Turn austere to avert any crisis

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday once again called on the countrymen to exercise austerity in using energy alongside making all-out efforts to avert any crisis amid a global apprehension of a possible food crisis.

She also urged the people to increase food production and enhance their savings saying that her government is trying to protect the people of Bangladesh from the international food crisis and other global problems.

“Grow as much food including fisheries and livestock as you can so that the persisting global economic meltdown can’t affect Bangladesh badly,” she said.

Bangladesh has to face the impact of global economic recession as the world is now a global village, she said, adding that the price of essentials has already increased across the globe manifold due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

The prime minister made the call while virtually inaugurating 100 bridges in 25 districts at a cost of over Tk 879 crore from Ganabhaban.

The bridges established direct road connectivity with the capital as they made 33 routes free from ferry services which will make road communication smooth, quicker, easier and safer.

Of the bridges, 46 are in Chattogram division, 17 in Sylhet division, 14 in Barishal division, seven each in Dhaka and Rajshahi division, six in Mymensingh division and three in Rangpur division.

Sheikh Hasina said her government is developing road communication in such a way that the country could be connected to the Trans-Asian Highway.

She said after assuming power in 1996, her government had constructed Bangabandhu Bridge over the Jamuna river, Rupsha Bridge in Khulna, Pakshi Bridge and Ashuganj Bridge which have made road communication uninterrupted.

She said her government upgraded the Dhaka and Sylhet airports as international ones at that time while they are now constructing an international airport in Cox’s Bazar.

During the 1996-2001 term, she said her government had built 19,000 large, medium and small bridges and culverts across the country.

The prime minister said her incumbent government has constructed or reconstructed 1,13,303 metre bridges and 21,267-metre culverts in the last 14 years.

She added that they have constructed the much-awaited Padma Bridge with own finance that opened the door to immense opportunities.

The prime minister said her government had signed a treaty to establish peace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts alongside ensuring a developed and beautiful life for the local people.

“A huge development is now being carried out in the CHT due to the peace treaty,” she said.

“Many people can say many things. But, the people of the country are now getting the benefit of the development done by my government. We have made developments up to the grassroots level,” she said.

Regarding the Dengue outbreak, the prime minister asked all to keep the houses and surrounding areas clean, remove stagnant water and destroy breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes and use mosquito nets while sleeping.

“The government would take all necessary measures to control its outbreak,” she said.