PM Hasina asks youths to work for forming cooperative

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday called upon the country's youth folk to engage in inspiring people to form cooperatives for boosting food production and pulling the country ahead further.

"Youth folk will have to come forward. We can go a long way if the youths do their activities in bringing village people together as everyone will have the responsibility," she said.

The premier was addressing a function on the 51st National Cooperatives Day at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) as the chief guest, joining virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban in Dhaka.

She asked the youth folk not to chase after the job but rather get involved in food production activities such as poultry and fish cultivation by forming cooperatives.

Referring to the 100 special economic zones being established by the government, she said, "you (youths) can set up food processing factories there, which will not only meet the local demand but also can help export abroad."

Sheikh Hasina said she believes that the country could attain desired economic success through cooperatives.

She also urged all to work in combination to overcome the crisis that was created in the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine war as well as sanctions and counter-sanctions.

With State Minister for Rural Development and Cooperative Swapan Bhattacharjee in the chair, Register and Director General of the Department of Cooperatives Dr Tarun Kanti Sikder delivered the welcome address.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam and Rural Development and Co-operative Division Sectary Md. Mashiur Rahman also spoke as a special guest.

A total of nine Samobay Samity (cooperative associations) and one person were given National Cooperative Award-2021 on the occasion.

On behalf of the prime minister, Md Tazul Islam handed over the award. Each awardee was conferred with a gold medal and a certificate.

At the outset of the function, a video documentary on national cooperative day was screened. The theme of the day is "Bangabandhu's Philosophy, Development of Cooperative."

- BSS