Bangladesh economy relatively in good condition : PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said Bangladesh's economy is more or less in a good form now although the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a extreme blow to it as elsewhere on earth.
"We've announced our budget...have no idea how long we are able to do it (for implementing the budget), but we've to take our preparations. If things go well, we'll manage to achieve the full. Whether it's not, then we'll see...we won't step back. We positioned our budget to keep our economy moving," she said.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing a meeting of Awami League presidium members at her official residence Gabobhaban, reports UNB.
She said Bangladeshi expatriates are facing some difficulties as a result of COVID-19 and some of them have to return home.
Sheikh Hasina said many feared that the remittance will experience a setback in this pandemic, but it showed the opposite trend.
"Our remittance inflow has increased. It's now USD 39.4 billion. We're giving two percent special incentive for sending remittance....and our forex reserve is now in a good condition aswell," she said.
In the budget, Hasina said, the federal government fixed its deficit at 6 percent. In the last few years, the budget deficit was fixed at five percent. "We would have made it ten percent had it needed. Nonetheless it didn't require..."
From the beginning of the crisis, the government wanted to keep the economy of the united states moving facing all of the challenges, she said, adding the government also declared stimulus packages for keeping the trade and commerce functional on a restricted scale.
In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister said, the federal government has to face various other natural calamities. "Because of timely effective measurers, we have been in a position to face these challenges."
The Prime Minister said there is a forecast of prolonged floods in the united states and still some rivers are overflowing. "Riverbank erosions took a turn for the worse. We're taking steps in this regard, we're trying hard."
Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, said efforts of the government as well as her party are to serve the persons of the united states standing beside them.
She thanked the leaders and activists of Awami League, Juba League, BCL and Krishak League, and government officials and personnel of law-enforcement agencies because of their all-out efforts to greatly help persons in this crisis period.
As Awami League is in power, it considers the welfare of the common people as of this crisis moment that engulfed the whole world. "Had there been any other party in power, it could never do a similar thing. Instead, they would try to gain some benefits cashing in upon this crisis, but we're working hard with utmost sincerity."
She mentioned that this is what the policy of Awami League as taught by the Father of the Nation.
Talking about suspending all of the programmes of celebrations over the birth centenary of Father of the country Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she said the safety and lives of men and women come first and that is why the federal government is holding its programmes virtually.
