PM Sheikh Hasina calls for holding on to the success of Bangladesh

"Once Bangladesh was recognised as a country of terrorism and militancy. But we have been able to establish Bangladesh as a
potential country and a role model of development by implementing massive uplift programmes and containing terrorism and militancy
with an iron hand," she said.

"So we will have to retain this success to take the country ahead further," she added.

The Prime Minister said this when a delegation of newly elected executive council of Chittagong District Bar Association and senior lawyers of the port city called on her at her office here this morning.

President of the association Anwarul Islam Chowdhury and General Secretary Md Abdur Rashid led the 53-member delegation.

The Prime Minister said the aim of her government is to change the lot of the people and implement the spirit of the independence. "We have been working tirelessly to bring smiles on the faces of the poor and distressed people by freeing them from poverty," she said.

Spelling out her government's stunning success in various fields, Sheikh Hasina mentioned that the country witnessed tremendous development in the socioeconomic sector in the last five years.

The Prime Minister said her government raised per capita income and foreign currency reserve side by side with increasing production in power and gas sectors.

Listing her government steps for development of Chittagong, the Prime Minister said Chittagong city has been turned into the truly "commercial capital" thanks to implementation of massive development works there.

"Chittagong was once known as the 'commercial capital' in only name and was neglected for long time. But the port city has now become truly 'commercial capital' due to various uplift works of her government," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government upgraded Chittagong Airport as an international airport and set up a world class cricket stadium in the port city.

She said the setting up of double rail line and construction work of four lane roads between Dhaka and Chittagong are underway. "The construction of four lane roads is going on keeping a provision of six lanes so that expressway could be built in future on the highway," she said.

She said the government has undertaken a plan to construct a tunnel under the Karnaphuli river and a ring road in the port city to ease traffic jam. "A feasibility study for constructing the tunnel has already been completed," she said.

Coming down heavily on the previous BNP government for leasing out the land of CSD godowns to a private EPZ company in Chittagong, Sheikh Hasina said the BNP government gave lease of the land to the EPZ company at a nominal price of Taka 1 (one) by dismantling the CSD godowns.

"The decision to dismantle 40 CSD godowns by the BNP government was 'suicidal', she said, adding that BNP does not look at the country, they always remain busy to change their own fortune.