The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a seminar called upon the Caretaker Government for not taking initiative for reduction of subsidy in service orientated sectors following the direction of the donor agencies in the country.

“National development is not possible to follow the direction of the World Bank, IMF and other donors agencies,” they said while addressing the seminar in observance of weeklong programme against the hunger, poverty and deprivation. Sushasoner Jonny Procharavizan (SJP), a non-government organisation organised the seminar at the National Press Club.

Mostafizur Rahman, Vice-President of SJP presided over the seminar while Shahid Ullah of SJP presented the keynote paper.

BNP Standing Committee Member Lt Gen Mahbubur Rahman, Prodip Kumar Roy, Chief Executive of SJP, Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, Advocate Tanvirul Islam Siddique and among others were addressing at the seminar.

The donor agencies have created pressure on the government to reduce investment on healthcare and education sectors, Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, an NGO activist said.

He alleged that the poor portion of the population have been depriving to get healthcare day by day following the reduction of investment in health sector in the country.

He called upon the people to launch the movement against the donor agencies for their misdirection.

Lt Gen Mahbubur Rahman said that the Government should consent to the public before taking loan from donor agencies in service-oriented sector.

He observed that Bangladesh should be freed from debt-tap of the donor agencies.

Mostafizur Rahman said the private hospitals have imported duty free medical equipments in the name of providing services. But they didn’t provide service properly, he alleged.

Shahid Ullah at his keynote paper suggested the government for not to finalise the health policy without consent of people.