Prime Minister Tareq Rahman has said that a state becomes stronger when its people are economically empowered. No country can become strong by keeping its people in poverty or silencing them, he said.

The government’s goal is to take the country to a stronger position economically and socially, the prime minister said.

He made the remarks on Tuesday at a signing ceremony for leasing three closed state-owned jute mills to two private companies, held at the Cabinet Division conference room at the Secretariat. Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu briefed journalists on his remarks.

The prime minister said ensuring people’s economic empowerment alongside their political rights is essential. To this end, the government will provide all necessary policy support to encourage local entrepreneurs to invest and create employment, he said.

Pledging government support for genuine entrepreneurs, Tareq Rahman said the government would provide them with the necessary assistance. Supporting entrepreneurs, he said, would create employment and economic security for people while also improving the overall economic situation.

“We want to build a country where everyone will be better off than they are today. That is our main goal and objective,” the prime minister said.

Emphasizing the importance of domestic investment alongside foreign investment, he said foreign investment would certainly come and the government wants it. At the same time, local investors and entrepreneurs must also be encouraged.

The government will provide whatever policy support is necessary to facilitate their businesses and investments, he said.

Stating that the core objective of the government’s policies is to create opportunities for people from all walks of life, Prime Minister Tareq Rahman said the government is working to build a prosperous and strong country with everyone’s cooperation.

The prime minister thanked the two business groups for taking responsibility for the three jute mills. He expressed hope that the mills would succeed under the new investment and contribute to the national economy by creating employment.

Commerce, Industry and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam, Textiles and Jute Secretary Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, PRAN-RFL Group Chairman Ahsan Khan Chowdhury and HAMCO Group Managing Director A.T.M. Mostafa also spoke at the event.

Senior officials from the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) and the companies taking the mills on lease were present at the ceremony.