Prime Minister Tareque Rahman has announced that a 10-year energy plan will be presented to resolve the country’s energy and electricity crisis when the parliament session begins on August 27. He also pledged to build a 151-bed hospital in each of the country’s 503 upazilas within the next five years.
The prime minister made the remarks as chief guest at an event distributing financial assistance to the poor and destitute, held Saturday afternoon at the T&T Colony ground in Banani, the capital.
Calling the previous “fascist” government responsible for gutting the country’s economy and every other system, the prime minister said the people of Bangladesh have today decided the country must be rebuilt from these ruins.
Pledging major development in the healthcare sector, Tareque Rahman said: “Within the next five years, God willing, we will build a 151-bed upazila hospital in each of Bangladesh’s 503 upazilas, where people can receive the medical care they need.”
The prime minister offered a sincere apology to the nation over the current electricity and gas crisis. He said: “I sincerely apologize for the suffering the people of Bangladesh are experiencing due to electricity shortages.”
He added: “But this government is your government, and we are working as quickly as possible to free you from this hardship. When the next parliament convenes on the 27th, we will present to the people of Bangladesh our plan for how we will resolve the country’s energy problems over the next 10 years.”
Highlighting the government’s diplomatic efforts to resolve the gas crisis, the prime minister said the previous government had canceled permission for a third LNG vessel, which now has to be arranged anew.
Noting he has discussed the matter with China and with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, he said the gas shortage would ease considerably once the third vessel arrives. However, since building the vessel takes time, he urged the public to remain patient.
Hurricane lamp in front, fan running behind
The prime minister sharply criticized a recent protest by a political party, whose members held hurricane lamps while demanding gas and electricity. He said: “A couple of days ago, I saw members of a party sitting with hurricane lamps in front, demanding gas and electricity — while behind them, a fan was running and they were enjoying its breeze. That’s their opportunism.”
Challenging those political parties, he said: “Stop the politics of merely confusing the public. If you have a realistic plan that can solve the problem within the next three to six months, bring it to parliament. We will implement your plan. But if you’re only saying these things to mislead people, you owe the public an apology.”
Not seen on the streets for 17 years
Recalling the era of the previous authoritarian government, Tareque Rahman said: “For the past 17 years, every leader and activist of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party survived by fighting on these very streets. Those who are now loudly making misleading statements — the public did not see you on the streets for those 17 years.”
He said that looking through newspaper archives would reveal the scale of enforced disappearances, killings, and torture inflicted on BNP leaders and activists in past years. He said: “The days of sitting in the streets vandalizing property or creating chaos are over. The public no longer supports that kind of politics. If you have the courage, roll up your sleeves, pick up a spade, and get to work for the people.”
400 million hands for 200 million people
Emphasizing the need to change the fortunes of the country’s people, he said: “We must turn the 400 million hands of these 200 million people into the hands of workers and laborers. What I have received today is not what matters — what matters is what I could give to this country and its people.”
On Saturday, marking the 82nd birthday of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Tareque Rahman asked everyone for their prayers.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report