Strengthen cooperative movement to reduce poverty: PM

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia speaks at a function on the occasion of the inauguration of Cooperatives Bhavan at Agargaon in the city yesterday. PHOTO: PID

She also underscored the need for strengthening and expanding the cooperative movement to this end.

The prime minister was speaking at a function marking the inauguration of 'Cooperative Bhavan' at Agargaon in the city.

Khaleda said the focal point of all activities of her government is to improve the socio-economic condition and alleviate poverty. So, the government is also committed to achieving UN Millennium Development Goals with this end in view.

She said the government has adopted poverty alleviation strategy in accordance with the country's own roadmap for development. She also hoped that the cooperatives, one of the country's largest sectors, can act as a powerful tool for poverty alleviation.

She called on the members of cooperatives to carry out their responsibility with honesty, competence and dedication.

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Public Works and Housing Minister Mirza Abbas, State Minister for Cooperatives Ziaul Huq Zia, Advocate Khandokar Mahbub Uddin Ahmed MP and Sheikh Altaf Ali, registrar of the cooperative department, also addressed the function.

Earlier, the prime minister unveiled the plaque of the newly constructed 'Samabaya Bhaban' (Cooperative Bhaban).

Describing the cooperatives as an effective tool for achieving socio-economic freedom, she said the role of the cooperatives is widely recognised for attaining self-reliance through reducing poverty, formation of capital and generation of employment.

Referring to her election pledges to remove poverty, the prime minister said that after her return to power, the government is patronising the cooperatives in a massive way and implementing multifarious programmes to infuse dynamism into the cooperative movement.

She said the larger segment of the population, particularly the small and marginal farmers and rural women and youths, are being organised under the banner of the cooperatives. These people, she continued, are being involved in the mainstream of development.

The prime minister listed several measures taken by her government for the benefit of the members of the cooperatives. These included implementation of cooperative associations regulations 2004 and waiving of interests on agricultural loan up to Tk 5,000 for cooperative farmers, she added.

She said the government has also been implementing a Tk 400 crore 'housing project' for the members of the cooperatives.

Khaleda said the new Bhaban will create opportunity to deliver greater services to about 78 lakh members of cooperatives across the country.