State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid on Friday said the government has been implementing different initiatives to promote cultural activities at the grassroots level of the country. “The cultural practices can be one of the tools to prevent moral degradation of the youth and resist terrorism and militancy.  So, the government continues taking and implementing initiatives to promote cultural practices at the grassroots,” he said. The state minister said this while inaugurating the two-day inter-school cultural competition at St. Joseph International School in the city’s Mohammadpur. Also Read: Bhupen Hazarika's songs inspired our freedom fighters: KM Khalid He said once larger cultural activities were seen in the rural areas unlike now.  Khalid thanked St. Joseph International School for arranging the cultural competition and festival. Naimur Rahman Durjoy MP and noted artist Sujit Mustafa also spoke at the function presided over by Principal of the school Br. Chandan B Gomes, said a PID handout.    

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said her government has been working to ensure the economic solvency of the grassroots people in its relentless efforts to make Bangladesh a poverty-free country. “If we want to build a poverty-free country, we’ve to bring the economic solvency for the common people," she said. The Prime Minister said this while receiving donations for 'House Construction Fund by Private Finance' and 'Coronavirus Assistance Fund'. She joined the function virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban. On her behalf, Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus received the cheques of donations from various public and private organisations and individuals at the Prime Minister’s Office. Hasina, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, said her party’s main principle is to improve the living standard of the common people and increase their purchasing capacity aimed at freeing them from the curse of poverty. "If we want to accelerate industrialization alongside boosting the country’s trade and commerce, we've to create our own markets that require increased buying capacity of the masses," she said. Turning to the Coronavirus pandemic, Hasina said, "We've to save the country as well as its people from its fallouts …we’ve been working to this end.” Hasina said her government has been engaged in building a prosperous Bangladesh as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She said Bnagabandhu’s dream of independence was to build a developed country where would people get food, clothes, housing, treatments and education. The prime minister said Bangladesh had lost its glorious image following the assassination of the Father of the Nation on August 15, 1975, and the successive governments did nothing to restore the honour.  Awami League has been following Bangabandhu’s ideology since it returned to power turning Bangladesh into a developing nation, Hasina said, adding, “Bangladesh is now a developing nation. We’ve to retain this  status and move ahead at the global stage with self-dignity, raising our heads high since we’re a victorious nation." She assured the businessmen that they would not face any trouble in running their businesses as long as the Awami League is in power and urged them to contribute to the country’s this march forward. The agencies under Industries Ministry that made contributions to the “House Construction Fund by Private Finance” are: Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), Bangladesh Still and Engineering Corporation (BSEC), Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Center (BITAC), Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM), Department of Patents, Design and Trademarks (DPDT), Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB), National Productivity Organisation (NPO), Office of the Chief Inspector of Boilers and SME Foundation.  The other agencies that provided donations are Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) and National University under the Education Ministry while Chattogram Port Authority, Mongla Port Authority, Karnaphuli Shipbuilders Ltd and Three Angle Marine Ltd under Shipping Ministry. The organizations under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board, Bangladesh Power Development Board, Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd, Coal Power Generation Company Ltd, Ashuganj Power Generation Company Ltd, Dhaka Electric Supply Company Ltd, West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd, Northern Electric Supply Company Ltd, Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh Ltd, Rural Power Company Ltd, BR Power Gen Company Ltd, North-West Power Generation Company Ltd, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) made contribution to the fund. Also Bangladesh Independent Power Producers’ Association (BIPPA), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), S Alam Group, City Group, Meghna Group, Walton Group, Hosaf Group, PHG Group, Pran-RFL Group, Western Engineering Private Ltd, Bengal Group, Sheltec Group, Lather Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh, Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh, Envoy Group, Minister Group and Labib Group made contribution to the “Coronavirus Assistance Fund”.   Md Jasim Uddin, Chairman of Bengal Commercial Bank Ltd, who is also the FBCCI President, and Habib Ullah Dawn also made contributions to the fund. Besides, different public and private organizations and individuals earlier contributed over Tk 263 crore to the “House Construction Fund by Private Finance” and Tk 110 crore to the “Coronavirus Assistance Fund," according to the data available at the PMO.