Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, a lawmaker from Sylhet-1, has said if the ongoing development of the country, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, continues, people will have a better standard of living. He was speaking at a programme at Lakkatura Tea Garden in his constituency Thursday. During the event, the minister distributed 700 blankets among tea garden workers with the help of the local administration. Read more: AL will always stand by the nation no matter what: Quader The foreign minister's spouse Selina Momen, chair of the Momen Foundation, was also present at that time.

The commoners are less interested in governance; all they want is a good standard of living, which the Awami League has ensured, Planning Minister MA Mannan said Friday. "The road to governance is very long. We have to understand what the commoners want in the first place," he added. Mannan was addressing the seminar "National Budget and Economic Pathway" organised by The Centre for Governance Studies at a city hotel. At the event, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, former minister and standing committee member of the BNP, said: "Politicisation is taking over the economy, which is a symbol of an authoritarian government." "Inequality is rising as the government is patronising its own people for its political interests," he added. There are contradictions in the budget process, Dr Muhammad Abdul Mazid, former chairman of the National Board of Revenue, said. "The scope for discussion is also limited." Also read: Social stability a must to implement budget: Planning Minister