A European parliamentary delegation paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital on Saturday evening.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said Giuseppe Fernandino, MP, led the six-member team.
He said the delegation members were highly impressed with knowing the history of Bangladesh and the family of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In this connection, they informed the premier that they visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the capital.
Sheikh Hasina said the flourishing of democracy was disrupted after the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975 and the country was put under the military rule for a long time.
She said the military rulers misguided the young generation at that time by handing over arms and money to them.
The prime minister said Bangabandhu had a dream of turning Bangladesh into a hunger and poverty-free country. “Throughout his life, the Father of the Nation struggled for welfare of the people of Bangladesh,” she said.
“We’re working relentlessly to materialise the dream of Bangabandhu,” she added.
The delegation members highly praised Bangladesh’s impressive socioeconomic development particularly in women empowerment under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and wanted to know from her about the country’s success in this regard.
In this connection, Sheikh Hasina apprised the team members of her government’s various measures for women development and empowerment.
“We’re providing stipends to the students through mobile phone of their mothers, while 60 percent primary teachers are being recruited from women,” she said.
On the issue of terrorism, the prime minister said her government has contained this social menace with iron hands.
Sheikh Hasina said her government has involved the cross section of people including teachers, students, religious leaders and public representatives to create awareness against terrorism.
The prime minister said her government would work hard to fulfil basic needs of the people including food, housing, clothes and medicare.
She said her government has given emphasis on conducting research to boost food production in the country.
PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman, PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan and Awami League’s Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, MP, were present on the occasion, reports BSS.