DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday gave directives for making import of rice, pulses, gram and sugar ahead of Ramadan, as a contingency measure to keep the market stable.

During a meeting with government secretaries here in the afternoon, she also asked everybody to remain alert so that none could “create artificial crisis” of the essential commodities in the month of fasting and holy festivals.

Sheikh Hasina gave specific direction to the Secretaries from the high-profile meeting over the implementation of development projects, exploring gas and coal from the mines, improvement in safety of women and children and country’s overall law-and-order situation.

Cabinet Secretary M Abdul Aziz informed that 91 percent of development projects have already been completed, which is five percent more than previous year’s performance on the uplift agenda. An additional Tk 6,000 crore has been spent on this sector compared to the previous year’s dev spending.

The premier ordered the bureaucrats to make sure that the development projects are executed fully in due time, maintaining the present pace.

She directed making work and purchase plans based on projects in keeping with the ‘vision 2021’. She also asked the Secretaries, Joint-secretaries and Deputy Secretaries to visit project sites for a firsthand view of progress of works.

Prime Minister Hasina told the meeting that the government has signed agreements with 13 private firms for electricity generation quickly on rental basis, and the organizations have already started producing 391 megawatts of power.

She said, “Work for generating a total of 3690MW power by the private firms at 17 places of the country will begin shortly.”


About lifting coal Sheikh Hasina said favorable method would be applied in the mining and coal-fired power stations be set up.

Turning to the education sector, the Prime Minister said, “We have to build up an illiteracy-free country by 2014 and have to ensure 100 % enrolment of children by 2021.”

The government will set up trust, if necessary, for providing free education and the government is thinking about introducing free education up to honors level, she told the meet with government’s top executive officers.

She emphasized the need for daycare centre and woman-friendly environment at their workplace.

About food security the PM said the government has allocated Tk 4000 crore subsidy for food security and provided 1.82 crore subsidy-cards to the farmers.

She also renewed government plan for activating the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) as a market-stabilizing tool.

“We will be self-sufficient in food by 2012,” the PM said about the ultimate goal in food security.

Expressing satisfaction over law-and-order situation she said her government has already appointed 13,000 police and the recruitment process of some 32,000 more cops is underway.

Thirteen secretaries spoke at the meeting, out of 43 secretaries and acting secretaries who attended the meeting.

BDST: 2042HRS. JULY, 2010