AL has been working for welfare of backward people: PM

Following the path shown by the Father of the Nation, the Awami League has always been working for the welfare of the poor and backward people of the country, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She said this in a message given on the occasion of National Social Service Day-2021 on January 2.

The Prime Minister extended her heartfelt greetings to all concerned and said that the theme of this year’s day, ‘Building a society free from hunger and poverty, providing services and opportunities to the marginalized’, has become very relevant and timely.

Mentioning that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave priority to the development of helpless and backward people from the very beginning of the reconstruction of war-torn Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said, Bangabandhu set up the Care and Protection Center for Children in 1974, now known as the Government Children’s Family.

Sheikh Hasina said, “During the 1996-2001 tenure of the government, other allowances including old age, widow and disability allowances were introduced and the number of jurisdictions, allocations and beneficiaries of social security perimeter was increased. We have enacted the Children (Amendment) Act 2018, Mental Health Act 2018, Bangladesh Rehabilitation Council Act 2018.”

The Prime Minister said her government has formulated the Nomadic and Homeless (Rehabilitation) Rules 2015, Neuro-Developmental Disability Protection Trust Rules 2015, Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Rules 2015 and National Action Plan on Disabilities 2019. Recognizes the third gender population as ‘heterosexual’.

In addition, the government has formulated a policy on the use of information and data for persons with disabilities 2019, a comprehensive special education policy on disability 2019 and a policy on the implementation of urban social development activities, 2019.

The Prime Minister said, “We have opened bank accounts in the names of 49 lakh elderly, 20.5 lakh widows, abused husbands and destitute women and 18 lakh indigent disabled, 1 lakh disabled students under education stipend for direct remittance. We have entered the beneficiary information database software and sent money to 11.65 lakh beneficiaries through e-payment. We have provided self-employment to the poor and endangered people through microcredit and vocational training, reared orphans and reintegrated children and individuals in contact with the law. We have launched a 24-hour child helpline 1098 toll-free service for children.”

News Room, January 02,2021