Govt to ensure welfare of enclave people

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday underscored the need for mainstreaming the people of enclaves following the passage of the Land Boundary Agreement in Indian parliament.

She came up with the view when UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Robert Watkins, met her at her office in the capital.  PM's Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhuri briefed reporters after the meeting.

Hasina said her government would consider steps for overall development of the enclave people so that they could have them connected with the country's mainstream.

Watkins told the PM that the United Nations would also lend its support to this end.

To attain the vision 2021, Hasina said, her government had already been able to achieve food security and would continue its efforts to ensure nutrition security for people.

She vowed to reduce poverty by 10 percent in the next three years.

Referring to the mayhem carried out by the BNP-Jamaat alliance for 92 days since January this year, the PM said the poor had been the worst victims of the anarchy during the period.

In response, the UN resident coordinator said it was very unfortunate. "I think it is over now," he added.

The PM also mentioned that her government had given utmost importance to education to attain the vision 2021.

It has offered all kinds of scopes for the students, including free distribution of textbooks and fixed dates for holding exams, which are all goal-oriented steps.

But the BNP-Jamaat alliance has spoiled this trend, Hasina told the UN official.

The UN resident coordinator highly praised the socio-economic development of Bangladesh attained under Hasina's leadership.

The UN secretary general is very much optimistic about Bangladesh. He has a special sympathy for the country as he had started his diplomatic assignment from here, Watkins told the PM.

Ban Ki-moon also highly lauded the role of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the UN Peace Keeping Missions, he said.

Watkins also hoped that Bangladesh would be able to attain the vision 2021 well ahead of the stipulated time.