Positive progress achieved after our coming to power: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wednesday categorically said that the country achieved positive progress in many areas of the national economy after the present government came to power, reports BSS.

"When the economy of developed countries experienced negative trend due to global recession, we scored success in our growth level through our own efforts," she said while replying to a question from treasury bench lawmaker AKM Rahmatullah (Dhaka 10) during her weekly question-answer session in the House.

The overall global economic growth in 2009 was minus 1.3 percent while that in the developed countries was minus 3.8 percent, she said adding that the countries with high economic growth rate achieved only 1.6 percent growth. The forecast of progress in the Asian developing countries was 4.8 percent, she also said.

But, Sheikh Hasina said, Bangladesh has achieved 5.9 percent economic growth in 2008-2009, proving untrue the international estimation of achieving 4.8 to 5.5 percent growth in the country.

Listing the government steps taken for invigorating the country's economy side by side with providing subsidy in agriculture, agriculture loans for farmers and policy reformation, the Prime Minister said the steps would help achieving 6 percent growth rate in 2009-2010.

"Bangladesh's inherent power and government's quick decision enabled the country to face the adverse impact of global recession", she said adding that the country's inflation rate fell to 5.9 percent in July-December, 2009 from 8.4 percent during the same period of the previous year.

Disbursement of the agriculture loan during the first six months of the current fiscal year increased by 32.4 percent while industrial loan was enhanced by 41.1 percent during the same period, the Prime Minister said.

She said import of capital machinery and raw materials had increased by 38.58 per cent and 5.5 per cent respectively while at individual level credit flow had been enhanced by 19.2 percent, which reflected expansion of investment at private level.