SYLHET, Oct 19, 2018 (BSS) – Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith today said if the present government continues in the office for the next five years, Bangladesh’s poverty rate would come down to 10 percent.
“Bangladesh’s poverty rate was 58 percent in 1991, it came down to 24.3 percent now . . . and if the present government continues in the office for the next five years, poverty rate will come down to 10 percent,” he said.
The finance minister was speaking at a gathering of the members of the One House, One Farm (Ekti Bari, Ekto Khamar) and Palli Sanchay Bank project at Sadar Upazila Parishad preemies here.
He also inaugurated five development projects of the Upazila and laid foundation of seven other projects.
About the 10 percent people living below the poverty line, the minister said only physically challenged people, widows and some other people will be included in this area under the project and they are getting all sorts of supports under the social safety net coverage like the developed countries.
The minister highlighted different development programmes undertaken in power sector by the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said, “The government has worked a lot towards power generation and supplying in the last few years and it has achieved about cent percent success.”
Power generation has already increased nearly six times and there is no power crisis in the country, he said, adding, “The living standard of mass people has also been changed significantly.”
The present government, Muhith said, has been working to change the fate and fortune of common people and in the last 10 years it has done a lot to this end and it needs more time to finish rest of the development works.”
Former ambassador and permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations (UN) Dr AK Abdul Momen, managing director of Palli Sanchay Bank Akbar Hossain and Sylhet Upazila Parishad chairman Ashfaque Ahmed, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Sylhet Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sirajam Muniara presided over the programme.