Economic prosperity only means to live with dignity: PM

BSS, Dhaka :Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday sought support of the country’s leading economists to take Bangladesh to a dignified position saying economic prosperity is the only means to live with honour amidst world community.”We want to take Bangladesh to a position when we would not need to beg or look to others for help to sustain our economy,” she said inaugurating the 19th biennial conference of Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) here Thursday.Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh would stand on its own feet and the countrymen should be confident about its own strength. “Bangladesh will follow homegrown policies and depend on own resources to build its economic future,” she said.Sheikh Hasina said it’s a misfortune for Bengali people that they had to face setback whenever they proceeded to the path of growth. “Bengali nation has achieved everything including the rights of speaking in their mother language, independence and democracy through immense sacrifice which is also required for nation’s economic prosperity,” she said.The Prime Minister said Bangladesh could earn freedom because of the sacrificing mentality along with political and ideology driven selflessness of its people. “But the trend changed as post-1975 rulers created a greedy section of people to consolidate their power, widening economic disparity among people,” she said.Sheikh Hasina said despite the limitation of the resources Bangladesh can achieve economic emancipation through optimum utilization of the resources, adopting a homegrown policy and holding the reign of lavish life in the society.She said within the three and a half years of independence, Bangabandhu was assassinated when Bangladesh was progressing fast to rebuild economy in an unprecedented manner. “Country’s development faced a serious blow in 2001 with the change of power when the country was in a golden era in terms of economic development,” she said.”And, now attempts are again going on to hold back the economic advancement when Bangladesh is going ahead as a role model of development in the world,” she said expressing her firm conviction that the country would be able to overcome the situation with the support of the people.Chairman of Ain Commission former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque attended as the guest of honour in the inaugural session of the three-day conference being held with the theme “Rethinking Political Economic and Development”. President of the association Prof Abul Barakat chaired the function while Vice President of the association and convener of the conference preparatory committee Dr Jamal Uddin Ahmed, FCA gave welcome address in the inaugural function held at Engineers Institute Bangladesh (EIB) auditorium.On the occasion Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque were given honorary lifelong membership of the BEA.Four renowned economists were given ‘Arthonity Samity Gold Award’ for their outstanding contribution in their respective fields and in the areas of research in economic studies, agriculture and war of liberation.The award recipients are- world renowned Indian economist and student of Dhaka University Professor Ashoke Mitra, Vice President of first planning commission of independent Bangladesh Professor Dr Nurul Islam, former Dhaka University teacher and member of planning cell of the exile government during War of Liberation Professor Musharraf Hossain (posthumously) and innovative banker former Bangladesh Bank Governor Lutfar Rahman Sarkar (posthumously).