July 02,2009

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought enhanced assistance from the United Nations for improving child and maternal health and empowering the womenfolk in the country, as she listed some setbacks in the population sector in recent times. She made the call when Representative of UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) in Bangladesh Arthur Erken, on the eve of World Population Day, paid a courtesy call on her at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) today. The prime minister reiterated her government’s commitment to establish social-safety net through creating huge employment opportunities and empowering women, providing quality health services to people of all walks of life, particularly to mothers and children. She said in line with the dream of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of building a healthy nation, the last Awami League government had taken a project of setting up 18,000 community health clinics across the country and some 4,000 of the clinics were made functional in full swing. The main purpose of the project was to take quality health facilities to the rural people, mothers and children, she said.

New Bangladesh budget to help expedite desired development, says Japanese envoy

July 02,2009

Japan lauded the new national budget 2009-2010 of Bangladesh with the expectation that it would accelerate the desired socio-economic and infrastructural development of the country and assured assistance in its implementation. Japanese Ambassador in Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue made the observation when he paid a farewell call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister's Office yesterday. “The budget reflects the visions and programmes of the government properly" in building Bangladesh as a modern and prosperous country, he was quoted as saying during the meeting. The Prime Minister sought more assistance from Japan in Bangladesh's various sectors, including development of roads and highways, waterways, energy and power. The government has also planned to launch capital and maintenance dredging in the country's major rivers as a way to save people from unexpected flooding, one of impacts of the global warming, the Prime Minister told the envoy. She sought Japanese assistances in implementing the development programmes. In reply, the Japanese envoy assured the Prime Minister of extending necessary cooperation in socio-economic and infrastructural development of Bangladesh. Inoue hoped that under the wise and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Bangladesh would advance towards overall development of its people.

Philippines ambassador called on Sheikh Hasina

July 02,2009

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the government would take measures to introduce quality pearl (mukta) farming massively in the country, as it is likely to open a new avenue for economic expansion. She made the remark when Ambassador of the Philippines in Dhaka Zenaida Tacorda Rabago paid a courtesy call on her at the prime minister’s office (PMO). Sheikh Hasina said the last Awami League government took some steps for flourishing the pearl farming in Bangladesh. The premier informed the ambassador that the present government would provide modern training, including in language, to the nurses in the country and has a plan to send them to various countries. The prime minister and the Philippine envoy had talks about eradicating poverty and the ways of facing the increasing impacts of the global climate change.