Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Tuesday asked all concerned to undertake and thus implement development projects without harming nature. The Premier also directed the authorities concerned to implement the development schemes maintaining ecological balance as well as implementing those in a speedy manner avoiding unnecessary revision. The Prime Minister gave the directives while chairing a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area Tuesday. Ministers, State Ministers, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that the Premier while giving approval to a Taka 2,580 crore Coastal Towns Climate Resilience Project today said that the coastal belt is usually a sensitive area. In this regard, she asked the authorities concerned to implement this project carefully without disturbing the natural balance. Turning to the issue of boosting agricultural productivity in the wake of global situation, Mannan said that the Premier stressed not only for boosting agricultural production, but also for ensuring production of quality food grains and nutrition enriched crops.
She also asked the concerned ministries to pay attention on stockpile of food grains in godowns as well as pursuing higher technology in preservation of those as the Netherlands has better technical know-how in this regard. Mentioning that the government has fared better during the COVID-19 pandemic, the planning minister hinted that the GDP growth rate in the current fiscal year would reach near 7 percent. The planning minister said that the Premier stressed again for avoiding revision of projects time and again alongside completing the ongoing projects in a speedy manner within the timeframe.
She also asserted that the canals in the capital should have to be kept free to ensure their usual flow of water. Touching upon the inflation situation, Mannan said that the overall inflation trend is now downward while the wage index is also on the uptrend. “Although it’s not too much satisfactory, but it’s a good sign.” He said the country is likely to witness a good Harvest of Aman crops this time which is definitely good news for all side by side it would also be helpful to boost the supply side to rein in inflation further.
Mannan said that million tons of food grains are in the field much to the delight of the farmers. Quoting data from the Ministry of Agriculture, he informed that the vegetables production has increased by six times over the years having a wide range of varieties while the production of nutrition enriched various food grains and fruits have started to impact the inflation trend.
Riding on the good supply side, he noted that the general point to point inflation would come down further in November and thus continue to fall in December, in next January and February also before the declining trend might get slow down in next March. The planning minister said due to various steps taken by the government and also from the central bank, the gap in the current account balance is gradually narrowing down while the overall inward remittance and exports earnings are still in the positive trend.
Replying to a question, he said that the Bangladesh Bank through giving some circulars are working to check under invoicing and over invoicing while the BFIU is also working to this end. State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam said that the inward remittance flow during the July-October period of the current fiscal year (FY23) totaled $7.198 billion which is higher than the corresponding period of the last fiscal year (FY22).
While commenting on the foreign currency reserve situation, Mannan said that the reserve has slightly increased and thus urged the media to properly highlight the situation of the stable macroeconomic indicators. In this connection, he noted whatever steps that the head of the government has undertaken over the years have yielded better in the end.
Answering to another question, the planning minister said that a vested quarter is out to create indiscipline in the country, but the concerned government agencies have maintained their strong vigil in this regard. Planning Division Secretary Mamun-Al Rashid said that the Prime Minister in the meeting asked the authorities concerned to make land acquisition as least as possible and thus saving the farm land.
