Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been ranked 43rd on Forbes' list of the most powerful women in the world.

MacKenzie Scott, Kamala Harris and Christine Lagarde have been ranked first, second and third respectively.

Queen Elizabeth II is ranked 70th.

The American business magazine says Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the longest-serving prime minister in the history of Bangladesh, is currently serving her fourth term.

She won the fourth term, which is also her third consecutive term, after her party, Bangladesh Awami League, won 288 of the 300 parliamentary seats.

"During what she believes will be her final term, Hasina plans to focus on issues such as food security and access to education and healthcare," the magazine adds.

It also mentions that an ongoing struggle for Hasina has been establishing a firm democracy in Bangladesh

Every year, Forbes releases a list of 100 powerful women of the world. This year, the 18th annual list of powerful women included 40 CEOs, the most since 2015, who, according to the magazine, "oversee a record $3.3 trillion in revenue." The list also included 19 world leaders, and an immunologist.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said the entire leadership of BNP should step down as they failed to wage movement and win in elections.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, was talking to reporters after the board meeting of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority at DTCA's auditorium.

BNP leaders are talking about country's democracy, yet there is no democracy in BNP, he alleged.

Quader also mentioned US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas, and requested him to ask why there was no democracy in the BNP.

"I would request you [Peter Haas] to ask those who come to talk to you about democracy and say that this government is destroying democracy, why there is no democracy in BNP. Ask that first. Why don't they hold councils?"

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that her government would ensure accommodation for all marking Mujib Borsho.

"We have set a target in Mujib Borsho that not a single person will remain without address or home. I will ensure an address for everyone,'' she said while giving away homes to 66,189 families alongside rehabilitating 3,715 others in the barracks under Ashrayan-2 Project.

Joining the programme virtually from her official residence Gono Bhaban in Dhaka, the Prime Minister asked all concerned, particularly the local administrations, to hand over ownerships of the houses to the beneficiaries.

She said that as many as 320,000 families had earlier been given homes while work on building one lakh more houses for the landless and homeless will start soon.

The Prime Minister said she was elated today as she managed to give a large number of houses to landless and homeless people during winter.

On the occasion, she said, "This is the largest celebration. There is no better way to celebrate than providing homes to landless and homeless people on such a large scale."

Sheikh Hasina said that the souls of her father (Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) and her mother and lakhs of martyrs who made supreme sacrifice for the country's Liberation War will rest in peace as such a huge number of people received their own homes.

Referring to giving homes to marginalised people such as dalit, harijan, transgender, tea workers and others, she said that her government has been working tirelessly to ensure improved lives for cross-section of people.

She said that they have also rehabilitated climate refugees with giving homes at Khuruskul in Cox's Bazar while 100 more buildings are being built for them.

She said Bangabandhu had a five-year plan to make Bangladesh a developed country, adding, "The people of Bangladesh could have had improved lives if Bangabandhu could have implemented it."

The Prime Minister later exchanged views with the beneficiaries, local Awami League leaders and public representatives who got connected to the programme from Kathaltala village of Atalia union under Dumuria upazila in Khulna district, Nizbari village of Kamarpukur union under Syedpur upazila in Nilphamari, Kartali village of Gazipur union under Chunarughat upazila in Habiganj, and Salla village of Baliadanga union under Sadar upazila in Chapainawabganj district.

A video documentary was screened on the government's effort to rehabilitate the landless and homeless people.

While exchanging greetings, Sheikh Hasina urged all to identify homeless and landless people in their respective localities as the government has a target to provide homes to everyone marking Mujib Borsho and the golden jubilee of the country's independence.

The government has built 66,189 houses at a cost of Taka 1,168 crore for homeless people on the occasion of Mujib Borsho. Each of the houses was built on two decimals of land having two rooms, one corridor and one latrine alongside connection of electricity and water.

The residents of the houses will be given necessary training to ensure their earnings and after completion of the training they will get a loan from the government.

Besides, the Ashrayan Project under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) rehabilitated 3,715 families by constructing 743 barracks under 44 project villages in 36 upazilas in 21 districts during Mujib Borsho.

The Ashrayan Project has prepared a list of 885,622 families in 2020, including 293,361 landless and homeless families, and 592,261 families having 1-10 decimal land but no housing facility.