Meant for better life of all: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hopes the Universal Pension Scheme her government just introduced will ensure a better life of all in society by covering above-18s for secure latter-day financial benefit.
"We have introduced the pension scheme so that every person of the country can lead a better life," she said while launching the Universal Pension Scheme virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka Thursday.
In her address the prime minister urged the people to keep their trust and confidence in her government as she wants to make every citizen's life meaningful, report agencies.
"I want to make the life of everyone meaningful and thus improve their living standard by completing the unfinished tasks of my father," she said, reminiscing on the cherished dreams of the independence leader.
Participants and beneficiaries were connected from three districts of Gopalganj, Bagerhat and Rangpur and the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The universal pension has been introduced aiming to bring all citizens aged above 18 under the pension coverage, save those who enjoy state pension.
Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made Bangladesh a least-developed country by building up a war-ravaged country and now Bangladesh gained the status of a developing country following the footsteps of Bangabandhu.
"Inshallah, Bangladesh will be transformed from a developing into a developed country," she told her audience.
The PM said people's trust, confidence and affection are the sources of her strengths. "So, keep this trust and confidence. I want it from you," she said.
She noted that Bangladesh had to face many blows -- Covid-19 pandemic, the brunt of Ukraine war, economic sanctions and counter-sanctions and worldwide high inflation, as well as 'arson violence'.
"Since the people are with us, Bangladesh is moving forward facing everything-natural calamities, pandemic and manmade disasters," she said.
Describing the universal pension scheme as an inclusive programme, she said her government has been able to bring even the grassroots and disadvantaged people under their development plans.
Sheikh Hasina termed the inaugural day of universal pension a very significant day for Bangladesh. "The day will remain written in letters of gold in the history of Bangladesh," she said.
Under the universal pension are four different packages for now -- Pragati, Surokkha, Samata and Prabashi -- out of a total of six planned initially under the universal pension scheme to ensure lifetime-pension facility for participants.
The Pragati package will cover private job-holders, while the Surokkha is designed for self-employed persons, the Samata for the low-income people and the Prabashi package for expatriate Bangladeshis. The two remaining packages will be launched later.
Any citizen aged above 18 can participate in the universal pension scheme to get the pension facility during retirement, by paying installments till the person reaches the age of 60.
An individual aged even above 50 can join the scheme but the person will need to pay installments for 10 consecutive years.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder also spoke on the occasion.
PM's Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the function, while Senior Secretary of the Finance Division Fatima Yasmin delivered the welcome speech.
At the event, a video documentary on the Universal Pension Scheme was screened.