DHAKA, Feb 28, 2028 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today issued a message, wishing the 36th annual general meeting (AGM) of National Rural Development Cooperative Federation, to be held tomorrow in Dhaka, a grand success.
 
 
On this occasion, the premier extended her sincere greetings and congratulations to the co-operatives of the country.

 
She said the role of cooperatives in economic development under democratic system is immense. The cooperative is playing a pivotal role in poverty alleviation in rural areas, creating employment opportunity, marketing the products and in empowering the women, she said.

 
Realizing the importance, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman included cooperatives in the constitution of Bangladesh as the second sector of development based on ownership, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu had established Bangladesh National Rural Development Cooperative Federation on August 28, 1973.
 
 
She said youths have been involved in development of cooperative-based businesses. Different cooperative-based development projects have been taken under ‘Amar Bari Amar Khamar’ project to develop the marginal people and ethnic groups of the country, she said.
 
 
The premier said Bangladesh is now an example of development before the world.
 
 
She said, “We are working tirelessly to turn the country into developed and smart Bangladesh by 2041 and implement Delta Plan by 2100. We have selected four-base to turn Bangladesh into smart one including ‘Smart Citizen’, ‘Smart Society’, ‘Smart Economy’, and ‘Smart Government.”
 
Sheikh Hasina hoped that the cooperative societies would play pioneering role in implementing sustainable development plan through using technology to continue the development spree.
 
 
She also hoped that the representatives of the annual meeting will exchange views, give opinions and take future action plan to alleviation poverty.