The 69th International Cooperative Day was observed In Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world with a renewed pledge for further consolidating the bond of solidarity among the cooperators' and boosting production, reports BSS.

A meeting was organised in this connection by the Department of Cooperatives in collaboration' with Bangladesh Jatiya Samabaya Union and International Cooperative Alliance.

Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Abdus Salam Talukder and State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Kabir Hossain attended the meeting as the chief and special guests. Besides. President

of Bangladesh Jatiya Mahila Samabaya Samity Limited Ashrafun Mosharraf. cooperators AlhaJ Mohammad Cias-uddln and Llaqat Alt and Registrar of the Cooperative Societies of Bangladesh Mahfuzul Islam spoke in the meeting.

Additional Secretary in charge of Rural Development and Cooperative Division Hasnat Abdul Hye presided over the meeting held at the Samabya Sadan.

■ Abdus Salam Talukder said that the government was committed to ensure the growth of a strong, effective and corruption free cooperative movement in the country with a view to making people involved with it more dy-

namism and production oriented outlooks, reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the I nation.

In this respect he called for promoting democratic management in the cooperative sector, which was the second largest economic wing in the country.

Referring to the 12 th Constitution Amendment Bill Just tabled in Parliament as a mark of respect to nation's desire for the parliamentary system of government. Talukder said that the government ’ would not hesitate to bring about changes in the existing | cooperative laws for the bene- ; fits of the movement as well as the nation.

The minister also assured | that any change beneficial for 1 I the movement and the coun- । try's economic growth would I be done in consultation with . the concerned sector and | people.

Speaking about the last 20 ’ | years' history of the coopera- i , tive movement in Bangladesh, i the LGRD Minister regretted i i that this vital sector had failed to play its due role in the eco- I nomic development of the I j country: But, he said, the pre-। sent government is desperately seeking the cooperation I of all in this sector to spear-| head the movement to its cherished goal.

The minister said Bangladesh is one of the three poorest countries of the world and called upon all to be Im-’ bibed with the spirit of patriotism by putting in their best efforts in all economic sectors for speedy development of the .country. "Otherwise, the prospect of the country is bleak," the minister said.

The minister also referred to certain corruption practices in the movement and said that the government would take serious action against the vested interest groups in the cooperative sector.

• State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Kabir Hossain said that the cooperative movement was the most tested and effective course towards bringing about economic emancipation in an underdeveloped 'country like Bangladesh.

He called upon the cooperators to make the best use of the present trend of demo-cratisatlon for the greater interest of the country and said thp BNP government , would extend all possible cooperation towards the pragmatic approaches of this vital sector.

The State Minister also said that the present BNP government would not utilise the cooperative movement as a political toil but make this sector a guaranteed taking-off ground for establishing a self-reliant society.

He called upon all to be imbibed with the spirit that "we are all members of a same family". and make the best use of the available resources.