Work for implementation of budget to improve people's condition: PM

29 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday in parliament urged all to work unitedly for implementation of the budget for next fiscal to enrich the people's economic condition. Taking part in a discussion on the proposed budget, she said many people might talk of frustration about its implementation. "But I will urge them to refrain from doing so and work together for materialisation of the budget." "Inshallah we will be able to implement this budget and create facilities what the people will get through it [the budget]," the premier expressed her hope. She added the proposed budget is for overall development of the people, particularly of the poor. Hasina, also leader of the Awami League-led grand alliance, also blasted the BNP-led opposition for their recent activities and accused Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia of threatening the government officials to refrain from work. Hasina alleged the opposition leader is asking the government officials not to sign files and warning them of dire consequences in future if they do otherwise. "I ask the opposition leader -- don't you want a solution to power and water crisis? It seems they don't want a solution to the problems people are facing," the premier said. They want to keep problems existent and repress the people, she said. "I assume the opposition is shocked as they are not getting scopes to loot," she said. Hasina, also leader of the House, urged the opposition to return to parliament and speak what they want to say, shunning the path of subversive activities including calling general strikes. Referring to Sunday's hartal, she said there was no issue for calling hartal causing sufferings to the people. "They might say that we also enforced hartal. But we enforced hartals against corruption and to establish people's voting right." She said the previous AL-led government during 1996-2001 resolved crises of power, water and all other problems created by the previous BNP government. But assuming power in 2001 BNP created the problems again by looting and engaging in corruption, she alleged. "Now, they are launching attacks on the people in the name of agitations," Hasina said, referring to setting fire on Faruk and two other people during Sunday's hartal. But her government is working to solve the problems piled up during the past BNP and caretaker rules, the premier said. She described her government's various efforts to resolve shortage of water, power and gas and lessen horrific traffic congestion in the capital. In her around one-hour speech, she also described her government's various activities, success and future plans in different other sectors including agriculture, education, health, rural infrastructure, social safety net, communications, information and ICT, foreign policy, employment generation and brining back navigability in waterways by dredging. The treasury bench lawmakers lauded her speech by thumping desks frequently. Speaker Abdul Hamid, who was presiding over the sitting at that time, also thanked the premier for her "good" speech.