BANGLADESH

Purchase capacity increased three times in 13 years: Information Minister

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the purchase capacity of the countrymen has increased three times in the last 13 years while the per capita income has increased about four and a half times.

“The prices of commodities in Bangladesh are much lower compared to India, Europe and the United States. The prices of commodities gradually increase in the world and never go down. We have to see whether the purchasing capacity of the people is increasing with the prices of commodities,” he said.

The minister added: “The per capita income of the people has increased about four and a half times in the last 13 years and the purchase capacity of low income people has increased about three times.”

Hasan stated these while replying to a query of the reporters at Jatiya Press Club (JPC) in the capital.

Earlier, the minister addressed a function to distribute ‘Rafiqul Haque Dadubhai Smriti Padak’ organized by ‘Chander Hut’, at JPC auditorium.

He said earlier there was a demand that the daily wage of labourer should be equal to the price of three and a half kilograms of rice. And now, a labour is getting wages equal to 12 to 15 kilograms of rice, which means the purchase capacity has increased, he added.

Replying to another query over an allegation of obstruction in BNP’s rallies by police, the minister urged BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to stop their infighting in different meetings before raising any allegation against the government.

He said earlier BNP organized programmes across the country smoothly to send Begum Khaleda Zia abroad. “In some meetings, they (BNP) were engaged in fighting among themselves. Even, they observed their declared programmes some days ago. There were no problems. We want that they would carry out their programmes peacefully and it is needed in a democratic society. But, police have to take steps to stop them if they create any disturbance in the life of the people during the rallies or chaos or fight themselves,” he added.

In the function, the minister paid rich tribute to the founder of the organization Rafiqul Haque Dadu Bhai and said many eminent persons of the country are involved with the organization. And the organization plays a pivotal role in flourishing the merit and mental growth of the children and adolescent, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

The awards were given to the daily Jugantar editor Saiful Alam in the journalism, Md Manzur-ul-Alam Chowdhury in music writing, Faruque Hossain in rhyme literature and Md Zakaria in sports.

The minister handed over the awards among the awardees.

Vice president of the organization Mufdi Ahmed and presidium member Jamiur Rahman Lemon, among others, addressed the function.

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