Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday appreciated the health ministry for their efficiency in preventing novel coronavirus in Bangladesh.
‘Many (people) criticise the health ministry, but the ministry showed efficiency enough to halt the spread of the lethal virus in the country,’ she said.
The prime minister said this while addressing as chief guest the Annual Performance Agreement Signing Ceremony-2020 held at the conference room of the public administration ministry.
She joined the function through a video conference from her official Ganabhaban residence.
The prime minister said that the government had been able to keep under control the COVID-19 as the primary works that were supposed to be done at that time were implemented properly.
‘We’ll have to keep in mind that health professionals including doctors, nurses and health workers don’t sit idle, they are working with efficiency risking their life to combat the COVID-19,’ she said.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that many doctors, nurses and health workers had died while treating the COVID-19 patients.
Sheikh Hasina said that the pace of the development works had been slowed down in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. ‘There is no doubt that obstruction has been made on the way we are advancing. But we’ve to cross this hurdle and work by accepting it,’ she said.
‘Disasters will come as Bangladesh is a disaster-prone country. But we’ve to advance by combating the calamities,’ she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that the government announced a set of stimulus package which was equivalent of over four percent country’s GDP. ‘No country declared such packages first before Bangladesh and we thank the finance ministry to this end,’ she said.
Extending her sincere thanks to all who successfully executed the APA, the prime minister said that they had done an excellent work amid the COVID-19 pandemic which would remain an example in the world.
Agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque, on behalf of the prime minister, handed over crests and certificates to the secretaries concerned for outstanding performances of their ministries and divisions in implementing APAs.
State minister for public administration Farhad Hossain also spoke at the function conducted by cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam.
Ministers and state ministers concerned were also present at the public administration ministry in Bangladesh secretariat on the occasion.❐
