Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her firm optimism that more people would come out of poverty trap in the coming days in the country and Bangladesh would be a hunger free country by 2021.
She said her government is making relentless efforts to ensure overall development of the country as well as welfare of the people of every section particularly bringing the poor section out of poverty.
"Due to our government's initiative, around five crore people were already been elevated their economic position to middle- income group from low-income," she said adding if this trend continues, inshallh Bangladesh would be a poverty and hunger free nation by 2021.
The Prime Minister was talking to media people after exchanging greetings of Eid-ul Azha with party leaders and on Saturday .
Political leaders, freedom fighters, intellectuals, doctors, engineers, journalists, trade body leaders, leaders of front organizations of Awami League, government officials and employees and a large number of people of different section of the society including poor arrived Gonobhaban to exchange Eid-greetings with the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister entertained the visitors with sweetmeats, semais, fruits and cakes. The poor were provided with sari, lungi, food and cash money.
Urging all to take lesson of sacrifice from the message of holy Eid-ul Azha and devote them to nation's welfare, the Prime Minister said, "It's a matter of great pleasure for us that every people of the country irrespective of their religious faith are now observing their religious rites peacefully and with financial ability."
"We have taken pragmatic steps for increasing food production, proper distribution of food, settling joblessness and implementation of the annual development programme for a quick socio-economic development of the country. Around 74 lakh people have found their jobs during our tenure," she said.
PM's younger sister Sheikh Rehana, Awami League Advisory Council member Amir Hossain Amu, presidium members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Yusuf Hossain Humayun and Sahara Khatun, General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Civil Aviation Minister Faruk Khan, State Minister Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury and Joint Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif were present, among others, on the occasion.
Pointing out the country's excellent law and order during the festivity, the Prime Minister said, "We have made our best to keep the situation peaceful. We also tried to keep the prices of sacrificial animals and other essentials within the purchasing capacity of the people."
She said the traders of cattle market could do their businesses peacefully as the government has taken all necessary actions to check extortionists. As a result, she said, supply of cattle-heads in the market was abundant and their prices were also under control.
Online trading of cattle also helped checking troubles usually caused by extortionists in the market, she observed.
"The situation was far better, if you compare the present condition with the era of previous government, when the sacrificial animals were shot dead by extortionists," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has also made its best efforts so that people can travel to their village homes to celebrate the holy Eid and meet their near and dear ones. In future, we will do better to give the people more comfort and privileges, she said.
The Prime Minister urged the media to broadcast the good works and services of the government as well as highlighting its failures and flaws.
"You will surely draw attention of the people to our flaws and wrongs. But, you should also outline our successes," she said adding, "It's damaging for a nation if you only bring the wrongs on the screen and keep the successes out of scene."
On the Eid-Ul-Azha, senior Awami League leaders greeted the Prime Minister in the morning at Gonobhaban. She talked to the leaders and exchanged pleasantries with them.
Later, the Prime Minister exchanged Eid-greetings with judges of the Supreme Court, senior government officials and diplomats of different countries.
State Minister for Religious Affairs Advocate Mohammad Shajahan Mia, MP, Chief Justice Mohammad Mozammel Hossain, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three services, high commissioners and ambassadors of different countries attended the function.
