July 14,2010

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government is working relentlessly to fulfill people's expectation as they voted her party to power with huge majority in the last parliamentary election. The Prime Minister said this when the US Ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty paid a courtesy call on her at her official residence Ganobhaban here. During the call-on, they discussed various issues of bilateral interest including strengthening parliamentary democracy and ensuring human rights in Bangladesh. The Prime Minister said judiciary and Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) is working independently in the country. During the call-on, the Prime Minister requested the United States for the continuity of GSP facilities on permanent basis to Bangladesh as the government is doing its best in handling labour rights, health hazard and child labour issues. Sheikh Hasina thanked the US government for selecting Bangladesh as one of the focus countries under President Obama's Global Health Initiative.  

PM Sheikh Hasina requested the British Minister to continue current student friendly visa policy & withdraw temporary suspension on issuing visa to Bangladeshi students

July 14,2010

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today reiterated her call to the developed nations specially Britain for quick release of climate change adaptation fund, committed in the last Copenhagen summit, for the most vulnerable countries (MVCs) like Bangladesh to tackle adverse impact of global warming. The Prime Minister made the call while visiting British Minister for State for International Development Alan Duncan MP paid a courtesy call on her at her official residence Ganobhaban here this morning. Sheikh Hasina thanked British government for their assistance in poverty alleviation, education, health, sanitation and emergency aid in natural disasters. Sheikh Hasina also sought British cooperation in exploration of gas, coal, and oil in Bangladesh. The Prime Minister requested the British Minister to continue current student friendly visa policy and withdraw temporary suspension on issuing visa to Bangladeshi students. During the call-on, the Prime Minister also requested the British government for regular intake of Bangladeshi workers for the restaurants in the UK and easing the process for them to obtain visa for work. She informed the British State Minister that her government after assuming office with landslide victory in the last general election has started working to strengthen parliamentary democracy in the country. In this context, she mentioned the formation of all the parliamentary standing committees in the first session of the current parliament when seven posts of chairman were given to opposition political parties to this end. She said like British Parliament her government introduced Prime Minister's question hours in the Jatiya Sangsad. Laying emphasis on uninterrupted democracy for over all development of a country, Sheikh Hasina said no country can achieve development without democracy. In this context, she said her government is working relentlessly to strengthen parliamentary democracy in the country. The Prime Minister said Bangladesh has harvested a bumper food production and been able to achieve food security as a result of some pragmatic steps taken by her government including drastic cut down of fertilizer prices. The Prime Minister said her government achieved around six percent growth rate during last fiscal despite world economic recession.

July 14,2010

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed on taking concerted efforts to eradicate poverty from the South-East Asian countries. "Poverty is the common enemy in the South-Eastern countries and we have to take concerted efforts to eradicate poverty from the counties for the welfare of their people," she said. The Prime Minister said this when a 10-member Indian delegation led by India's visiting Member of Parliament and former Union Minister of India Mani Shankar Aiyar called on her at her official residence Ganobhaban yesterday evening. Spouse of Mani Shankar was in the delegation. During the meeting, they discussed various aspects of bilateral interest, expansion of trade and business and increasing people to people contact between the two neighbouring countries as well as India's investment in Bangladesh. Seeking more Indian investment, Sheikh Hasina said India can invest in Bangladesh's prospective ship building sector and help implement her government's river dredging programme for mutual benefit of the two people. Regarding Bangladesh's plan to set up deep-sea port to facilitate trade and business, she said with the implementation of the project, the neighbouring states including India and China would be able to use the port for transporting their goods. The Prime Minister said that excellent bilateral relations is existing between Bangladesh and India and expressed the hope that the relations would be further strengthened in the days to come for the benefit of the two people.

July 13,2010

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina provided financial assistance for better treatment of veteran freedom fighter and rock singer Azam Khan, who is popularly known as Guru and Pop Samrat to his fans. The Prime Minister handed over the cheque to Ema, daughter of Azam Khan, at the prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Tuesday. While handing over the cheque, Sheikh Hasina said that more help is needed for the treatment of freedom fighter Azam Khan, who created a new trend in the country’s pop music. The Prime Minister hoped that Azam Khan will be able to return to his music life soon. She also wished for his early recovery. 

July 13,2010

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Tuesday asked scientists to invent new varieties of rice compatible with the climate change and varied seasons. “We have to produce rice that will harmonize with the seasonal changes and adjust the changing climate,” she said during a speech at International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) at its 50th anniversary at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC). The Ministry of Agriculture and IRRI jointly organized the function. The Prime Minister said the agriculture sector would directly be affected due to the adverse impact of the climate change. Effects of climate change-rise in temperature and salinity fall in temperature during the winter and irregular rains-are very much visible in the agriculture sector. As an impact of the climate change, Sheikh Hasina noted that the sea level would rise and a huge land mass of the country likely to be submersed, raising the level of salinity “You have to invent new varieties of crops that should adapt with this situation so the production of rice must not come down,” the Prime Minister directed the scientists. Sheikh Hasina said emphasize should be put on the invention of high-yield verities that could adapt to the hostile climate. She also said other sectors of the agriculture like fisheries, livestock and forest should get proper attention for their development to face the climate change. The Prime Minister said one of the main components of the high yielding variety of rice is water for irrigation. “But you know, it has been taken into consideration greatly as the use of underground water increased alarmingly,” she said. She urged the scientists to devise new verities of paddy that would require comparatively less quantum of water for its irrigation. The Prime Minister assured the scientists that the government would provide all sorts of cooperation for research works. “We will give special facilities and incentives so that the researchers can concentrate on their research works,” she said. Sheikh Hasina said the country’s agriculture sector has been turned into commercial agriculture from subsistence agriculture. “These days the agriculture doe no longer depend on climate. Implementation of the modern agriculture began in the country. Our agriculture products are now being exported to many countries around the world. Our processed agricultural products are entering into the world markets.” Sheikh Hasina expressed her optimism that the country would advance further in exporting agricultural products to the world markets.