Govt works to build smart Bangladesh: Quader

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday said the Awami League (AL)-led government is working with the determination to build a smart Bangladesh.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina talked about making digital Bangladesh and we have done it. She has announced to make Bangladesh smart by 2041. This promise will also be included in the national council and the elections," he said.

Quader said these while addressing the preparatory meeting of the health and population sub-committee of the 22nd National Council of Awami League held at the political office of the party president in city's Dhanmondi area.

In response to the journalists' query over the statement of BNP leaders that 'Awami League has cheated the people of the country', AL general secretary said: "We have constructed the Padma Bridge, metro rail, many road and bridges and inaugurated 100 bridges in one day. Metrorail will be inaugurated on December 28."

"Then, when did we cheat? Not Awami League, BNP always cheats with the nation," he added.

Commenting that 'Awami League was the first to hand over power peacefully', he said: "Today, our crisis is more than it was in 1971."

"Then the population was less, the society was united. Due to the government's emphasis on agriculture, there will be no shortage of food in the country even in the midst of global crisis," Quader added.

The veteran AL leader further said that Bangladesh is not included in the recent sanctions of the United States.

He said BNP leader Amir Khasru went to Washington aiming to bring Bangladesh under the purview of sanction.

BNP lobbied and tried hard so that the US government could impose sanction, he said, adding that BNP leaders tried but did not succeed in this regard.

Regarding various development projects taken by the incumbent government, he said this year, only the inauguration spree will continue.

"Besides, works on various projects, including the Dhaka-Tangail highway, are nearing completion," he said.

With convener of the subcommittee Dr Mustafa Jalal Mohiuddin in the chair, the meeting was attended, among others, by former lawmaker AFM Ruhul Haque and AL Secretary of Health and Population Affairs Dr Rokeya Sultana.