Austerity is to protect country from any future danger: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the government is taking measures for saving power and energy to protect Bangladesh from any danger in future, report agencies.

She added that even the developed countries like the USA and UK, and India are facing difficulties and focusing on saving energy due to the global situation for the Russia-Ukraine war.

The prime minister said this while inaugurating a blood donation programme arranged by the Bangladesh Krishak League in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32.

She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.

Krishak League arranged the programme and discussion as part of the month-long programme of Awami League and its associate organisations to mark the National Mourning Day, commemorating the martyrdom of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The prime minister discussed the global economic crisis triggered by the Ukraine-Russia war at the event.

"The inflation rate of the United States surged to 9.1 per cent from 1.0 per cent this year. The UK's inflation stood at 9.4 per cent while Germany's rate is 8.9 per cent now. But Bangladesh managed to keep its inflation rate within 7.5 per cent. While developed countries are struggling to face the crisis, we are working on our plans."

Hasina emphasised on the proper use of agricultural land to boost local production to tackle the food crisis driven by the coronavirus pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, giving a reminder of her instruction to farmers not to leave even an inch of the land fallow.

The PM said that all countries across the globe have gone for austerity in power and fuel oil in the wake of worldwide crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war as the entire world including the developed countries is in hardship.

"All have to keep that in their mind. When developed countries are facing serious troubles, we have taken precautionary measures to avoid falling in any danger in the coming days," she said.

"Keeping that in mind, we are maintaining austerity," she added.

She said that the present AL government has upgraded the power sector with the capability to generate 24,000MW from only 3,500MW.

"It would not be possible if there were any looting here. When there is looting in any sector, it shrinks," she said.

Hasina, also the ruling AL chief, said that those who reduced the electricity production from 4,300MW to 3,000MW were engaged in looting.

"And those who have been able to increase the generation, they utilised every penny for the betterment," she added.

Hasina also said that saving power and fuel oil does not mean that there had been looting in the sector.

"Rather, the BNP plundered during their regime. We, after coming to power, stopped that indiscriminate looting and developed the country," she said.

Hasina slammed the BNP for staging a hurricane lamp protest against the government's power saving measures.

"Hand them hurricane lamps instead, and show them the door," she said.

She mentioned that the BNP and its allies destroyed the spirit and ideology of the nation on which Bangladesh emerged through huge sacrifice and long struggle under the leadership of Bangabandhu.

Pointing out misrules of the regimes after 1975, the prime minister said, Zia snatched the voting rights of the people forming a party by staying in the state power illegally and gave curfew democracy instead.

The people had no rights during the tenure of military dictator Zia and so was during the Ershad regime, she said.

The PM said BNP leaders should not talk about the election as the BNP staged fake voting at Magura, Mirpur and in Dhaka-10 constituency in the past.

In her speech, the Awami League President highlighted the long struggles and sacrifices of the Father of the Nation since 1948 for the cause of the rights of mother tongue and establishing independent Bangladesh.