Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has preferred to implement the development projects with government funding to avert unnecessary interference from the donors.
"You can not imagine how much they [donors] interfere in the project implementation," she told the newly elected office bearers of the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) at her office yesterday.
During the tenure of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, it was a normal phenomenon that the donors complained about the hindrance to project implementation due to the slow activities of the government agencies, she recalled.
"But the situation has changed a lot. Now, we are complaining to the donors that the development projects are being hindered for them [donors]," she said.
The premier said that the government funded projects are now being implemented more quickly as the present government has taken a motto to implement those as soon as possible.
"As there is no Hawa Bhaban now, there is none to take commission. That is why the projects are being implemented so fast," she said.
Hasina asked the engineers to make the country self-sufficient in each sector. In this connection, she requested them to use their innovative and creativity ideas.
She criticised some vested quarters, who often said that the ADP implementation rate is very slow. "We have achieved 92 percent implementation rate, so those allegations are wrong," she said.
In this connection, Hasina mentioned that the government has improved the power generation and already 1,900 megawatt of electricity has been included in the national grid after the present government assumed power.
She said that the government has to improve the power generation further as the foreign investment is increasing day by day.
"Bangladesh is now an attractive place for investment. Huge investment proposals are coming every day. For more foreign investment we have to provide them electricity and we are committed to improve the situation," she said.
In this regard, the premier said that there is a problem the government is facing regarding foreign investment, which is land. "The land is limited in the country and we will not allow using the agriculture land for any other purpose. We have to protect the agriculture land," she said.
Referring to the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, she said that they earned a lot of money using the state power and they thought that this money would bring them to power again.
"At least they have had a lesson this time that by money it is not possible to bring everything," she said.
Hasina underscored the need for political stability for the uninterrupted development of the country.
The government has to ensure food security, social safety net and employment generation, she said.
She also said that the government will turn the country's population into wealth by providing them education and technical knowledge.
IEB President Engineer Nurul Huda and its honorary General Secretary Engineer Abdus Sabur led the delegation.
Source : The Daily Star
