Develop villages protecting bio-diversity, says PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wednesday said her government has been working to make all the villages beautiful in a planned way by ensuring all the civic amenities alongside protecting bio-diversity as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, report agencies.

"It is needed to arrange all the villages across the country in a beautiful manner by protecting bio-diversity and ensuring civic amenities to build "Sonar Bangla (Golden Bangla)" as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," she said.

The Prime Minister was speaking while witnessing a presentation on Land Acquisition and Biodiversity Preservation Plan in adjacent areas of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Complex at Tungipara in Gopalganj.

The presentation was held at the Prime Minister's Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. LGED Chief Engineer M Khalilur Rahman made the presentation.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has very little land with high population.

She said, "The civic amenities should be ensured not only in upazila and ward level, but also in each of the villages and my government has been relentlessly working to this end."

"We've to ensure food security, medical facilities, education and jobs. We've strengthened our economy considering all these factors."

She said the government will create all those facilities in rural areas as well so that people do not have to come to the capital just looking for jobs.

"They'll have their employment opportunity in their respective areas, too."

The premier also asked the authority concerned to take development programme considering of protecting arable lands.

The Prime Minister said the natural balance must be maintained while carrying out any sort of development works alongside protecting rivers, canals and wetlands, ensuring water drainage system and preserving waterways.

"We've to look after these matters while going for any development," she said.

The four-year-long Land Acquisition and Biodiversity Preservation Plan in adjacent areas of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Complex project will be implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department LGED spending Tk 3.95 billion.

This project is being undertaken as part of the ongoing "Important Urban Infrastructure Development Project (2nd Phase)" involving Tk 34.65 billion.

This will be implemented in 281 municipalities across the country from January 2018 and December 2021.

Under the project, development of roads, construction of bridges, culverts and drains, acquisition of land and rehabilitation, preservation of biodiversity, digging canals, reconstruction of river banks, renovation of ponds/lakes/canals, beautification, tree plantation, and other infrastructure development as well as installation of streetlights will be done.

Prime Minister's Adviser HT Imam, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, MP, Prime Minister's Principal Secretary M Nojibur Rahman, Tungipara Upazila Chairman, Mayor of Tungipara Municipality and local leaders of Awami League were present.

Stressing the need for taking development programme through a well-thought out plan, Sheikh Hasina said, "Development is not only constructing establishments of brick and surki (construction materials) rather it is a way to take various programmes considering the need of people and protecting the natural environment and biodiversity."

The prime minister asked all concerned to take development programmes in accordance with the need.

"Don't take unnecessary development projects such as constructing needless bridges as they increase siltation leading to die the rivers."

Besides, she also asked to construct embankments beside canals and rivers to that height it needs as they also contribute to extinct of the rivers and water bodies which are the water reservoirs of the country.

The premier also inquired about the condition of the roads and other development works particularly in the villages in Tungipara, saying, "I want to develop my Tungipara constituency."

The Prime Minister was also apprised of the latest condition of some important development works at Tungipara municipality areas undertaken by the LGED.

The development works included the constriction of Sheikh Russell Children Park (completed), re-digging and beatification of Tungipara-Patgati Canal (completed), beautification of ponds of Tungipara Upazila Complex (completed), construction of Patgati Kitchen Market (ongoing), construction of Tungipara Kitchen Market (completed) and construction of multi-storied building (proposed), completion of the uncompleted works of a graveyard (completed), opposite of Sheikh Russell Children Park, reconstruction of the mosque at Tungipara Bazar (proposed), and construction of new Tungipara Bus Stand (ongoing).