The Bangladesh prime minister yesterday said that the government is committed to the people for ensuring their socio-economic development.
“We’re pledge-bound to the people and we’re doing politics for changing their luck and giving them a better life,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina was speaking at the founding anniversary of the Special Security Force (SSF) in Dhaka yesterday.
The premier said her government wants to build the country in such a way so that people can move in the world stage keeping their head high. “We’re working to achieve this goal and we’ve firm that we could reach the target,” she said.
Blasting the BNP for its mindless rampage and atrocities towards the people in 2013, 2014 and 2015, Hasina said the BNP workers burnt over 500 people to death through arson attacks.
“We don’t want such incidents happen again in Bangladesh ... the people are the owners of vote. They will get them in power whom they want. So my aim is whatever time I get, I can utilise it for the development of the people,” she said.
Referring to formation of government after the 2001 elections, she said that there was a notion that Bangladesh was floating on the abundant natural gas.
“Various US companies at that time made investment for exploration of gas in Bangladesh and they wanted to sell the gas to India which also wanted to buy,” she said.
“But I didn’t give opinion for selling the gas and I wanted to sell gas after keeping reserve of gas for 50 years. I can’t sell this gas as the people have a right to use it,” she said.
In this connection, the prime minister said the then US president Bill Clinton himself requested her in this regard. “But I gave the same reply to him as the demand of the people will have to be fulfilled first,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said when she went to the US, the same proposal was offered to her and she gave the same reply. “I can’t hand over the asset of the country to others for greed of power,” she said.
The premier also directed the SSF agents to develop it as an ideal force in context of discipline, loyalty and professionalism and hoped that the force will be more efficient in discharging responsibilities.
She said the SSF will have to realise the importance of attaining higher discipline, honesty, responsibility and human qualities alongside their professional skills.
In this connection, she also asked them to maintain good relations, close contact and co-ordination among all associate agencies for ensuring foolproof security.
The SSF, which draws personnel from army, navy, air force, police and Ansar forces, was floated in 1986 when it was called Presidential Security Force (PSF) and it was renamed subsequently as SSF with the task of providing security to the head of the state and government and VVIP foreign dignitaries.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cutting a cake on the occasion of the 31st founding anniversary of the Special Security Force (SSF) in Dhaka yesterday.
