Govt doesn't waste a single paisa from reserves: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina refuted on Saturday BNP leaders' propaganda on the foreign exchange reserve, saying the Awami League government never wastes a single paisa from it, rather it uses money in the interest of the country and the people, reports BSS.
"The Awami League government doesn't waste a single paisa of the country. It spends every penny in the interest and welfare of the people," she said.
The premier said this while inaugurating construction of the 24-kilometre Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway involving Tk 175.53 billion (17,553.4 crore).
She virtually joined the inaugural function held at the Construction Yard near Ashulia Bazar in Savar, from her official Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka.
The prime minister said the BNP leaders are always raising questions on the expense of the forex reserve and trying to mislead the nation by giving false information.
"No paisa from the reserve money is misappropriated.
They (BNP leaders) are always talking about this as their leader Tarique Zia was awarded seven years imprisonment and Tk 200 million (20 core) penalty in a money laundering case and he is now a fugitive accused," she said.
The prime minister said her government was using the reserve to meet the import expenses including purchasing food, fuel, edible oil, wheat, capital machinery, medicine of cancer and Covid-19 vaccines despite the prices of goods, fuel and transportation cost were skyrocketing for global high inflation and economic meltdown stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, sanctions and counter sanctions.