Bangladesh economy has not collapsed: Kamrul Islam
People in Bangladesh are suffering a bit because of high commodity prices fuelled by the Russia-Ukraine war, but the economy of Bangladesh as a whole has not yet collapsed as the country still has foreign exchange reserves to the tune of $40 billion, said ruling Awami League's Presidium Member Advocate Kamrul Islam.
"The defeated forces of the 1971 Liberation War killed Bangabandhu. After he was assassinated, situation was so bad that we forgot to dream. But in 1981, Bangladesh turned around under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina," said Kamrul at a discussion meeting titled "Bangabandhu: Mahakal er Mahanayak" on the occasion of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's 47th martyrdom anniversary and National Mourning Day.
Swadhinota Sikkhok Porishad organised the programme at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Saturday.
Kamrul Islam, also a former food minister, said Bangladesh dealt with Covid-19 much better than many countries in the world.
"The BNP always lies about the Election Commission, even though no problem was found with EVMs (electronic voting machines) during elections in Narayanganj and Cumilla. For the BNP, the people are not the source of their power. They go to foreign embassies and complain against the government," he added.
Speaking as a special guest at the event, Awami League Organising Secretary Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan said the people of this country will remember Bangabandhu for his contribution to the independence of Bangladesh even after 1,00,000 years.
He added that people could not afford two meals a day in the past, especially before 1996. But at present, people can eat.
Swadhinota Sikkhok Porishad President Professor Abdul Mannan presided over the programme.
From the organisation, its general secretary Md Shahjahan Saju, Professor Sajidul Islam, Saidur Rahman Panna, Meherunnesa, Haridas Mondol Sumon, and Salimullah Selim spoke on the occasion, among others.