Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of a Sri Lanka-like crisis in Bangladesh, saying that the country’s economy is very strong.
“The base of Bangladesh's economy is very strong. We’re very careful about it,” she said in her valedictory speech in the 17th session of 11th Parliament.
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The prime minister said this, referring to the remarks of Deputy Opposition Leader Ghulam Muhammed Quader who suggested that Bangladesh needs to be cautious after the Sri Lankan economic crisis.
Hasina, also the Leader of the House, said Bangladesh still remains as the 31st largest economy in the world.
She dismissed the fear of Bangladesh falling in any debt trap, saying that the country has always been repaying loans in time after Awami League formed the government.
“Bangladesh is a country which has never become a defaulter in loan repayment and will not become so in future as well,” she said.
Talking about the essentials’ price-hike, the Prime Minister said the inflation rate has gone above 7.50 per cent in the entire Europe due to the fallout of Covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine war. “But the inflation is still less than 6 per cent in Bangladesh,” she said.
She said the prices of essentials increased with the rise of per capita income in the country. The price of every commodity rose in the world due to the Covid-19.
“The prices of essentials have gone up in all the countries, not only in our country,” said Hasina, mentioning that ship fare also enhanced along with the price-hike in the international market due to the blow of both Covid and war.
Citing Wednesday's prices of different essentials in the local market, the PM said the government is taking measures to control the prices of goods.
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Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, defended the Article-70 of the Constitution, which doesn’t allow an MP to vote against his or her party in Parliament.
“There is a stability in politics as the Article-70 is there,” she said.
As per the Article 70, if an MP resigns from his or her party or votes against that party, the person would lose the membership of Parliament.