United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday called upon people to stay alert to those seeking to create disorder, undermine peace and stability, and spread confusion, saying Bangladesh cannot move forward without a peaceful environment. “We have to stay conscious and alert. We have to be careful about those who want to destroy peace and stability,” he said while addressing a programme to rehabilitate recent flood victims at West Banshkhali High School and College ground in Baharchhara union of Banshkhali upazila. The Prime Minister said peace and stability are essential for attracting both domestic and foreign investment, establishing industries and creating employment opportunities. “If we want to encourage domestic and foreign investors to set up mills and factories and create jobs, the first condition is that there must be peace and order in the country. There can be no disorder,” he said. Tarique Rahman explained that just as businesses in a local market close their shops when disorder breaks out, investors also become reluctant to invest if they fear that their factories will not be able to operate smoothly, transport goods to ports or bring in raw materials. “If factories cannot operate properly, is it possible to create employment? No,” he said, urging people to remain vigilant to thwart the plot to disrupt peace and spread confusion. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh has already lost too much time and can no longer afford to remain behind other countries. “More than 50 years have passed since our independence. Now is the time to work for the people and build the country,” he said. Tarique Rahman said the government’s main objective is to improve people’s lives and change the country’s fortunes through employment, industrialisation, better education, healthcare and increased agricultural production. He said the government will place before Parliament a 10-year plan for the country’s energy and power sectors. The Prime Minister said the plan will aim to ensure reliable electricity and gas supplies for schools, colleges, hospitals, industries, homes and transport. Referring to recent efforts to spread what he described as misleading information about the energy sector, he said anyone with an alternative plan should present it before the people, rather than creating confusion and unrest. “Do not create disorder in the country by spreading misleading information. Do not disturb the peace of the people,” he said. Tarique Rahman said the government has inherited an unplanned energy and power system that had benefited a limited number of people, and that restructuring it in the public interest will require time. He also highlighted the government’s plans to expand employment and social protection. The Prime Minister also highlighted the government’s plans to expand employment and social protection, saying the pilot phase of the Family Card programme has been completed and the official distribution will begin on August 16. He also mentioned the planned Farmers’ Card and said salt farmers will also be brought under the government’s support programmes. Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh’s vast sea is a major national resource that must be properly utilised to improve people’s livelihoods and create jobs. He said he visited Matarbari earlier in the day to examine how Bangladesh’s vast maritime resources could be used and how industries and factories could be developed from the coastal areas of Chattogram to Mirsharai to expand employment and business opportunities. The Prime Minister said the government wants to develop industries and factories from the Matarbari area to the wider Chattogram region, creating employment and expanding trade. Referring to discussions with Chinese investors, he said several hundred mills and factories will be established in the Chattogram region, creating job opportunities for local people and helping the country earn foreign currency. Tarique Rahman said increased foreign exchange earnings will help strengthen the economy and support improvements in education and healthcare. Earlier, the Prime Minister handed over keys to newly built houses to flood-affected families in Baharchhara and launched the government’s rehabilitation programme for victims of the recent floods. He arrived in Baharchhara by helicopter after visiting the Matarbari deep-sea port in Maheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar. He also distributed relief assistance, including financial support and food items, among affected people and handed over assistance to 10 children with disabilities. Before joining the public programme, the Prime Minister visited Baharchhara sea beach, which he described as a promising tourism area, and planted a mahogany sapling at the courtyard of a newly built house. He said the government’s responsibility is to stand beside people in their happiness and hardship, ensure education and healthcare, and create employment for young people, women and men. Tarique Rahman said the government wants to transform relief and assistance into sustainable employment by providing training to young people and sending skilled workers abroad when necessary. “We want to turn every hand into a working hand so that every person can contribute to building the country and change the fortunes of themselves and their families,” he said. The Prime Minister urged people to reject provocation and focus on development. “Bangladesh will move forward. The people of Bangladesh will change their own fortunes and, at the same time, change the fortunes of the country,” he said. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, State Minister for Land and Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin and local BNP leaders, among others, attended the programme. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister visited Matarbari in Maheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar, where he inspected the Matarbari deep-sea port, the coal-fired power project and activities of the Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority (MIDA).