Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked the public representatives of the local government bodies to play their due part so the people don’t suffer amid global crisis.  "We’re trying our best to make sure the people of our country won’t have to suffer amid the global crisis. As elected representatives, you have also some responsibilities. You have to discharge the duties," she said. The premier made the call while addressing the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected chairmen and members of two district councils –Noakhali and Chapainawabganj Zila Parishads—at her office. She administered the oath to the two elected chairmen -- Abdul Wadud Pintu in Noakhali Zila Parishad and Md Ruhul Amin in Chapainawabganj Zila Parishad. Read more: 100 highways opened today are gifts for the nation in month of victory: PM Besides, LGRD Minister Md Tazul Islam administered the oath to the newly elected members of the Zila Parishads. Hasina stressed the need for boosting food production by bringing every inch of land across the country under cultivation to face the looming food crisis. "If all the arable lands across the country can be brought under cultivation, there will be no crisis in the country," she added. In this regard, the PM sought cooperation from the elected representatives to create public awareness to grow their own foods. She said the prices of every commodity, particularly imported items, have soared across the world. She asked the people to exercise austerity in every sector and make savings to overcome the global crisis. She asked the local body representatives to make proper use of the local development fund and quality works of the local projects to ensure balanced development in every area of the country. Read more: Ensure security to lives and property of people living in bordering areas: PM to BGB "I urge you all to work for the welfare of the people as elected public representatives," she said. The PM asked the local representatives to prepare a list of the homeless and landless people irrespective of political affiliation to accomplish the government’s target to ensure abodes for all homeless people of the country. Some 35 lakh landless and homeless people have so far been provided with houses across the country free of cost, she added. The elections to two district councils were held on November 14 and 28 last. Earlier the newly elected chairmen and members of 59 Zila Parishads were sworn in on November 14.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked the industrialists to keep their factories running to ensure that the people of Bangladesh don’t suffer amid the global economic recession. “Many countries have announced that they are suffering from economic recession. But I can say that Bangladesh is still not in such a bad condition,” she said. The government is taking measures to keep the wheels of the country’s economy running. The premier said this while inaugurating and laying foundation stones of 50 industrial units and commercial infrastructures in different economic zones on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the country’s independence. She unveiled the plaques at an event arranged by Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) at 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar' in Mirsarai of Chattogram, joining it through a videoconference from her official residence Ganabhaban. “I would like to request the industrialists to continue efforts to meet the demands of the country’s people by running their industries,” she said. She reminded the industrialists of the days of corruption and the harassments they used to suffer during the rule of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) during 2001-2006. “Now there is no Hawa Bhaban anymore. You don’t have to make payments of Hawa Bhaban or run from door to door to get your work done,” she said. Hawa Bhavan, better known as a second centre of power during  then premier Khaleda Zia’s rule, used to be run by her son BNP leader Tarique Rahman. said her government has been able to bring the country under all sorts of rules and disciplines. The government is developing a business-friendly atmosphere and providing all sorts of scopes and facilities for businesses, she said.“You should work for the wellbeing of the country’s people. We will extend support as much as you work for the welfare of the people. But don’t do anything that would lead the people to suffer,” she said. The PM said the prices of commodities in the international markets and transport costs soared due to the Ukraine-Russia war, sanctions and counter-sanctions. Read more: Engage people to enhance capacity: PM Hasina to Firefighters PM Hasina referred to Vision-2021 (the political manifesto of the Bangladesh Awami League to develop Bangladesh).  “Bangladesh is a changed Bangladesh now. Those who have eyes can see it,” she added. Calling her Awami League government a business-friendly one, the PM said her party is putting importance to the private sector, industrialization and increasing agricultural production for the country’s development. She urged the entrepreneurs, particularly the youth, to come forward to new sectors like agricultural and food-processing industries as Bangladesh has potential to export processed food items. The PM also briefly cited the opportunities created by her government for the youths and women to develop as entrepreneurs. She said all including the youths and women would have to work together to transform Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country by 2041. “I would like to ask our young generation not to run after for only. Rather you develop your own industries and businesses,” she added. The prime minister stressed the need for a planned industrialisation by protecting the arable lands to ensure economic prosperity. “We’ll have to continue the food production and also develop industrial zones at the same time…. No industry can be developed indiscriminately…. the arable lands and triple-crop lands can in no way be destroyed,” she said. Read more: Grow more food, keep enough stock to avert any crisis: PM Hasina The premier said her government is setting up 100 economic zones in different parts of the country and has already approved 97 economic zones. Of them, 28 economic zones are currently under development. She said some 10 million people would be directly and indirectly employed in the economic zones. The government has set a target of goods production and export earnings worth around US$ 40 billion from the zones, she added. In the economic zones, 29 industrial establishments are already in commercial production and 61 others are under construction. So far, some 45,000 jobs have been created in the economic zones and about US$ 4 billion have been invested in the private economic zones. Besides, the proposed investment in all economic zones is more than US$ 26 billion. Read more: Shun luxury and serve the people: PM Hasina tells elected Zila Parishads Among the 50 industrial or business establishments, four industrial units have started production at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar while eight others at different privately-run Economic zones. Besides, Karnaphuli Drydock Special Economic Zone, the administrative buildings of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN), Jamalpur Economic Zone, Srihatta Economic Zone and Sabrang Tourism Park, 20-kilometre Sheikh Hasina Sarani, 230-KVA gridline and substation at BSMSN were opened. Moreover, the foundation stones of 29 industrial units in different economic zones and a water treatment plant having 50 million litres per day (MLD) capacity in the BSMSN were laid. Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, Chattogram-1 MP Engineer Mosharraf Hossain and President of Bangladesh Economic Zone Investors Association and also vice chairman of Bashundhara Group Safwan Sobhan also spoke at the function. BEZA Executive Chairman Sheikh Yusuf Haroon delivered the welcome speech.

