Communications, power to get more govt funds
PM assures cabinet
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday assured more allocations for communications and power sectors following the requests of her cabinet colleagues.
The ministers said people started questioning the performance of the government in the two sectors. They urged on the government's effective measures to check price hike of soybean oil and rice.
''People have been getting frustrated after about two years since we formed government, as they expected better performance in communications and power sectors,'' said a senior minister.
He said people wanted more new roads, bridges, and repair of the damaged ones in the last two years.
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain requested for more fund to implement various projects in his sector after placing a summary of the ministry's activities.
Several of the ministers supported his request that allocation shortfall is seriously hampering repair and maintenance works of the roads and highways.
Hasina asked the ministers, state ministers, and secretaries to maintain fairness so reputed companies get projects and quality work is ensured in the sectors.
The PM's directive for fairness followed LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam's remark that a certain country is all along getting different projects of communications sector.
''There are many reputed Japanese firms performing great in communications sector, which deserve works in Bangladesh. But companies from a particular country are being awarded projects'', Ashraful was quoted by a senior minister as saying.
The cabinet thanked and congratulated the prime minister for her 'successful' visits to Japan, Belgium, and Russia.
Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed journalists following the meeting. He said the cabinet holds that the PM's visit will expedite efforts to graduate Bangladesh to a middle-income country by 2021.
The cabinet approved proposals for signing cooperation agreement on culture, education, and science with Spain.
It also recommended bilateral capital-investment development and preservation agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ''The PM will soon visit the UAE to sign the agreement,'' Azad told the reporters.
He said Japan has assured the PM of assistances to Bangladesh. In this regard, Japan will sign economic partnership agreement with Bangladesh, help Bangladesh attain the MDGs, recruit Bangladeshi human resources and invest in various development sectors.
The cabinet approved another proposal for ratifying bilateral capital-investment development and preservation agreement with India.
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