Mir Shahe Alam, state minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives, has said four crore families in the country will be brought under the family card scheme in phases through the BNP government’s initiative. Nobody will have to pay a bribe to get the card, he said, adding that even the prime minister Tarique Rahman’s wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, will receive one.
The state minister was speaking as chief guest on Thursday at a ceremony in Banshkhali, Chattogram, to distribute the prime minister’s financial assistance cheques to flood victims.
“Tarique Rahman’s government is the people’s government,” Mir Shahe Alam said. “That is why he has given you some signature projects, and one of them is the family card. Four crore families will come under the family card. Nobody needs to pay a bribe for the card. Everyone will get it in phases. The prime minister’s wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, will also get a family card. This is the BNP government’s decision.”
On the floods, the state minister said sudden heavy rain had left people helpless. Banshkhali, Chandanaish and Satkania were hit by floods so large and so sudden that people there had no experience of dealing with them, he said, and the district administration and the government had done their utmost to stand by the people.
“If there were any mistakes in those efforts, I apologise to you on behalf of the government as a minister,” he said.
Mir Shahe Alam also said prime minister Tarique Rahman is about to write his name into UN history. Both his father and his mother addressed the UN on behalf of Bangladesh, and now he too will address the UN. No one has made such history before, no one can now, and it is doubtful anyone will in future, he said.
Enamul Haque Enam, member of parliament for Chattogram-12, Chattogram Zila Parishad chairman Mahbuber Rahman Shamim and other BNP leaders were present.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report