she added.
 
Mentioning that the government officials have been working in different disasters including Covid-19 pandemic, she said, "But, responsibility
still there is, until the comfort of people return from the impact of inflation. More work needs to be done."
 
The premier said now the development of Bangladesh is getting visible thanks to the continuation of the government.
 
Though the common people are now getting benefits of the development schemes, some people are there in the country who don't like anything, she said.

"Besides, some foreigners are trying to influence. We are an independent country. We will move freely. We'll build our country," said Sheikh Hasina, adding that Bangladesh takes finance from different institutions as loans and repays the loans with interest.

She said the foreigners won't understand the development of Bangladesh as much as its people do. The head of government said Bangladesh won't accept any foreign interference into its development programmes.

"We'll take and implement our plans considering the socioeconomic condition of our country's people, their mentality and the country's geographical location. We are taking loans from others (external sources) and repaying the debts. We're not ready to listen to any interference here," she said.

Talking about different measures of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina said that it's not a small matter to rebuild a war-ravaged country within a short span of time.
 
She said immediately after the independence, Bangabandhu had given Bangladesh a constitution where all the pathways have been included for the people's socioeconomic development.
 
Referring to the Clause 2 of Article 21 in the constitution where the issue of "public service" has been mentioned repeatedly, she said that the Father of the Nation has declared himself as the servant of the people after becoming prime minister.
 
She went on, "Following my father's footstep, I consider myself not as the prime minister, but a servant of the people".
 
She added: "Prime minister-ship is not a big thing to me, rather the most important issue for me is to get the opportunity to serve the people and do their welfare".