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Growth to hit 10pc, if AL re-elected, PM tells Nikkei

Friday, 7 December 2018


Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has aimed to boost the economic growth of Bangladesh as high as 10 per cent if she is re-elected in the next election, reports bdnews24.com.
In an interview with the Nikkei Asian Review on Wednesday, she said the country's rapid economic expansion will pick up further momentum to hit the 10 per cent mark over the next three years when the country will graduate from the LDC.
Growth is projected to accelerate to 8.25 per cent this fiscal year and would continue to increase, Hasina told Japan-based Nikkei.
"If elected, I can assure you that the programme we have undertaken will get us up to 10 per cent by 2021," she said.
Bangladesh could become Asia's fastest growing economy through a range of policies, the prime minister said.
One example she gave to Nikkei was the country's attempt to coax foreign companies to set up in a new network of 100 special economic zones. Currently 11 of the zones are now functioning and 79 are under construction.
Hasina said Bangladesh will begin seeking bids for its second nuclear power plant project as soon as next year.
As for the proposed second plant, "we are still searching for land," she said, adding that she hopes to build it in the southern region.
Bangladesh will consider inviting proposals after the election, once the land is secured, Hasina said.
Stressing her country's "good relations" with all global powers, Hasina said Dhaka would choose a proposal for the plant that is "suitable and comfortable for our country".
On the issue of around 800,000 Rohingya refugees who fled from Myanmar into Bangladesh from late 2016, Hasina brushed aside concerns that the situation would become an election issue.
"I am very lucky that people trusted me, when I called upon my people to recognize their suffering. If necessary, we will share our food. Our people accepted this," she said of Bangladesh taking in Rohingya refugees.
"We have done our part," she added. "We gave them shelter, we are providing them food, health care and taking care of children and taking care of women."