PM's '28 Plans in 28 Days' an unprecedented campaign: Mahdi Amin

Prime Minister's Advisor on Education, Primary and Mass Education, Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, and Labour and Employment ministries, Mahdi Amin, described the "28-plan on 28-day" taken by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as an 'unprecedented campaign'. 

He highlighted the Prime Minister's 28-plan in a status on his verified Facebook page this morning.

Mahdi Amin wrote, "Today is 17 March. Exactly a month ago, BNP formed the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, elected by the people's mandate. In just 28 days, he has worked tirelessly to fulfill his election promises at every moment of running the state. These steps are not just administrative activities, but a clear reflection of his responsibility towards the people."

In the status, Mahdi Amin highlighted the steps taken by the government in 28 days and said that these steps have enlightened every aspect of social security, economy, administration, education, health, security, and state values. 

The 28 steps of the Prime Minister in 28 days, written in Mahdi Amin's Facebook status, are:

Social Security and Humanitarian Assistance: 

1. Family Card Program – 37,567 families have been provided with family cards, with a monthly assistance of Tk 2,500 per card. Implementation in just 21 days is an example of the government's humanitarian priorities. 

2. Honorarium to Imams, Muazzins, and other religious principals– 4,908 Imams-Muazzins of mosques, 990 priests of temples, 144 abbots of Buddhist monasteries, and 396 pastors and assistant pastors of churches are receiving monthly honorarium.

3. Eid relief and gift distribution – Sarees, three-piece suits, and Haji handkerchiefs allocated to the helpless and poor people. Eid gifts allocated for all sanitation workers. 

4. Institutional Zakat system – Initiative to introduce an institutional Zakat system in the context of discussions with the Alem Mashaikhs to reach the poor and support welfare activities.

Agriculture and Rural Economy: 

5. Farmers' Card and Agricultural Loan Waiver – The much-awaited Farmers' Card will be issued to about 27,000 farmers soon, a loan waiver of up to Tk10,000 will be given to about 1.2 million small and marginal farmers, and support for new farming initiatives. 

6. Nationwide Canal Excavation Programme – The works for excavating and re-excavating 20,000 km of canals and water bodies in 54 districts across the country have been started. Through this programme, irrigation will improve, waterlogging will reduce, and employment will increase.

Administrative Reforms and Good Governance: 

7. Weekly Office and Office Hours – The Prime Minister has been doing office even on Saturdays, the weekly holiday. He also made the presence of officials at the office compulsory by 9am.

8. Reduction of VVIP Protocol – The Prime Minister's very regular movement has led to unprecedented changes in the traffic system. The public is also encouraged to follow traffic laws.

9. Limited formalities at the airport – A senior minister, chief whip, cabinet secretary, and principal secretary to the prime minister will be present at the airport. 

10. Cancellation of special privileges for MPs – Decision has been taken not to accept duty-free vehicles and government plots, which will help reduce state expenditure and restore public confidence.

Economy and Market Stability: 

11. Market Monitoring and Energy Stability – Preventing price hike of essentials during Ramadan and Eid, purchasing spot LNG to keep power supply running amid global energy instability. 

12. Easing Foreign Investment – Removing the requirement of prior approval from the Central Bank for repatriation of foreign investment up to Tk100 crore.

13. Ensuring salaries and bonuses of workers – Timely payment of outstanding salaries and Eid bonuses of workers of all industries, while the government has allocated Tk2,500 crore for export-oriented industries, including garment factories. 

14. Reopening of closed industries – Increasing employment by gradually reopening closed factories and industries under government ownership.

15. Increase local entrepreneurship and employment – Prepare a list of underutilised economic zones, EPZs, BSCIC areas, hi-tech parks, and industry clusters, and start creating an ecosystem with potential businesses and local universities there. 

Education and Human Resource Development: 

16. Abolishment of re-admission fees and lottery – Decision to abolish re-admission fees every year, modern admission test or interview instead of lottery, and increasing facilities for teachers.

17. Assistance for higher education abroad – State financial assistance of up to Tk10 lakh collateral-free bank guarantee. 

18. Recruitment of religious teachers – Recruitment of 9,000 teachers, strengthening moral and religious values. 

19. Sports development and 'Notun Kuri' program – Educational institutions' grounds are open for children and adolescents, 'Notun Kuri' culture, sports, and Quran recitation initiative, recruitment of a total of 18 sports teachers, three in each of six sports at the upazila level has started.

Health and Public Welfare: 

20. E-Health Card and Medical Centers – E-Health Card launched to deliver healthcare; Recruitment of one lakh health workers started, 80% of whom will be women. 

21. Dengue Prevention Campaign – Weekly national cleanliness drive, activities in coordination with local administration and community.

Law and Order and Security: 

22. Measures against extortion – Intelligence and law enforcement agencies are taking prompt action, and maintaining law and order is the top priority. 

23. Women's safety and pink buses – Instructions to start all-women-operated pink buses; prevention of cyberbullying.

State discipline and values: 

24. Limiting state iftar and saving electricity – Half the fans and ACs in government offices; Iftar is limited to prevent waste. 

25. Eviction of illegal shops – Eviction of illegal shops after 20 years at Sugandha Sea Beach, Cox's Bazar, and a coordinated initiative across the country. 

26. Martyr's Day – Declaring and observing 'National Martyr's Day' on February 25, along with emphasis on a transparent trial of the Peelkhana massacre.

27. Third Terminal of Dhaka's Shahjalal Airport – Initiative to quickly launch the third terminal through a high-level meeting and by setting multilateral discussions and working strategies. 

28. Free Internet in airports and moving trains – Free WiFi system like developed countries at Shahjalal, Shah Amanat and MAG Osmani airports in Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, and Saidpur Airports. 

At the end of the status, Mahdi Amin said that the steps taken in the first 28 days of the government's formation reflect Tarique Rahman's strong leadership, tireless work, and commitment to the people. 

In this way, his leadership is capturing the hopes and feelings of the common people, implementing dreams and aspirations. 

In this unprecedented journey, the new generation will be prepared for the future of the country. That's why he (the Prime Minister) said, "We will all work together, build the country, Bangladesh first".