Sangsad Bhaban, Dhaka: President Abdul Hamid on Sunday urged all, including the ruling and opposition parties, to play their proper and effective role together in Parliament in fulfilling the aspirations of people.

‘I urge everyone, including both the treasury and opposition benches, to play a proper and effective role together here in Parliament, the place to fulfill people’s aspirations,’ he said while addressing the first session of the New Year in the House.

The President said Parliament is the centre of all hopes and aspirations of people. The current government has been relentlessly and sincerely trying to establish Bangladesh as a developed and enlightened country by wonderfully expediting the overall socioeconomic development.

‘Alongside the ruling party, the opposition will also have to play a constructive role in strengthening transparency, accountability, tolerance, human rights and the rule of law, and implement successfully the public dreams and aspirations of developing the country,’ he said.

In his more than one hour-long speech, Abdul Hamid said the 10th parliament was constituted through a free and fair general election held in 2014 upholding the country’s constitution and continuation of parliamentary democracy.

‘In continuation of the previous grand alliance government, the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is making relentless efforts to create a progressive, democratic, modern and secular knowledge-based digital Bangladesh free from poverty and hunger,’ he said.

He said Bangladesh has already achieved the status of a low middle-income country. Now it is the nation’s earnest desire to see the fulfillment of the Vision-2041 when Bangladesh will be promoted to the rank of a developed country in the world.

The President said, ‘I firmly believe the government will be able to keep the momentum of this development trend to materialise the nation’s hope and aspirations.’

He said the present government has been able to maintain sustainable economic growth despite of facing various global and international adversities.

As per provisional estimates, the GDP growth increased to 7.28 percent in 2016-17 fiscal year, while the average per capita national income increased to US$ 1,610, which is US$ 145 higher than that of the previous fiscal year, he said.

The country’s export volume went up to US$ 34.9 billion, while foreign currency reserve to US$ 33.11 billion in 2016-17 fiscal year, he added.

About the Election Commission, the President said the constitutional body is playing an important role in conducting free, fair and peaceful elections in all areas for ensuring democratic system in the country.

He said the current Election Commission took charge on February 15, 2017 and since then conducted polls in Comilla City Corporation and Rangpur City Corporation, parliamentary by-elections to Gaibandha-1 and Sunamganj-2 constituencies, some other local government elections in a free and peaceful manner.

Turning to the country’s development, the President said Bangladesh has already reached a dignified height in the global arena through economic, commercial and social advancement.

He said he firmly believes that Bangladesh will soon emerge as a developed country. There has been significant advancements in the socio-economic sector as a result of implementation of different projects and programmes undertaken in light of the Perspective Plan and the sixth five-year plan based on the ‘Vision 2021’ and the ‘Charter for Change’, he said.

‘I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to develop a welfare state-based on an ideal society by achieving the targeted goals through establishment of good governance and social justice, institutionalisation of democracy and direct involvement of people in every sphere of our society,’ the President said.