Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said it is better to spend reserve money for the welfare of the people rather than sitting idle on it, reports UNB.
“We can’t sit idle with this money, we have to spend it for the welfare of the people,” she said.
The prime minister said this while speaking at the oath taking ceremony of the newly elected Chairmen and members of the 59 Zila Parishads of the country at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC).
While the PM administered the oath of the chairmen, LGRD Minister Md Tajul Islam did it 623 members of the Zila Parishods.
The prime minister said that the government has spent the reserve money for the welfare and betterment of the common people.
In this connection she said that during the Covid pandemic communication, transportation, import and everything was almost stalled. As a result the reserve money swelled to almost USD 48 billion.
She said that while the world was returning to normalcy at that time Ukraine-Russia war started followed by sanctions. “As a result, prices of every item have increased worldwide with higher transportation cost,” she said.
She said that notwithstanding the cost the government is importing everything to make those available to the common people.
She said that the government is procuring food, fuel oil, gas, edible oil, wheat and corn at a very much higher price.
She said that through the one crore TCB cards the government is supplying essential items at a lower price, while 50 lakh people are getting rice at the rate of Tk 15 per kilogram.
“Those who are totally incapable, we are giving them food at free of cost,” she said.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
