Kurigram to get university, special economic zone: PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said a university and a special economic zone will be set up in the district for the welfare of the people of frontier districts.
‘A university will be set up in Kurigram either in public or private initiative, and also there will be a special economic zone here to spur industrialisation. I’ve already directed the deputy commissioner to find suitable lands,’ she said.
The prime minister was addressing a mammoth public rally at Kurigram Government College ground organised by the district unit of Awami League in the afternoon.
She also promised to build second Dhorla bridge and another bridge over the Dudhkuna River to connect the district with Lalmonirhat, and carry out river dredging here to restore navigability, set up a children’s park beside the Dhorla bridge and develop the Kurigram-Teesta Road.
Turning to enclave swap, Hasina said those enclaves are now part of Bangladesh with the swap and the people here now could move with Bangladesh’s identity.
Urging the people of the bordering districts to accept the former enclave dwellers as their near and dear ones, Hasina said her government has launched various projects for their welfare.
She said although Kurigram was once regarded as a Monga-prone area, now there is no Monga in the district due to her government’s farsighted steps.
The prime minister said khas lands will be provided to landless people while houses will be made for the hapless people here under the Ashrayan project.
Noting that Bangladesh is now a role model of development, Hasina said Awami League knows it very well what should be done for developing a country, as there is no need to place demand before it.
‘AL knows it very well what the problems of people are and how those should be resolved. Since we’ve liberated the country, we know it better and this is our duty,’ she reminded her audience.
Renewing her allegation that BNP chief Khaleda Zia is conspiring from abroad to tarnish the country’s image through killing foreigners, the prime minister warned that her government will not allow the emergence of militancy in the country in any way.
‘We’ve taken strong steps to curb militancy, and we won’t allow its emergence in the country in any way,’ she said.
Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami League, alleged that the hooligans of BNP-Jamaat burned hundreds of people to death and torched 2000-2500 buses and private vehicles to foil the January-5 national election. ‘They’re not human beings, they’re animals. They can‘t do anything good for people …they can only harm people.’
The AL chief further alleged that the BNP-Jamaat had earlier unleashed militancy and terrorism in the country and they are now resorting to terrorism and militancy the same way. ‘No one can escape their evil clutch.’
She said Khaleda Zia early this year – from January to March – burned some 150 people to death and injured many more, including drivers, helpers and students.
‘Now she (Khaleda) has gone abroad and started conspiring against the country and the government, and trying to tarnish the image of the country through killing foreigners,’ the prime minister alleged.
Chaired by Kurigram district AL president Alhaj Aminul Islam Monju Mondol, the rally was addressed, among others, by AL joint general secretary Dr Dipu Moni, state minister for power and energy Nasrul Hamid, noted writer and son of Kurigram Syed Shamsul Haque, and Kurigram district AL general secretary Md Zafar Ali.

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