Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku on Tuesday said the previous Hasina government had left arrears amounting to Tk 56,000 crore in the power sector, putting the current government under severe pressure.
“Creditors are mounting pressure every day for repayment of the outstanding dues,” he said while addressing a views-exchange meeting with heads of primary, secondary and higher secondary educational institutions of Sirajganj district.
The meeting, organised by the district administration, was held at Shaheed Shamsuddin Conference Hall in Sirajganj town on Tuesday noon.
Addressing the teachers, the minister said their profession was not merely for earning salaries, rather their main responsibility was to build worthy citizens for the country.
“Salary is meant for maintaining your family, but your real goal should be producing good human beings,” he said.
Referring to teachers’ movements and protests, he said if educational institutions failed to ensure quality results, the government might eventually become reluctant to meet their demands.
“We want quality, not quantity. If you can produce 10 meritorious students capable of competing across the country, that is better than producing 50 students who cannot compete anywhere,” the minister added.
He urged teachers to nurture students with the same care and responsibility they show toward their own children, saying such efforts were essential for the country’s progress.
The minister also remarked that there was a significant difference between BUET students of his time and the present generation.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Aminul Islam chaired the meeting.
Among others, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nazran Rouf, local community leaders and heads of different educational institutions addressed the programme.
