Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said it is the responsibility of her government to contain corruption for providing safeguard to all development programmes.

‘Let corruption not be an obstacle to our path of development, let not corruption ruin all of our achievements. So, it’s our responsibility to contain corruption,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said this while holding a meeting with the officials of her office on the first day after taking oath as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term while the fourth in total, reports the UNB.

She, however, said it is not possible for any country in the world to contain corruption hundred percent. ‘If there’s work there might be some corruption,’ she said adding that the government is very much sincere to bring down the level of corruption.

The Prime Minister said the government had conducted an anti-terrorism drive while an anti-narcotic drive is going on. ‘The drives against terrorism, militancy and drug will continue,’ she said.

Praising the people of the country, including the public servants, for working for democracy, Hasina this would be an example for its practice.

‘This attitude will be very important for the socioeconomic development of our country,’ she said.

Thanking the people of the country for voting Awami League to power again, Hasina invited all to work hard, as they did in its previous tenures, for the development of the country.

‘This hard labour will be for the people of the country, you have to keep that in mind…the fruits of this hard labour will be consumed by the mass people of the country,’ she said.

The Prime Minister urged all to remain vigil so that the anti-liberation forces cannot be in power again. ‘Whoever comes to power must be the pro-liberation one. They must believe in the spirit of the Liberation. We’ll advance the country with the spirit of the independence.’

Hasina asked the public servants to keep it in mind that Bangladesh must move forward with the pace the world does. 

‘We must stand on our own feet as the world is moving fast, new technologies are emerging and the technology use is increasing. All other countries are marching ahead, we also must move on,’ she said.

Hasina said her government in its last tenures took every step and plan for the country’s development. ‘We’ve chalked out the immediate and long-term plans, we’ve taken initiatives to implement those. We’ve proved that anything can be achieved if the proper plan is there,’ she said.

Talking about the 11th national election, Hasina, also the AL chief, said it was in her mind that it would be a tough job to return to power for the third consecutive term. 

‘It’s hard to draw people's support staying in power, sometimes it wanes but through our hard labour we can say that we have been able to gain people's trust and confidence,’ she said.

PM's Advisers HT Imam, Dr Mashiur Rahman and Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddiq also spoke on the occasion.

At the beginning of the programme, PMO officials greeted Sheikh Hasina with bouquets for being elected as the Prime Minister for the fourth term.