DHAKA, Jan 9, 2023 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said Bangladesh became 35th largest economy in the world after 14 years under the charismatic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from its 60th position just in 2009.

"Bangladesh has witnessed a lot of changes over the years and is still getting change under the supervision of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Now Singapore and Malaysia are smaller economic countries than ours in terms of GDP (gross domestic product). Even some surveys showed that Bangladesh stood at 31st position in PPP," he said.

The minister added: "If more than nine and a half percent GDP growth is continued and Bangabandhu was not killed in 1975 than the global people would have learnt the history of changing Bangladesh before South Korea, Malaysia and even Singapore".
 
Hasan was addressing the inaugural function of the three-day Bangabandhu Film Festival 2023 at Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) in the capital.

Bangladesh Cine Journalist Association (BCJA) organized the festival marking the historic Homecoming Day of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bangalee of all times.

Hasan said it is regrettable that the success stories of the country are not being praised by the mass media. But, if the country lags behind in any index, then it is published widely in the media, he added.

The world, he said, has passed a bad time in 2022. The Russia-Ukraine war has begun last year while the COVID-19 situation has reared in some countries. In this situation, Bangladesh premier has inaugurated the self-financed mega Padma Bridge and the country's ever first metro rail, he added.

Citing examples of foreign media, the minister said, "The daily Anandabazar of Kolkata has published a feature after inauguration of the metro rail in Bangladesh. In the feature, they wrote that though Dhaka Metro Rail started much later than us, it is ahead of Kolkata in terms of modernity . . . there was no female driver in Kolkata Metro Rail while a woman drive first the metro rail in Dhaka and there are six females drivers. It means, women have been empowered along with the development of the country".

About Bangabandhu's Homecoming Day, Hasan said, "Though we achieved independence on December 16, 1971, the joy of the final victory of the Liberation War was fulfilled after arrival of the Great Leader on January 10 in 1972".

He said, in a video of the Homecoming Day, it was seen that Bangabandhu's father Sheikh Lutfar Rahman was sitting in a corner and his son Bangabandhu was in the crowd. Because, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was not only the son of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman, he was also Bangabandhu of masses and this is Bangabandhu, he added.

About films, the minister said a movie can open the third eye of a society. He hoped that the films of the country would play a vital role to reach Bangladesh its desired destination.

BFDC managing director Nuzhat Yesmin, actress Aruna Biswas and BCJA general secretary Riman Mahfuz, among others, addressed the function with BCJA president Razu Alim in the chair.