Stand by people, work for them: PM to govt officials

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the government officials to stand beside people and work for them as the public welfare is at the centre of her government’s every programme.

“I would like to ask you all that you should stand by the people and work for them…..Our every scheme would be involving the people,” she said.

The premier said this while addressing a dinner arranged on the occasion of the annual conference of Bangladesh Administrative Service Association (BASA) at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

She said that her government wants to build a transparent, accountable, knowledge and facts-based, public welfare-oriented, coordinated, skilled and smart administration so that the people would get standard services.

“We’re determined to establish good governance, and you have to do it so that the people get the improved and standard services,” she added.

Referring to the election manifesto of the Bangladesh Awami League, she said, “We’ve come (to power) giving promises with this manifesto. By implementing the manifesto, the country has changed.”

In the last 15 years, the country has witnessed changes because the Awami League government followed the manifesto while giving the national budget, said Sheikh Hasina.

The PM said that now the development of Bangladesh is getting visible thanks to the continuation of the government.

Though the common people are now getting benefits from 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 that the foreigners won’t understand the development of Bangladesh as much as its people do.

The prime minister said Bangladesh won’t accept any foreign interference in 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.