Moderator VFD
President Md. Shahabuddin emphasized that building a cooperative-based society is essential for ensuring sustainable development. In a message released on Friday in celebration of “National Cooperative Day 2024,” observed on Saturday, November 2, he underscored the role of cooperatives in poverty alleviation and economic growth.
The President remarked, “The primary way to eradicate poverty is through economic development, and cooperatives are an excellent mechanism to achieve this.” He explained that through collective and unified efforts, cooperatives foster self-reliance and contribute to socio-economic development in a democratic way.
Highlighting the effectiveness of cooperatives across various sectors, President Shahabuddin said, “Cooperatives are a proven method in agriculture, fisheries, dairy, transportation, housing, industry, insurance, and marketing. They play a vital role in capital formation, investment, meeting nutritional needs, empowering women, expanding housing benefits, providing income-generating training, increasing rural employment, and enhancing the living standards of marginalized women, third-gender individuals, and indigenous groups.”
According to him, cooperatives, driven by spontaneous public participation and guided by justice and integrity, are a collective endeavor that promotes fraternity, cooperative effort, and values in building an equitable society. This year’s theme for National Cooperative Day, “Through Cooperatives, Let’s Build a Non-Discriminatory Bangladesh,” is therefore highly relevant and timely.
He added, “To create a new Bangladesh free of hunger, poverty, corruption, and inequality, the government has adopted multifaceted development and reform plans.” Addressing cooperative members, the President called for active participation in this nation-building journey by strengthening the cooperative movement. He also highlighted the need for investments in agriculture and other productive sectors, along with ensuring fair pricing and market access for products to sustain the movement.
To foster a people-centered institution, President Shahabuddin stressed the importance of maintaining transparency and accountability in all cooperative activities. “It is our hope that the cooperative ideals will drive our nation towards prosperity by eliminating all forms of inequality,” he concluded.
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