Sheikh Hasina says More international & domestic airports to be set up

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in parliament yesterday said the government has a plan to set up more international and domestic airports in the next fiscal year.

Replying to a question she said the government has adopted a plan to set up Bangabandhu International Airport as per the election manifesto. The proposed international airport will act as a bridge between the countries of East and West.

Hasina informed the House that the committee formed for the purpose has already submitted its pre-feasibility study report.

Besides, work for formulating document to set up the airport on the basis of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) programme is under process.

The Prime Minister said Cox’s Bazar Airport would be upgraded to an international standard at a cost of Tk 302.65 crore by 2012. Development of Cox’s Bazar Airport Phase-1 is expected to be implemented by June 2012.

She further informed that the government has taken measures to set up a domestic airport at Rampal of Bagerhat to aid Mongla Port and the tourist spots of the area. A project titled “Construction of Khanjahan Ali Airport (Rampal, Bagerhat)” will be implemented at a cost of Tk 470.30 crore. The airport will provide quick transport facility between the south and western districts.

On healthcare the Prime Minister said the government is committed to provide healthcare facilities to the people for which 3551 physicians were appointed on ad-hoc basis.

Responding to a question during the PM’s question hour she said 1,445 nurses were also appointed recently.

She said that 6,347 medical assistants were appointed at the field level. Process is on for recruitment of another 1,581 medical assistants.

Hasina said that to provide better healthcare to the people across the country, the government already gave clearance for appointment of doctors at different levels.

The government is also distributing modern equipment to hospitals for improved treatment of patients. Strict measures have been taken to ensure attendance of doctors, officers and employees in all public hospitals, she added.

On jute sector the PM criticised the BNP-Jamaat government for “destroying” the jute industry and expressed her government’s firm determination to regain the lost share of jute goods in the world market.

Replying to a supplementary question, she said the “BNP-Jamaat government intentionally destroyed” the country’s jute sector by closing down government-owned jute mills one after another.

“As a result, we lost the share of jute in the world market and the present government is determined to regain that share.”

Responding to another supplementary question, the Prime Minister said the previous BNP-led government had taken ‘policy of shrinking’ for the jute sector. “This was the end… they just destroyed the jute sector.”

She, however, said that the golden days of jute are coming back and the government would do whatever is possible to develop this sector.