Keep faith in AL govt as before, country to go a long way with confidence: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said the people of the country will keep faith in the Awami League (AL) led government in future like the last 13 years and the party will be able to take the country a long way with confidence.
She made the remarks in a speech to the nation. The Prime Minister was speaking on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Awami League government for the third consecutive term and entering its fourth year of the current government.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is leading in South Asia today in various socio-economic indicators including poverty alleviation, development of health system, reduction of maternal and child mortality rate, increase in life expectancy, empowerment of women, increase in education rate . This has been possible because of our confidence. You have helped maintain the continuity of development by giving the opportunity to run the state three times in a row. Continuing this, we are working towards the goal of building a benevolent, developed and prosperous Bangladesh, so that by 2041, Bangladesh can join the ranks of developed countries. That is why I hope that you will be with us in the future as you were with us in the past.
"The goal of all our current and future activities is to build a promising future for the new generation," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said, "Only a young generation with endless vitality can build a progressive non-communal Bangladesh by overcoming all obstacles. The dream of Bangladesh was seen by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation. Only the power of youth will be able to implement the spirit of Liberation War of Bangladesh. I firmly believe that our generation after generation will move forward with their heads held high in the future."
The Prime Minister said, "2022 will be a milestone year for Bangladesh in terms of infrastructure development. In June we are going to inaugurate the much desired Padma Bridge. We are going to finish the construction work with our own funds by overcoming the traps and obstacles of many conspiracies. The bridge will directly connect the southern part of the country with other regions including the capital. It is expected to contribute 1.2 per cent to GDP."
Regarding other infrastructure development works, the Prime Minister added, "By the end of this year, we have adopted a plan to launch a 14-kilometer metro rail from Uttara to Agargaon. Train movement has already started experimentally in this part. It is hoped that Metrorail will bring a revolutionary change in the transport sector of the capital Dhaka. Besides, the country's first tunnel will be opened in Chittagong next October under the bottom of the Karnafuli river."
The Prime Minister said work on other large projects is also in full swing. She hoped that the first unit of 1,200 MW capacity of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the largest development project in the history of the country at a cost of Tk 1 lakh 13 thousand crore, will be started by April 2023.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked for countrymen's extra caution against quick-spreading new coronavirus variants, warning that the crisis was yet to be over, and urged all eligible people to be vaccinated in quickest possible time.
Sheikh Hasina called for stricter maintenance and enforcement of health guidelines as a new surge of corinavirus was quickly grasping the globe again, even after exposing Bangladesh and most other countries to a 'deep crisis' in 2020 and 2021. "I urge the people who are yet to get the jabs to take the vaccine immediately (while) health protocols must be followed (as well)," she said.
"I pray to God to save mankind from the new wave of coronavirus," she added.
State-owned Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and all other television and radio channels simultaneously aired the Prime Minister's address.