Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned, 'now the reserve cannot be increased by keeping the people of the country in the dark. If so then we shut down the power plant. What reserves will be good if everything is closed? It is necessary to keep the reserve more, or it is necessary to keep the people of our country well? If you talk to me too much, I will shut everything down and sit. If I can come back to power after the election, I will do it again.'
She also said, 'After I have arranged everything, everyone has to listen to the reservation and voting. I don't agree to listen to these things.'
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said these things in response to a question from journalists about the reserve at a press conference organized at Ganabhaban on Friday (October 6) afternoon. The press conference was organized to share the experience of attending the United Nations General Session.
In response to the journalist's question about the country's reserves, the Prime Minister said, 'I am not new to this country. I am 77 years old. I was associated with politics from the age of 15-16. Mother, father, brother, sister - all lost. Nothing to lose. I'm not here to get anything, I'm not here to take anything. Where was Bangladesh, where did you bring it? We have as much reserve as required. Is it important for us to be good, or do we need more reserves? If so, then bring the reserve to the previous place? Shut down the power plant.'
The Prime Minister said, 'When there is so much talk about the reserve, then I will bring it back to the previous state and then hold the election. If I can come to power in that election, I will increase the reserve again. Reduce electricity from 100% to 28%? Then everyone will understand what the situation was during the BNP government. We forget where we were before and where we are now. People would have understood if there was some load shedding every day. After all we have to listen. But we are doing these things and giving subsidies.'
Regarding the development of Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said, 'Today a country is getting global status. Before hearing Bangladesh, everyone frowned. Bangladesh looks at it with a different dignity. It is seen as a role model for development. This should be kept in mind. It didn't happen like that.'
The head of government also said, 'We have improved the country by taking appropriate steps because there is an Awami League government. I have brightened the image at the international level. That's why it's possible.'
However, arguing about the decrease in reserves, the Prime Minister said, 'During the corona, our import-export was stopped. Communication was off. Traffic was stopped. Everything was closed. For which the reserve increased. Then the economy opened up. All items are imported. Naturally, our reserves will decrease, it is a very normal thing.'
The head of government also said, 'Many were in power before 2009. How much was the reserve? And how much is there now? It was not even a billion. Zero point seven was seven million. When I formed the government in 1996, there were more reserves than this. Then it seems to be two and a half million, not billion, not even close to even billion. What has increased, we have done during our government.