Staff Correspondent: Dhaka, Sept-27,

Planning Minister MA Mannan today said that the overall capacity of the government has increased with the passage of time while it is also focusing on completing the development works in a speedy manner ensuring quality of those.

"Our main message is to complete the development works in a speedy manner. But, that doesn't mean completing works through compromising with standard," he said.

The planning minister was addressing the inaugural session of the training workshop on "Capacity building for generating gender responsive environmental data in focusing to SDGs" held today at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the capital.

Organised by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in partnership with UN Women, Director General of the Department of Women Affairs Ram Chandra Das, Director General of the Department of Disaster Management Md Atiqul Huq spoke on the occasion as special guests.

Presided over by Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Muhammad Yamin Chowdhury, Director General of BBS Mohammad Tajul Islam gave the address of welcome.

Representative of UN Women Bangladesh Country Office Gitanjali Singh spoke as the guest of honour while project director of strengthening environment, climate change and disaster statistics (ECDS) project Md Rafiqul Islam made a presentation.

Noting that the country is yet to get rid of corruption fully, Mannan said there is no reason to deny that and it is also the reality. "But, we're not disappointed yet and our pressure is on to curb corruption."

Mannan said it is not possible to curb corruption through hustle or through military style. Rather the government would have to function within the purview of the law since none is above the law, he added.

Mentioning that the government is aware enough of its own duties and responsibilities, he said that the government machineries are always prepared to discharge their concerned duties and responsibilities.

The Planning Minister noted that the global community widely acknowledges that Bangladesh is very much efficient in dealing with emergency situation like natural calamities and that efficiency should have to be replicated in the usual time also.

He said the objectives of various divisions under the Ministry of Planning are not to put obstacles towards clearing development project, rather to facilitate smooth processing of those following rules and regulations. "We don't want any delay in project approval process,"

Mannan said that the present Awami League government, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been working tirelessly so that the country could move ahead standing on its own feet not relying on others.

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