‘Politics for public welfare, not for vote’

Risingbd Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her party is devoted for welfare of the people out of its political commitment, not only for getting their vote.

“We’re committed to the welfare of the people… power is not a matter of pleasure and luxury for us. It’s our duty and we have learned it from Father of the Nation,” she said.

“It’s the right of the people to whom they will give vote. We never bring this in our consideration when we do work for them,” she said.

The prime minister this while inaugurating Community Vision Centers in 20 upazilas of eight districts surrounding Bagamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib Eye Hospital and Training Institute of Gopalgonj district on Wednesday.

Sheikh Hasina said healthcare is a basic right of the people. Bangabandhu had tried to reach the service to the people through establishing a 10-bed hospital in each village after liberation.

The government is making constant stride to reach the healthcare services to the doorstep of the people as well as giving them with a better and modern service, she said.

Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Centers through a video conference from her Gonobhaban residence and exchanged views with the beneficiaries, doctors and local administrative officials.

State Minister for health Zahid Malik, MP and PM’s former advisor Dr Syed Modasser Ali also spoke on the occasion. Secretary of the health division Sirajul Haque Khan gave a presentation on different aspects of the project.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, and noted eye specialist Deen Mohammad Noorul Huq, chairman of Aravind Eye Hospital of Mumbai, India R.D. Ravindran spoke on the occasion from other side of the video conference at Bagamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib Eye Hospital and Training Institute at Gopalgonj district.

Sheikh Hasina said the Community Vision Centers would play an epoch making role in providing services concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases in southern parts of the country.

Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib Eye Hospital and Training Institute of Gopalgonj would give referral services to the critical patients of the Community Vision Centers of the nearby districts.

Sheikh Hasina announced establishment of a Taka 20 crore fund for treatment of the poor eye patients saying such eye care services would be expanded all over the country gradually.

Expressing her firm determination to work for the people the Prime Minister said she considers her every work for people as a holy task. Particularly the work for giving eye-vision to the blind people is a great job than any other, she said.

She also announced her government’s plan to establish a medical university in every divisional headquarters.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh was born as an independent state with high poverty at all level. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a very short span of time had pulled the country out of that situation. But he was killed by anti-liberation force to foil the nation’s progress.

“Bangabandu’s killing was not only a blow on a particular person or family. The killing was aimed at destroying all dreams and aspiration of the nation,” she said.

The prime minister said she had the opportunity to visit every nook and corner of the country during her political career when she saw the people living under extreme poverty without food and shelter.

At that time, I had visualized the concepts and programmes of country’s development; she said adding that the Awami League government had the opportunity to implement some of the concepts after coming to power in 1996. But, the process faced hostility after change of the government in 2001.

“We had taken project to establish 18,000 community clinics to reach healthcare service to the doorstep of the people. But, political vengeance guided BNP to suspend the project at its maturated stage.

“BNP apprehended that the beneficiaries of the community clinics would be adherent to Awami League and cast their vote for the party in future,” the prime minister said.

BNP came to power not for doing work for the people, but to make their fortune and create a beneficiary group around them, she said._BSS


risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 29, 2018/NA/AI