Govt will step forward for Vision 2021: Hasina

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, attending the 65th United Nations General Assembly in New York, has said her government will not stop once it has achieved the MDGs by 2015, rather will step forward to materialise her party's ' Vision 2021'.
Hasina met with members of the press from the US and Bangladesh at the meeting hall of the permanent representative to the United Nations in Manhattan, New York, on Monday.
In her press briefing Hasina reiterated the same points that she raised the previous night, at the ball room of the Hilton Hotel with the New Yorkers.
Bangladesh has been awarded by the MDG Award Committee for its outstanding achievement in reducing child mortality, a target of the UN development goals (MDGs).
She said, "We are determined to turn Bangladesh into a poverty-free, self-dependent country".
Hasina mentioned the importance of non-resident Bangladeshis, their cooperation in the nation's independence war and in the development of the war-torn country.
The prime minister recognised that NRBs have stood by the country during its troubles and through difficult periods, and implored the NRBs to invest in Bangladesh and raise the image of Bangladesh worldwide.
She told the media that an NRB Welfare Bank would soon be set up to secure their investments in the country.
Hasina said that no nation could develop under a dictatorship and pointed out that Bangladesh had been under several dictators, who had no plan to develop the nation.
She stressed that her government had come to power with the mandate of the people to march towards the dream of vision 2021, an election pledge of the government to mark outstanding developments within the period.
Sheikh Hasina answered a few questions from the members of the press. She also displayed the award Bangladesh received for playing a significant role towards achieving the MDG.
Dr Abdul Momen, permanent representative to the UN, briefed on the activities of the Bangladesh mission and prime minister's speech addressing the UN General Assembly. Finance Minister AMA Muhith, foreign minister Dipu Moni, and foreign secretary Mijarul Quayes were also present at the briefing.