The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought increased assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for expediting the country's sustainable socioeconomic development in all sectors, including roads and bridges.

She made the request when visiting ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda called on her at her official residence Jamuna on Thursday afternoon, when a wide arrange of socioeconomic issues were discussed.

Sheikh Hasina also sought ADB assistance for construction of the much-expected Padma Bridge, saying that the present government in the field of communications development is giving highest priority to the construction of this bridge.

In reply, the ADB chief assured the Prime Minister of the funding agency's continued all-out support to Bangladesh's every development sector. Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed newsmen after the meeting.

The Prime Minister told the ABD president that the present government has decided to board the country on the Asian Highway as Bangladesh does not want to remain isolated from the global development flow.

"The people have brought us in power giving landslide mandate in the last general election. Through their spontaneous voting, the people have reposed a big responsibility on us to work for the nation's overall development. The present government will make its best effort to turn Bangladesh into a digital modern one by 2021," Sheikh Hasina said.

She also mentioned her government's desire to reopen the rail lines with the neighboring country, India, which remain abandoned since 1965, for stronger connectivity in the fields of trade, business and people-to-people contact.

The Prime Minister said the government will modernize Mongla Port which will create prospects for India, Nepal and Bhutan to use the seaport.

She said the present government, just within the last six months, has been successful in bringing the prices of essentials within the buying capacity of the commoners.

Besides, subsidies have been given on many agricultural materials, including fertilizers, as the present government gives the maximum priority to increasing food production to build a food-sufficient Bangladesh.

As the present power situation came up for discussion, the Prime Minister said the previous Awami League government during its tenure had increased power generation to 4300 MWs from 1600 MWs, but the subsequent BNP-led four-party alliance government had reduced the power generation, resulting in the present electricity crisis.

"But the present government through proper management again has been successful in improving the situation. Farmers in the last couple of months did not face any electricity crisis. Fertilizers were available to the farmers at subsidized rates. That's why food production was also very satisfactory. We are confident about building up a food-sufficient Bangladesh what we did during our last regime," she said.

Sheikh Hasina apprised the ADB president of her government's strong commitment to ensure quality health services to the people of all walks of life. In this context, she said the government is going to restart the community health clinics in the rural areas across the country, which will ensure proper healthcare to every mother and child of the land.

The Prime Minister and the ADB President also discussed the threats the developing nations facing following the global climate change. The Prime Minister told the ADB top official that the present Awami League-led government is fully aware of the negative impacts of the global climate change.

She said the government has already planned to launch massive capital and maintenance dredging in the country's major rivers to save the people from unexpected flooding and tidal surge.

Hasina thanked the country's development partners for extending their support in holding the last December 29 parliamentary polls "in a free, fair, neutral and acceptable manner".

She reaffirmed her party Awami League and the government's stand on upholding the parliamentary democracy in the country.

Hasina said the new cabinet was formed comprising people of cleaner image and in the first session of the new parliament all the standing committees of the Jatiya Sangsad were formed while chairman of seven standing committees were taken from the opposition sides, which are "rare" things in the history of parliament.

Finance Adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman, Prime Minister's Principal Secretary MA Karim, PMO Secretary Mollah Waheeduzzaman, ERD secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan and Ambassador M Ziauddin were present on government side.

Ashok Lahiri, Executive Director, ADB, Suichi Hosoda, Chief Adviser to the ADB President, Kunio Sanga, Director General of ADB, and Nurul Huda, Officer-in-charge, ADB, were present on the donor side.