Despite the ongoing global crisis and inflation, Bangladesh exported over USD $4.6 billion worth of goods in August with a record 36.18 percent growth. Bangladesh's export worth in August also exceeded the set target. The export target for the second month of the current financial year (2022-23) was $4.3 billion, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) revealed the data today (September 4, 2022). According to the statistics, the export earnings growth of Bangladesh has reached to 25.31 percent at the end of the first two months of the current financial year. The total export in two months was $8.59 billion, which is 4.52 percent over the target. Also read: All export-oriented industries should get equal facilities: Salman F Rahman According to EPB, in FY2021-22, goods worth $3.38 billion were exported in August. Compared to the last financial year, $1.22 billion more in exports have been made this year. On the other hand, in July, the first month of this fiscal year, the export of goods worth Tk $3.98 billion was 14.72 percent more compared to the same period of the previous year. Readymade garment products, home textiles, and other apparel products have played a significant role in exports as always. Garment exports in July and August were worth $7.11 billion. The growth is 26 percent. Read: Exports to China can grow with extension of duty-free access to 380-plus new products At the same time, the export of leather and leather products was worth $22.32 crore. The growth is about 28 percent. And the export of jute goods was $15.66 crore, where the growth is about 23 percent.

The government has worked out an action plan for 2022-23 fiscal for the agricultural sector to ensure food security as the world faces pressure in food production due to COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war.The plan has been worked out in line with the National Agriculture Policy 2018, Agricultural Extension Policy 2020 and 8th Five Year Plan, according to an official document.The main aspects of this action plan are to ensure country’s food security through increased production of all types of crops including paddy and maize; innovate adverse environment-tolerant crop variety and technology and to roll it out quickly, and develop and enhance the quality of their seeds using biotechnology, said the document obtained by UNB this week. Also read: Flood waters receding again in Sylhet but food, water crises persistThe document highlighted optimum use of surface water and solar- powered irrigation, promotion of the production and application of organic fertilizers to safeguard soil health and issueing smart cards to all farmers in the action plan.

Saima Wazed Hossain has said ensuring that women are protected during this global crisis needs a solution which is based significantly on an understanding of the culture where the woman belongs; and importantly that the biased social and economic structure ensures they are impacted even more adversely.

The thing about a global crisis like COVID-19 is that people often think of it as a “great equalizer”, it affects the whole world and somehow makes everyone suffer equally. When people living in peaceful countries were hit by COVID-19, they thought that they finally experienced the suffering they always thought was reserved for people who live in less fortunate countries who experience this regularly. They could not be more wrong.