Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has congratulated the World Bank for what he termed as realising its mistake in turning away from financing the Padma Bridge and offering help to Bangladesh in the best way possible now.
He said this while talking to reporters at the Secretariat on Wednesday about the signing of a $2.25 billion project loan agreement with Bangladesh in the presence of the Prime Minister in Washington on Monday.
Hasan mahmud said the World Bank invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Washington as they realised their mistake.
“It's not like we're going to take all kinds of help from them. The World Bank later wanted to help with the Padma Bridge, but we did not take it. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has acquired the ability and courage to decide which help to take and which not to take,” he said.
Referring to IMF’s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva comments on Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, the info minister said: "If you give it some thought, you'll realize that Bangladesh's reputation in the world today is at an all-time high due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her leadership.”
It is worth mentioning that the IMF chief has lauded the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in turning Bangladesh into a role model of development.
"Bangladesh is a role model in the world (in terms of its overall development) which makes its economy stable even after the Coronavirus pandemic," the IMF chief said on Saturday while paying a courtesy call on PM Hasina at the meeting room of The Ritz-Carlton hotel here.
On the occasion of May Day, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said the welfare of workers, employees and farmers have been the sole focus of the government.
“In 2006, when BNP was in power, the minimum wage of garment workers was Tk 1,662. Now it has been increased to Rs 8,000, there are other benefits, allowances. The same goes for jute mill workers. And talks are on to raise the wage further,” he said.
Responding to BNP's statement on May Day that Awami League has violated the rights of workers, Hasan said, "During their time, workers, employees and farmers were shot dead. If anyone has robbed the rights of the workers in this country, it is the BNP.”
“BNP was representative of the rich and merchant class. Even today, they represent looters. BNP does not represent the working people of this country.”
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud held a meeting with the leaders of Bangladesh Newspaper Employees Federation and Bangladesh Federal Union of Newspaper Press Workers.
Employees Federation President Matiur Rahman Talukder and Press Federation President Md Alamgir Hossain Khan presented their demands at the meeting.
Matiur Rahman Talukder read out an 11-point demand, including an end to layoffs by depriving employees of retirement benefits, training through press institutes, Hajj quota, representation in newspaper affairs committees and allotment of space for an office.