President Zillur Rahman today directed the deputy commissioners(DCs) to contribute properly to implementing the plans undertaken by the present government to turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country within 2021.

He made the directive while addressing a conference of DCs at Bangabhaban here. Cabinet Secretary M Abdul Aziz, among others, addressed the conference.

Zillur Rahman said the main aim of War of Independence was to build a happy, prosperous and dignified country. "We achieved independence of our country through sacrifices of many lives four decades ago under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman", he added.

But, he regretted, this goal of war of independence is yet to be achieved even after four decades.

Zillur Rahman said, "We can turn Bangladesh into a happy and prosperous country within few years, if we work with patriotism, honesty and sincerity."

He said the main aim of the present government is to improve the living standard of the people.

In this context, the President directed the DCs to find out ways and means for ensuring development in the districts,
upazilas, unions and villages after studying them properly.

Zillur Rahman urged the DCs to lay more importance to the development programmes than giving VIP protocol and holding seminars and symposiums to accelerate the pace of socio-economic progress of the country.

He said peaceful environment is needed to enable the people to contribute to the development activities of the country. The President said the DCs should play a major role in maintaining this environment.

He hoped the scope of exchanging opinions with the policy makers through such conference will benefit the DCs in
discharging their duties with efficiency.