Online Desk: The 52nd National Cooperatives Day will be observed in the country tomorrow with the theme ‘Somobaye Gorchi Desh, Smart Hobey Bangladesh’.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today issued separate messages greeting all co-operators on the eve of the day.

President Shahabuddin, in his message, said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wanted to build a self-reliant economy through village cooperatives.

Bangabandhu considered co-operatives as one of the practical methods of development, the head of the state said, adding that for that purpose, he (Bangabandhu) recognized cooperatives as one of the sectors of wealth ownership in the constitution of Bangladesh.

He called upon all concerned to turn the power of the Father of the Nation’s economic philosophy of ‘cooperative’ into a pro-people cooperative movement.
Following the path of Bangabandhu’s philosophy and ideals, the government has adopted multifaceted development plans with the aim of building a happy, prosperous and developed Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty, discrimination and corruption, he said.

The president called upon all the cooperatives concerned to join the activities of building ‘Smart Somobay (Cooperatives) Samity’ and ‘Smart Cooperatives’ in response to the recent global crisis, capitalist economy and the fourth industrial revolution.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said that the Awami League (AL)-led government has accepted the challenge of building a Smart Bangladesh by 2041.

The government has identified four pillars –Smart Citizens, Smart Society, Smart Economy and Smart Government– to implement Smart Bangladesh, she added.

The premier believed it is possible to develop smart citizens and smart society as well as smart economy by developing human resources through cooperatives.

Noting that cooperators are contributing significantly to the country’s agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, dairy production, meeting nutritional needs, transportation, small businesses, housing, women empowerment and improving the quality of life of the underprivileged people, she said the government is working intensively to increase the efficiency and performance of the cooperatives by providing intensive vocational training, loan facilities on easy terms, technical and other facilities according to the local needs.

The Department of Cooperatives is playing an important role in the light of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s pro-people cooperative-thinking and in the implementation of AL-led government’s election manifesto promise of ‘Amar Gram Amar Shahar’, she added.

In order to ensure the empowerment of women and with the aim of creating upazila-based women entrepreneurs, the project titled’ Nari Somobayi der Dokkhota Unnayan O Oddokta Srijon’ is under process through ‘Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib Mahila Somobay Samity’, she mentioned.

She added that step for marketing the products of Smart Cooperative Association (Samity) of Smart Bangladesh under a single name is underway.

The premier believed that it is necessary to regularly exchange experience with successful cooperative organizations of the international arena to make the cooperative activities of Bangladesh more dynamic.

Both the president and the premier wished all the programmes taken marking the 52nd National Cooperatives Day a success.

The day will be observed through holding different programmes.

The Department of Cooperatives has chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day in a befitting manner.

The day will also be observed at upazila, district and divisional levels in a befitting manner.