Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked her cabinet colleagues to build houses for homeless people instead of setting up Bangabandhu’s mural indiscriminately to mark the “Mujib Borsho”.

She expressed displeasure over the recent reception of Education Minister Dipu Moni in Bogura where students were seen holding cutouts of Bangabandhu’s face, said sources.

The PM also asked the cabinet division not to allocate extra funds as demanded by different ministries if it was not necessary.

Hasina gave the directives at an informal meeting on the additional demand for funds from different ministries. The meeting was held at her office in the capital following a regular cabinet meeting.

The country will celebrate “Mujib Borsho” from March 17, 2020 to March 26, 2021, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Thirteen ministries, divisions and offices have sought an additional Tk 512 crore for organising celebration programmes. Of them, the liberation war affairs ministry has sought Tk 217 crore, local government department Tk 82 crore, cultural affairs ministry about Tk 31 crore, and youth and sports ministry around Tk 78 crore.

Speaking to journalists at the Secretariat after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Anwarul Islam said, “She [prime minister] precisely asked all the ministries and divisions to declare a notable programme as the Mujib Borsho celebration programme.”

For example, the cabinet secretary said as part of celebrating the event, the Finance Division has planned to provide pensions to six lakh pensioners who would receive pensions sitting at their homes.

“If there is any exception, the issue of an additional budget can be considered. Otherwise, no need to think about big-budget programmes,” he said quoting the premier as saying.