HOMNA. Mar 14: Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia called upon Saturday to start a relentless struggle to attain economic emancipation for consolidating the hard earned democracy and give It Institutional shape, reports BSS.

"We can only consolidate democracy if wc can achieve economic emancipation In the country," Begum Zia told a huge public meeting at the llomna Upazfla Parishad premises.

Begum Zia expressed hope that people would extend all-out cooperation In this regard with the same spirit and zeal with which they had ousted the autocratic regime.

The Prime Minister said the present government had

taken some measures to make the country self-sufficient in all respects. "Our work will start from the village which will be the focal point of our development". she said.

The Prime Minister called for Increasing production in the fields and factories to keep the price of essential commodities within the reach of the people.

The prime Minister urged the people to remain vigilant against smuggling, saying smuggling crippled the country’ s economy aa production tn the mills and factories were hampered and employees and workers became jobless.

She called for setting up small and cottage Industries In the rural areas so that It could generate employment. Begum Zia said womenfolk should also contribute to national upHft-ment. She said the government had already undertaken some programmes to make them self-sufficient.

In this regard, the Prime Minister said the government had already made education for girls upto class eight in the rural areas free.

She urged the people to adopt family planning, saying "No development effort will be successful If population boom was not checked".

Sounding a note of warning, She said corrupt elements will not be spared. Describing them as "society’s enemies', Begum Zia urged the people to inform the government about their activities and whereabouts. "We want to root out corruption from society", she added.