Shawdesh Desk:

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said that she will not accept defeat against an invisible force like coronavirus fearing death.

“We won’t accept defeat, death is inevitable, death can occur anytime, but for that (we will) have to accept defeat to the invisible force out of fear, this will not happen,” she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a function marking the 34th founding anniversary of SSF through video conference from her official residence Ganabhaban in the capital.

She said that she is taking the advantage of digitisation of the country for reaching to the mass people and talk to them to boost their confidence. “I want people maintain their trust and confidence.”

She said that the government has given special attention to saving lives side by side ensuring food, treatment and education for all.

In this connection Sheikh Hasina put emphasis on all out efforts from all.

“For that I will request the people of the country to strictly maintain the health guidelines, all have to secure others by keeping oneself protected,” she said.

She mentioned that the whole is stagnant and astonished due to the fear from this invisible virus.

The Prime Minister blamed coronavirus for stalling all advancement of the country.

In this connection she mentioned that the government was able to lower the poverty rate to 20 percent from 40 percent, upgrade the GDP to 8.1 percent, inflation was maintained at 5-5.6 percent. Besides,  per capital income was increased and rural economy was developed, she added.

“We had given special focus on social and economical development, we have worked vigorously, as a result we were advancing forward quickly,” she said.

Terming 2020 a very important year for Bangladesh, she said that the government has chalked many programmes to celebrate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“But we can’t celebrate that as per the plan because of this coronavirus,” she said.

She mentioned that the most powerful countries of the world in terms of economy and arms have become worthless in front of this virus.

Talking about the continuously changing technology and crimes with the advancement of the world, Sheikh Hasina said that technology is used for both good and bad activities.

“Keeping eyes on that the people who are involved in providing security have to attain knowledge on modern technology, they have to enrich their knowledge on what type of criminal activities are going on and how to prevent those,” she said.

In this regard, she put emphasis on acquiring necessary training.

Earlier, SSF Director General Major General Md Majibur Rahman delivered the welcome speech.

On behalf of the SSF personnel, their director general handed over a cheque to PM’s Relief and Welfare Fund containing SSF personnel’s one day’s salary and Tk 1 crore.