Anti-corruption campaign to go on: PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday promised to keep up the ongoing anti-graft campaign seeking intensified Anti-Corruption Commission drives to expose to justice illegal wealth amassers in a nationwide address coinciding with the first anniversary of her government’s third term in power.

‘The ongoing drive against the corrupt elements will continue … I would like to warn everybody again that the corrupt elements whoever they might be and whatever powerful they are, will not be spared,’ she said in her address.

The prime minister said, ‘I call upon the Anti-Corruption Commission to bring to the book those, whoever they might be, if found involved in acquiring illegal wealth.’

Sheikh Hasina said the campaign was required so that none could snatch rights of common people and advised the corrupt elements to rectify them immediately in their own interest.

‘I work for the common people and I won’t hesitate to take any (required) step to protect their interest,’ she said.

State-run BTV and other TV channels and Bangladesh Betar broadcast simultaneously her address marking the completion of the first year of the third consecutive term of the ruling Awami League.

Sheikh Hasina said as part of the anti-graft campaign her government was spearheading a motivational campaign against corruption considering people’s participation was a must to check corruption adding that the social menace would automatically be reduced if the people could be sensitised.

She said harsh drives were simultaneously underway to bring to book those who were involved in corruption while ‘initiatives have also been taken to widen the use of information communication technology to stamp out corruption in various sectors’.

The prime minister said the ongoing drives against extremism, terrorism and narcotics would continue as well adding that police and other law enforcement agencies by now significantly succeeded in containing extremism indebting the countrymen.

‘(On the other hand) we’ve taken appropriate measures to enhance capacity of the law enforcement agencies,’ she said.

In her 30-minute speech, Sheikh Hasina called upon the countrymen to take a fresh vow to establish non-communal Sonar Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty and illiteracy in the birth centenary of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

‘Let’s take a fresh vow irrespective of party and opinion to establish secular Sonar Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty and illiteracy in the birth centenary of Bangabandhu,’ the prime minister said.

She went on saying, ‘We want to establish a peaceful society where there will be no jealousy, hatred and conflict and the people of all religions, castes and creeds can live in peace. All have been able to perform their religions with due dignity.’

The prime minister’s year-ending address also featured issues ranging from extremism and drugs to foreign relations particularly with neighbours, the Rohingya crisis, BNP-Jamaat politics, poverty and social safety net, campus situation, public health, military affairs and policing.

‘Religious leaders along with the imams of mosques have been imparted with training as none can derail the youth through misinterpretation of the holy Islam,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that 650 model mosques were being constructed across the country under the government initiatives.

The prime minister said being a democratic political party Bangladesh Awami League was always respectful to the constitution.

‘We believe in the rule of law and we also believe that the people’s mandate is the only way to changeover of state power,’ Sheikh Hasina said adding that her government always welcomed any peaceful democratic movement.

But she said her government would not tolerate destructive activities on illogical demands and warned that recurrence torching people to death and arson attacks staged in the past by BNP-Jamaat would never be allowed again on the soil of Bangladesh.

‘We’ve taken all sorts of measures to make parliament effective and the participation of the lawmakers from both the treasury and opposition benches makes the Jatiya Sangsad vibrant,’ she said.

The prime minister said all government activities were centered on the interests of common people and added that she has full confidence in them.

‘The people of Bangladesh are very hardworking and having innovative capacity and they are capable to cope with any situation,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina said by nature the hard working common people of the country were always satisfied with little and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman struggled throughout his life to establish their rights and bring smile on their face.

‘Being a daughter of him, my only aim (as well) is to bring smile on their face . . . keep faith in me and I want to be one of you,’ she said.

The prime minister said one year has completed after forming the government following the 11th parliamentary election and the government tried its best to give the people the highest services.

‘We don’t claim cent percent success in all the sectors. But, we can firmly say that there were no lapses in our endeavours. We will step forward learning from the past mistakes and experiences,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina said, ‘New challenges will appear before us. We will face all the challenges with people’s help, Insha Allah.’

She said Bengalis are a nation of heroes as they earned the country’s independence at the cost of 30 lakh martyrs.

‘Such a nation can never stay behind in the world. We’re also not lagging behind. Bangladesh has been advancing with tremendous pace towards the highway of the development,’ Sheikh Hasina said.

The prime minister said her government was entrusted with the task of running the country consecutively since 2009 and ‘we’ve been running the government with a specific target’.

‘The target is to give economic emancipation to the people and establish the basic rights of all alongside improving their living standard,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the government was always aware what it wanted to do for the countrymen and what it could expecting the people to evaluate its performance.

‘But, we don’t believe in ‘mukhorochok’ (mouth watering) commitments . . .We have promised what we can implement,’ she said.

The prime minister said her government had announced the Vision 2021 before the 2008 elections with an objective to transform Bangladesh into a middle income country.

‘The World Bank (already) recognised Bangladesh as a lower-middle income country in 2015 after crossing the per capita income to $ 1200,’ she said.

The prime minister said some ‘undesirable incidents’ took place in one or two educational institutions last year, ‘but we want to say firmly, we didn’t spare anyone involved in the activities (and) administrative and legal actions were taken against those involved in the incidents’.

Sheikh Hasina said some quarters, however, tried to gain benefit by creating anarchy and spreading rumours but with people’s help, ‘we had taken prompt remedial measures against the misdeeds’.

But she urged all to remain alert always regarding such rumours.

Sheikh Hasina said dengue had appeared as a menace in the past year as the aedes mosquito carrying its germ created panic across the country.

‘Some valuable lives had been lost in the disease despite all kinds of measures. I express deep sympathy to the bereaved families,’ she said.

The prime minister in her address simultaneously issued orders to all concerned to take all-out measures to check spread of the aedes mosquitoes beforehand to prevent recurrence of the disease.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net