Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said a university and a special economic zone would be set up in the district for the welfare of the people of frontier districts.
“A university will be set up in Kurigram either in public or private initiative, and also there will be a special economic zone here to spur industrialisation. I’ve already directed the Deputy Commissioner to find suitable lands,” she said.
The prime minister was addressing a mammoth public rally at Kurigram Government College Ground organised by the district unit of Awami League in the afternoon.
She also promised to build Second Dhorla Bridge and another bridge over the Dudhkuna River to connect the district with Lalmonirhat, and carry out river dredging here to restore navigability, set up a children’s park beside the Dhorla Bridge and develop the Kurigram-Teesta Road.
Turning to enclave swap, Hasina said those enclaves are now part of Bangladesh with the swap and the people here now could move with Bangladeshi identity.
Urging the people of the bordering districts to accept the former enclave dwellers as their near and dear ones, Hasina said her government has launched various projects for their welfare.
She said although Kurigram was once regarded as a Monga-prone area, now there is no monga in the district due to her government’s farsighted steps.
The prime minister said khas lands will be provided to landless people while houses will be made for the hapless people here under the Ashrayan Project.
Noting that Bangladesh is now a role model of development, Hasina said Awami League knows it very well what should be done for developing a country, as there is no need to place demand before it.
“AL knows it very well what the problems of people are and how those should be resolved. Since we’ve liberated the country, we know it better and this is our duty,” she reminded her audience.
Renewing her allegation that BNP chief Khaleda Zia is conspiring from abroad to tarnish the country’s image through killing foreigners, the prime minister warned that her government will not allow the emergence of militancy in the country in any way.
“We’ve taken strong steps to curb militancy, and we won’t allow its emergence in the country in any way,” she said.
Chaired by Kurigram district AL president Alhaj Aminul Islam Monju Mondol, the rally was addressed, among others, by AL joint general secretary Dr Dipu Moni, State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid, noted writer and son of Kurigram Syed Shamsul Haque, and Kurigram district AL general secretary Md Zafar Ali.