Bangladesh needs foreign aid for power, energy generation: PM
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Tuesday Bangladesh needed foreign assistance in offshore gas exploration, setting up of hydroelectric and solar energy plants, reports BSS.
"The foreign assistance is very much needed to meet the growing demand of energy," Hasina told British High Commissioner in Bangladesh Stephen Nicholas Evans when he called on her at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the morning.
During the meeting, they discussed trade and investment, climate change, global trade, social safety net project along with other common international concerns.
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and Prime Minister's Finance Adviser Moshiur Rahman were present.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh attached importance to its relationship with the UK and expressed the hope that these would be further strengthened in the days to come.
Laying emphasis on her government's commitment to the people, Hasina said several steps including poverty alleviation had been taken up to change the lot of common people.
Referring to the country's food production, the Prime Minister said steps were being taken to increase food stock capacity of the government by constructing silos and godowns across the country for building up buffer stock of food grains.
Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters after the meeting.
Protecting the country from adverse impact of climate change, Hasina said her government had already taken steps for dredging of rivers to increase navigability. She said water reservoir would be constructed to ensure optimum use of water in agriculture sector to increase food production.
The Prime Minister said community health clinics and child and maternal health care service would be restarted for reaching the healthcare services at the doorsteps of the common people. She said that her government had been working for strengthening the social safety net project in the country.
The British high commissioner said that his country would continue its support to Bangladesh to strengthen parliamentary democracy.
Hasina said that her government would implement free education programme up to degree level and introduce tiffin systems at all primary schools to stop dropout as a strategy.
Referring to terrorism, the Prime Minister said terrorists had no boundary so this vice should be contained with combined efforts.
Reciprocating the Prime Minister's view, the British envoy said that his country would continue to cooperate with Bangladesh in its development efforts.
Secretary of the PMO Mollah Wahiduzzaman, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, PM's Special Assistant Abdus Sobhan Golap and Former Ambassador M Ziauddin were present.
Earlier, a nine-member Chinese delegation led by Lt General Jia Ting'an, deputy chief of the General Political Department of People's Liberation Army, called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office. Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Zhang Xianyi was also present.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed the need for establishing peace in this region and eradicating poverty. Bangladesh was always giving priority to improve the living standard of the people, she added.
Referring to huge Chinese investment in Bangladesh, she encouraged more Chinese investment and support in different development activities of the country.
They also discussed bilateral relations including trade and commerce between Bangladesh and China. Both Hasina and Ting'an laid emphasis on sharing economic and military cooperation between the two countries.
As a trusted friend for a long time, Hasina said Bangladesh always stressed on one china policy giving importance to regional peace. The Chinese delegation praised Bangladesh's role in this regard.
The Prime Minister thanked the Chinese delegation for their visit to Bangladesh.
The Chinese delegation lauded Bangladesh's role in providing medicare support and other goods after the last year's devastating earthquake in China which left thousands of people dead.
"The foreign assistance is very much needed to meet the growing demand of energy," Hasina told British High Commissioner in Bangladesh Stephen Nicholas Evans when he called on her at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the morning.
During the meeting, they discussed trade and investment, climate change, global trade, social safety net project along with other common international concerns.
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and Prime Minister's Finance Adviser Moshiur Rahman were present.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh attached importance to its relationship with the UK and expressed the hope that these would be further strengthened in the days to come.
Laying emphasis on her government's commitment to the people, Hasina said several steps including poverty alleviation had been taken up to change the lot of common people.
Referring to the country's food production, the Prime Minister said steps were being taken to increase food stock capacity of the government by constructing silos and godowns across the country for building up buffer stock of food grains.
Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters after the meeting.
Protecting the country from adverse impact of climate change, Hasina said her government had already taken steps for dredging of rivers to increase navigability. She said water reservoir would be constructed to ensure optimum use of water in agriculture sector to increase food production.
The Prime Minister said community health clinics and child and maternal health care service would be restarted for reaching the healthcare services at the doorsteps of the common people. She said that her government had been working for strengthening the social safety net project in the country.
The British high commissioner said that his country would continue its support to Bangladesh to strengthen parliamentary democracy.
Hasina said that her government would implement free education programme up to degree level and introduce tiffin systems at all primary schools to stop dropout as a strategy.
Referring to terrorism, the Prime Minister said terrorists had no boundary so this vice should be contained with combined efforts.
Reciprocating the Prime Minister's view, the British envoy said that his country would continue to cooperate with Bangladesh in its development efforts.
Secretary of the PMO Mollah Wahiduzzaman, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, PM's Special Assistant Abdus Sobhan Golap and Former Ambassador M Ziauddin were present.
Earlier, a nine-member Chinese delegation led by Lt General Jia Ting'an, deputy chief of the General Political Department of People's Liberation Army, called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office. Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Zhang Xianyi was also present.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed the need for establishing peace in this region and eradicating poverty. Bangladesh was always giving priority to improve the living standard of the people, she added.
Referring to huge Chinese investment in Bangladesh, she encouraged more Chinese investment and support in different development activities of the country.
They also discussed bilateral relations including trade and commerce between Bangladesh and China. Both Hasina and Ting'an laid emphasis on sharing economic and military cooperation between the two countries.
As a trusted friend for a long time, Hasina said Bangladesh always stressed on one china policy giving importance to regional peace. The Chinese delegation praised Bangladesh's role in this regard.
The Prime Minister thanked the Chinese delegation for their visit to Bangladesh.
The Chinese delegation lauded Bangladesh's role in providing medicare support and other goods after the last year's devastating earthquake in China which left thousands of people dead.