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Election manifestos of all political parties should have a pledge to make the country poverty-free by 2021, the 50th year of the country's independence, speakers at a roundtable discussion in Dhaka demanded on Friday.
'Poverty will certainly be eliminated from the country by 2021, if the politicians work for the state, not for their personal advancement,' Gana Forum president Kamal Hossain told the discussion, organised by Protyasha 2021 Forum at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
He said, 'We all will have to come forward to save our motherland and work unitedly irrespective of political affiliations. The country's interests should be given priority,' he told the meeting chaired by the forum chairman Muhidul Khan.
Muhith said, 'Awami League has drafted the election manifesto with a pledge for building a poverty-free Bangladesh by the year 2021.'
Former minister and BNP leader Abdul Manna criticised the World Bank and International Monetary Fund for its prescription to withdraw subsidy to the country's agricultural sector. 'They [World Bank and IMF] ask Bangladesh to withdraw subsidy on agriculture when huge amount of subsidy is given in India.'
Awami League advisory council member Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, former lawmaker Tasneem Rana, Communist Party of Bangladesh leader Ruhin Hossain Prince, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader Habibur Rahman Shawkat and Jatiya Party (Manju) leader Sadek Siddiqui, among others, addressed the programme. |
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