Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked all to be vigilant against the hoarding of foods and the black-marketing of these commodities during the upcoming fasting month of Ramadan.

“We all will have to be alert so that no one would ever be able to hoard foods and do black-marketing of these items,” she said.

The PM was addressing a discussion arranged in the city, marking the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children’s Day-2023.

Bangladesh Awami League organised the discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

Hasina, also the AL president, said her government has taken all necessary measures so that the people do not suffer during the month of Ramadan.

Talking about the food support programmes for the poor, she said the government provides rice at a subsidised rate of Tk 30/kg to one crore people through family cards and gives rice at Tk 15/kg to 50 lakh other people.

The PM said the government has decided to provide rice to 50 lakh more people (at Tk 15/kg), if needed, so that the people do not suffer.

Alongside rice, she said the government is also providing some other essential commodities including pulse, edible oil, sugar and chickpeas during the Ramadan at subsidised prices for the poor.

AL general secretary Obaidul Quader delivered the introductory speech, while its presidium member Matia Chowdhury, joint secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, organising secretaries Ahmed Hossain and Afzal Hossain, Health and population affairs secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana, its central working committee members Nurul Islam Thandu and Prof Merina Jahan Kabita, AL Dhaka city south unit president Abu Ahmed Mannafi and Dhaka city north unit president Sheikh Bazlur Rahman, spoke on the occasion.

AL publicity and publication secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap and deputy publicity and publication secretary Syed Abdul Awal Shamim jointly conducted it.

On March 17, 1920, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born at a village in Tungipara of Gopalganj.

The premier criticised BNP leaders for their blank remarks, undermining her government’s successes and achievements in different sectors.

“When Awami League comes to power, the economy of Bangladesh gets developed. Today we heard BNP leaders who are continuously saying that we (AL government) have made the country empty. If anyone pretends to be blind despite having eyes, that person can’t be shown anything,” she said.

She also highlighted the government’s achievements in different aspects including economic index, and also in health, food and education sectors. “When the people of the country stay in good condition, the BNP-Jamaat gets hurt,” she said.

Hasina, who chaired the discussion, said the people of the country would never allow the BNP-Jamaat alliance to assume power again and play ducks and drakes with their fate.

“Those who carried out bomb, grenade and bullet attacks, engaged in the 10-truck arms haul and embezzled the public money and orphans’ funds would never be able to come to power. The people of Bangladesh will never accept them,” she said.

The PM said they will build the country as Smart Bangladesh by 2041. There’ll be a smart population in terms of every perspective including education and technology.

“This country will move forward. No one will be allowed to play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people anymore despite thousands of plots and conspiracies hatched,” she added.

The AL president asked her party men to showcase her government’s development works before the people time and again to counter the falsehood spread by the BNP. “They (BNP leaders) want to establish a false as true by saying it time and again,” she said.

Hasina said Bangladesh is a country of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the people of this country will move in the world arena keep its head high as a victorious nation.

“On the birthday of the Father of the Nation, it is our vow that the Bangalis will move in the global stage raising their heads, what he had desired,” she said.

The PM asked her party leaders to work for the welfare of the people following the ideology of the Father of the Nation.