PM calls for strengthening cooperative movement
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country saying cooperatives can play a big role in the socioeconomic development of the nation, reports BSS.
‘I firmly believe that cooperative movement can be successful in Bangladesh and it would play a substantial role in making the country prosperous and peaceful one in South Asia as dreamt by Bangabandhu. So I hope, everybody relating to cooperatives would work sincerely to strengthen the movement across the country,’ she said.
The prime minister was addressing a function marking celebration of the 45th National Cooperative Day and distributing the National Cooperative Award 2014 at Osmani Memorial auditorium on Saturday.
‘Father of the Nation aspired for multipurpose village cooperatives. But his brutal killing dashed the dream. We are trying to implement his vision in different ways through taking many adaptable programmes,’ she said.
Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives Abul Hasnat Abdullah and State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Moshiur Rahman Ranga attended the function as special guests.
Prashanta Kumar Roy, secretary of the Rural Development and Cooperative Division, was in the chair while president of the Cooperatives’ Association of Bangladesh Sheikh Nadir Hossain Lipu and registrar and director general of Department of Cooperatives Mofizul Islam spoke on the occasion.
The day is being observed in the country with the theme ‘Somobayer Darshan - Tekshoi Unnyan’ (sustainable development is the viewpoint of cooperatives).
The prime minister distributed the National Cooperative Award, 2014 among five cooperative societies and five individuals in different categories for their outstanding contribution to development of the cooperatives in the country.
The prime minister said Bangladesh’s constitution has recognized the cooperatives as the second highest sector of state-owned property.
Father of the Nation wanted to revitalize all economic activities under cooperative system to meet the demand of huge population of a small country like Bangladesh.
She said Bangabandhu called for a national unity urging the people for formation of cooperatives in 65,000 villages for cultivating their lands and wanted to introduce the system for five years.
‘Bangabandhu’s socialist programme was certainly different from other countries as he tried to introduce the cooperative system only for cultivation, not for changing the ownership of lands. But a vested quarter launched propaganda against this initiative saying it would force them handing over personal property to the government,’ she said.
Clarifying the plan of Bangabandhu on the cooperative system, the prime minister said under the system Bangabandhu planned for sharing of crops among the land owner, farmers and cooperatives.
Bangabandhu’s goal was to leaving no land beyond cultivation.
Bangabandhu also wanted to introduce mechanization in agriculture allowing the farmers to have access to ownerships of costly agricultural machineries, she added.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh would have been self-reliant in food production in early eighties if the cooperative system as dreamt by Bangabandhu could be executed. But all of his dreams dashed down after his killing.
Pointing out her government’s socioeconomic programme, the prime minister said her government is following the footprint of Bangabandhu to make the country self-reliant in food production and take the country towards prosperity in other fronts.
After 21 years of killing of Bangabandhu, she said, Bangladesh could achieve food autarky as Awami League came to power in 1996. The economic and agricultural programmes of her government and intense research in agricultural sector made it possible to make the country self-reliant in food production, she said.
‘In spite of current progress in the economic and social sectors, we have to go far and make the country more developed and the government is making constant strides to this end. Whatever we want to achieve, we should put in our joint efforts to achieve this,’ she said.
Pointing out the steps taken by the government for development and strengthening of the cooperative movement in the country, the prime minister said the cooperative act has been translated in Bengali so that the common people can understand the law apart from formulation of the national cooperative policy.
Many projects are now being implemented under the cooperative system including ‘Ashrayan Project’- where people are engaged in agricultural and horticultural activities through the system.
The prime minister said the Palli Swanchoy Bank has been established to encourage the poor in micro savings to run a business instead of taking credit from unscrupulous lenders.
Fishery projects, poultry and dairy farming, social afforestation, sewing, cottage industries, small and medium industries, pottery industries and food processing industries are being taken under the cooperative system, she said.
Sheikh Hasina laid importance on proper management of the cooperatives saying inefficient management might frustrate the spirit of the cooperative. Managers should not consider the cooperatives as ‘golden goose’ and take benefit overnight, she said.
