Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said there will be no homeless and landless people in Bangladesh after distribution of only 11,000 more homes under her government's Ashrayan project.
“We’re only 11,000 homes away from making Bangladesh as homeless and landless free country,” she said when EU Ambassador Charles Whiteley paid a farewell call on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.
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Prime Minister Press Secretary Md Nayeemul Islam Khan briefed reporters after the call on.
Hasina said that the government has constructed apartments for slum dwellers where they can pay the same rent as in the slums.
“In addition, apartments for cleaning workers have also been constructed by the government while homeless people are being distributed home under Asrayan project,” she said.
She reiterated that her government's goal is leaving no one without a home and land in Bangladesh.
While taking about community clinics, the PM said these have been opened only for ensuring primary healthcare.
The envoy said that the EU will continue its cooperation with Bangladesh for its flawless graduation from the Least Developed Country.
He told the premier that he will be stationed in Brussels in his next assignment and there he will work on Indo-Pacific region that allows him to keep in touch with Bangladesh too.
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Regarding the launching of “Talent Partnership”, the envoy said this scheme would open the door of immigration in the EU countries in legal ways as Bangladeshi skilled and qualified persons would avail the opportunities and get legal work permits.
He said those who will immigrate could return home after 4/5 years so there will be no issue of brain drain.
The prime minister said that Bangladeshi people would go abroad and gather experience and contribute to the country. “So, I don’t think it as brain drain.”
When the issue of rail link development project on Laksam-Chattogram route came up the PM told the envoy it was deemed costly and non-viable. The EU has shown interest in supporting the project.
The press secretary quoted the PM as saying that the government would try to find out an appropriate and sustainable project with EU finance as they have full concentration on the development of rail communication.
About Bangladesh-India connectivity, the prime minister said that Bangladesh wants to establish connectivity with Nepal and Bhutan through India for the purpose of importing electricity using Indian territory. India would also have communication facilities with its different parts through Bangladesh.
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“We’re also considering Trans-Asian rail connectivity in this way,” she said.
Hasina also laid emphasis on strengthening BIMSTEC as Bangladesh would take over its next presidency after Thailand.
The EU Ambassador requested the prime minister to play pivotal role in establishing peace in Ukraine and Russia, two European countries involved in war.
The prime minister responded that she has always been voca on this issue urging for peace. “Not only in Ukraine-Russia and Gaza, we also want peace everywhere.”
Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin was present during the meeting.