PM calls for strengthening cooperative movement

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country saying cooperatives can play a big role in the socioeconomic development of the nation.

"I firmly believe that cooperative movement can be successful in Bangladesh and it would play a substantial role in making the country prosperous and peaceful one in South Asia as dreamt by Bangabandhu. So I hope, everybody relating to cooperatives would work sincerely to strengthen the movement across the country," she said.

The prime minister was addressing a function marking the celebration of the 45th National Cooperative Day and distributing the National Cooperative Award 2014 at Osmani Memorial auditorium in Dhaka.

"Father of the Nation aspired for multipurpose village cooperatives. But his brutal killing dashed the dream. We are trying to implement his vision in different ways through taking many adaptable programmes," she said.

Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives Abul Hasnat Abdullah and State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Moshiur Rahman Ranga attended the function as special guests.

Prashanta Kumar Roy, secretary of the Rural Development and Cooperative Division, was in the chair while president of the Cooperatives' Association of Bangladesh Sheikh Nadir Hossain Lipu and registrar and director general of Department of Cooperatives Mofizul Islam spoke on the occasion.

The day is being observed in the country with the theme 'Somobayer Darshan - Tekshoi Unnyan' (sustainable development is the viewpoint of cooperatives).

The prime minister distributed the National Cooperative Award, 2014 among five cooperative societies and five individuals in different categories for their outstanding contribution to the development of the cooperatives in the country.

The prime minister said Bangladesh's constitution has recognised the cooperatives as the second highest sector of state-owned property. Father of the Nation wanted to revitalise all economic activities under a cooperative system to meet the demand of the huge population of a small country like Bangladesh.

She said Bangabandhu called for a national unity urging the people for formation of cooperatives in 65,000 villages for cultivating their lands and wanted to introduce the system for five years.

"Bangabandhu's socialist programme was certainly different from other countries as he tried to introduce the cooperative system only for cultivation, not for changing the ownership of lands. But a vested quarter launched propaganda against this initiative saying it would force them handing over personal property to the government," she said.