Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is getting massive public response after her announcement of the decision to build Padma bridge with own fund.
Prime Minister's Special Assistant (Media) Mahbubul Hoque Shakil said a lot of people are calling up to encourage her. She received scores of phone calls even on the weekend with many non-resident Bangladeshis have offered to invest in the project.
Many suggested raising funds by releasing bonds in the market, according to the aide.
On Jul 4, the Prime Minister in response to a supplementary question during her question-answer session in Parliament gave out her two mobile phone numbers and an email address so that people at large could approach her if they found someone trying to take undue advantage using her name or that of her family members.
Since then, Shakil said, people from the wider spectrum of the society including school students are ringing her up to talk on many issues.
"The Prime Minister is excited and more determined after speaking with all these people. She thinks the people of the country have become united once again since the Liberation War taking the issue of Padma bridge as a matter of their national dignity," Shakil added.
Hasina also outlined her plan to build the bridge with own fund by releasing bonds worth $750 million.
Bangladeshi expatriates are said to have promised her that they will try to remit more money.
According to him, Jahangirnagar and Barisal universities are eager to contribute in raising fund, and students of the Department of Management at Dhaka University have given Tk 6,000 by saving from their daily expenditures.
Officers and Employees of Bangladesh's Permanent Mission at the United Nations have offered one day's salary while residents of Korparha union at Gopalganj have promised Tk 200,000 for the project.
Different business organisations, private banks and insurance companies have also offered to invest.
"We the government officers are ready to make the highest sacrifice to build the Padma bridge. Starting from giving money from our salary, we are also ready to go door-to-door (to raise fund for the project). Even our children are ready to make sacrifices," Bangladesh Administrative Service Association President Abu Alam Mohammad Shahid Khan said on Thursday at the conference of Deputy Commissioners.
The Prime Minister attending the same programme said, "We have won independence through war. Wouldn't we be able to build a simple Padma bridge?"
Referring to public response to her decision of building the bridge with own fund, she said a Grade-10 student, another student of Mandar College and a labourer from Dinajpur wanted to donate for the bridge.
The Prime Minister's two cell-phone numbers are +8801711520000 and and the e-mail address is sheikhhasina@hotmail.com.
