AL must be in power for graduation of Bangladesh: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the people of Bangladesh need to keep Awami League in power to attain the final graduation of Bangladesh as a developing country by 2026.

“We know it is we who are needed to make the graduation of Bangladesh as a developing country,” she said, joining the general discussion on the national budget for 2023-24 fiscal year in Parliament.

Sheikh Hasina, the Leader of the House, said today Bangladesh has gained the status of a developing country.

“Who will be able to implement it if we don’t come (to power again)? Show me a person who will be able to do it. Show me a person who will work selflessly for the country. If you (can) show me such leadership, I have no objection,” she said.

Pointing at the people of the country, the PM said since the people voted Awami League to power time and again, the AL governments have been able to serve the country and bring it on the development track.

She said her government has been able to reduce the poverty rate significantly. Today the unemployment rate is only 3 percent, she added.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal unveiled Tk 761,785-crore national budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year in Parliament on June 1.

The PM said her government has been taking proper steps to keep the wheels of the economy moving despite facing obstacles, resistance and criticism.

Hadn’t there been the Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war, Bangladesh could have gone too far on its development journey, she said.

She, however, said there is nothing to fear as it is normal that problems come from time to time.

“Don’t be upset seeing problems. Rather it has to be faced. We hear many things that the government will be overthrown today and other things will be done tomorrow,” said Sheikh Hasina.

Lambasting the critics of the budget, she said many persons have called this budget as ambitious or unimplementable. “We hear such things always.”

She said some people are there who always show a negative attitude and they see nothing positive, which is the most unfortunate thing for the country.

The PM said the critics perhaps never went to the rural areas where the poverty rate declined largely than the urban areas. There is no such suffering among the rural people, she added.

She said Bangladesh has been able to witness massive progress as stability has been prevailing in the country for the last 14 and a half years.

The government has been able to place a record budget of Tk 761,785 crore amid tough time across the world, which emerged due to aftermaths of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, she added.

“When the economies of many developed countries are struggling, we’ve been able to give this huge budget,” she said.

About the budget deficit, the premier said her government keeps the budget deficit within 5 pc to 5.5pc every year. “This time the budget deficit has been kept within 5pc. There is nothing to worry about it,” she said.

Talking about the target of 7.5 percent growth rate in the budget, she said this target can be achieved.

Sheikh Hasina expected the universal pension scheme can be introduced within the upcoming fiscal year of 2023-34.

Government employees to get 5pc of basic as special incentive:

The PM, in her speech, gave instructions to Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal to take action to consider paying 5 percent of the basic salary as a special incentive.

"I request the Finance Minister to consider paying 5 percent of the basic salary as a special salary to the government employees during this emergency. I hope the honourable Finance Minister will accept this matter. We will give them 5 percent of the basic salary as a special incentive," she said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the various steps taken by the government to control inflation and raised her government’s development successes in different sectors.