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Canals for food autarky vital: PM
PA1KGACHA (Khulna). Jan 22: Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia today said the government wanted to Implement the canal digging programmes throughout the country on voluntary basis and by ensuring people's participation, reports BSS.
Begum Zia was addressing a huge public meeting at Paikgacha upazila on the occasion of the re-excavation of Hitampur-Silemanpur canal here this afternoon. The 2.08-kllometer long canal Is being re-excavated on voluntary basis.
The meeting was also addressed by speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Sheikh Razzaque All .Foreign Minister ASM Mostafizur Rahman. Social Welfare and Women Affairs Minister Tariqul Islam. State Minister for Textiles Major (Retd) Abdul Mannan. Whip Sheikh Ashraf Hossain and Begum Selima Rahman. MP were also present.
Begum Zia said the participation of the local people in this canal digging programme would remain as an example to be followed by
She said late president
Zlaur Raliman had initiated the programme to attain autarky tn food. "We will carry on with the programme to become self-sufficient in food”, she told the gathering
She said the basic requirement was food and its production could only be increased by Irrigation which would enable production of more than two crops.
She emphatically said the country could not longer support all the people by importing food. "We have to work to solve our own problems by working on voluntarily.’' she added.
Begum Zia called upon the people to create selfemployment opportunities by setting up small or cottage industries In the rural areas. She said the governihent would reach electricity to rural-areas for this purpose.
Turning to womenfolk, the ITime Minister said. "You can no longer ait idle at home. You have to take part in income generating activities such as raising poultjy and liverstock." She assured that her government in this regard would provide loans on easy terms.
Referring to the srrfuggllng. Begum Zia said this was hindering the pace of industrialisation. She called upon the people to resist the smuggling to help flourish local industries.
Dwelling on local problems the Prime Minister said steps would be taken to construct Khulna Rupsha Bridge to fa< llltatc easy communication in.the areas.
Earlier, Begum Zia laid the foundation stone of Culcheara-Entaz Memorial Complex at Melex Kuralkathi. The complex will have a two-bed eye hospn.il a day-care centre for motlK?-., family planning and other socio-economic activities under its programme.
In the afternoon in Satkhlra the Prime Minister addressed a function organised to mark the foundation laying ceremony of the extended part of Sundarban Textile Mills.
In her speech Begum Zia said textile had a vital role In the smooth and rapid industrialisation of the country. The present government was attaching due Importance to the development of the potential textile sector, she maintained.
A UNB report from Natore adds: Earlier on the day Prime Minister visited the Rani Bl tabani Bhaban.
She expressed her dissatisfaction over the deteriorating condition of the house.
Begum Zia stressed the need for preserving this historical building and directed the Archaeology Department for taking
necessary steps for the renovation of the building.
Later she planted sapling at the matngate of the buikllng.
The footpath dwellers of Natore town woke in surprise Tuesday midnight to see the Prime Minister with blankets in hand held out to them.
Begum Zia. accompanied by Salima Begum. MP. drove to the Natore Railway Station to see the plight of a vast floating population shivering In cold. She distributed some blankets.