Govt ensured voting rights of people: PM

Newly elected mayors of Rajshahi and Sylhet city corporations AHM Khairuzzman Liton and Ariful Haque Chowdhury took oath of office on Wednesday.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina administered the oath at a ceremony held at the Shapla Hall of her office.
Later, 76 newly elected councillors from general wards and reserved seats 
of the two city corporations were also sworn in at the same venue. Of them, 40 councillors are from Rajshahi and 36 from Sylhet.
Local government, rural development and cooperatives minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain administered the oath to the councillors.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina poses for a photo together with the newly elected Sylhet city mayor and councillors following their oath taking programme at PMO in Dhaka on Wednesday. — BSS photo

Local government division senior secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan conducted the oath-taking ceremony.
Finance minister AMA Muhith and Awami League general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader were present.
The elections to Rajshahi and Sylhet city corporations were held on July 30 last.
Awami League mayoral candidate AHM Khairuzzaman Liton was elected in Rajshahi city, while BNP’s Ariful Haque Chowdhury sealed the victory in Sylhet city.
The prime minister, however, said no one will be spared on political consideration in case of any irregularities and corruption, instigation to militancy and terrorism activities in any place.
Mentioning her government’s plan to establish a medical university in Sylhet, she said her government never allocated budget for local bodies on political consideration.
‘When we make fund allocations and undertake any project, we don’t consider what party they belong to as we consider the welfare of people,’ she added.
Hasina said the government made huge allocations for the Sylhet City Corporation.
Underlining the importance of having a sustainable democratic system in the country, she said, ‘A country can prosper under a democratic rule. Over the last 10 years, Bangladesh has been able to achieve tremendous success in every sector due to uninterrupted democracy.’
‘Today Bangladesh is recognised as a role model of development for different socioeconomic development activities taken by the government since 2009,’ she added.
Hasina said the Bangladesh Delta Plan-2100 has been prepared envisaging the next hundred years of development. 
‘Bangladesh is now a developing country and we’ve to make it sustainable to go ahead.’
The prime minister said that democracy was now established on a strong base in the country as her government had ensured the voting rights of people.
‘We’ve ensured the environment so that the people of Bangladesh can exercise their franchise freely,’ she said.
‘People in every area have attained their voting rights and can elect candidates of their choice... it’s proven today,’ she said.
Noting that democracy means the voting rights of people, which is the constitutional rights, she said, ‘We’re fully devoted to this (ensuring the voting rights). We want people to have their rights in their hands.’
The government takes actions in case of minor incidents in any place during any election, she said adding, ‘We want people to enjoy their basic rights and elect the candidates and their government as per their choice.’
Pointing at the newly elected mayors and councillors, Hasina said, ‘No matter what party you belong to, work properly for the overall development of their respective areas. It’s your duty.’
The prime minister assured all, irrespective of their political affiliation, of extending her all-out cooperation to them as people have elected them.
Hasina said the Bangladesh Delta Plan-2100 had been prepared envisaging the next hundred years’ development plan. ‘Bangladesh is now a developing country, and we’ve to make it sustainable to move ahead.’ 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net