‘Plot afoot to isolate govt from people’

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said a vested quarter is still hatching conspiracies against the government to isolate it from the people.

Recalling the artificial famine in 1974, Hasina said Bangladesh had a bitter experience that year when food grains purchased with cash were blocked from entering the country.

“An artificial famine was created at that time to isolate Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the people. When they failed to do so, they made the August 15, 1975 incident to occur,” she said.

The PM’s comments came at a programme marking the inauguration of the three-month tree plantation programme of Bangladesh Krishak League at the Gono Bhaban.

Hasina, who is also the president of Awami League, said her party has been carrying out tree plantation programmes since 1985 following the footsteps of Bangabandhu to save Bangladesh from the adverse impacts of climate change.

She said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman had cut trees in the name of so-called development and his wife did the same thing in the name of anti-government movement in 2013.

She went on to urge the people to make a “Green Bangladesh” by planting trees in large numbers.

The premier reiterated her call for the people to grow more food by bringing every inch of land under cultivation.

She said her government had been able to acquire self-sufficiency in food production after assuming power in 1996.

“We have achieved success in food production due to extensive research in this sector.”

Stressing the need for planned industrialisation, she said her government is building 100 economic zones across the country to protect arable land from unplanned industrialisation.

The PM said the government wants to bring irrigation completely under the solar power system.

“Initially, it might require some investment. But it would cut the overall cost in the long run.”

At the function, the premier awarded several Krishak League leaders for their contribution to pursuing the nationwide tree plantation campaign.

Hasina planted three saplings at the Gono Bhaban on the occasion of the programme.

She said she has planted over 2,000 trees at the Gono Bhaban since assuming power.

Krishak League President Samir Chanda and acting general secretary Bishwanath Sarker Bitu also spoke at the programme.

This year, Krishak League has set a target of planting 52 lakh saplings across the country during its three-month programme.