Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the government wants to build a developed and prosperous nation imbued with modern and technological knowledge.

“We want to build a nation imbued with modern and technological knowledge to make Bangladesh developed and prosperous,” she said while inaugurating newly constructed Rangpur Divisional Headquarters complex building.

The programme was held at the Multipurpose Hall of the building while the Prime Minister joined it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.

READ: Hasina stresses need for research in health sector 

She mentioned that due to the pragmatic and time-befitting steps of the government the country has advanced in the last 12 years.

“We have to go more, we want to build hunger and poverty-free Bangladesh which was the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, our aim is the country will no longer see ‘monga’ and famine and people will never face sufferings, ” she said.

 “Rural people will live in their villages and get all facilities of the urban areas, people will no longer need to rush to the capital as employment opportunities will be created in the villages,” she said.

She asked all concerned to implement the development programmes properly.

Sheikh Hasina said that the government is setting up one hundred economic zones across the country to expedite industrialisation for meeting local demand and boost export.

She also asked the owners of industries to set up agricultural products processing plants considering those products that grow in their respective areas.

She also said that the government has set up testing laboratory that is needed for exporting food items and gradually all divisional headquarters will get such laboratory so that products could be sent from there directly.

 “Our aim is to make Bangladesh developed and prosperous one by 2041, InshAllah this will also be achieved, no one will not able to stop the forward march of Bangladesh,” she said.

She said that the future generation will get a congenial atmosphere for living.

Talking about the massive development of Rangpur Division in the last 12 years, the Prime Minister said that the government has taken numerous development programmes for this division.

“By the grace of Allah, no ‘Monga’ or famine was seen in this region after AL came to power,” she said.

READ: Schools must assign staff to help students cross roads safely: Hasina

She also mentioned that Rangpur region is now a food surplus area and employment opportunities have been created for  its people.

Public Administration senior secretary KM Ali Azam and Rangpur Divisional Commissioner M Abdul Wahab Bhuiyan also spoke at the programme.

A video on the development of Rangpur division was screened at the programme.