PM wants houses built for girls

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday announced an initiative to build houses for the women footballers who won the inaugural SAFF U-18 Women's Championship in Bhutan on Sunday.

She made the announcement at yesterday's cabinet meeting, held at Prime Minister Office (PMO), said meeting insiders.

The premier already ordered salwar kameezes and suits for the girls, said a minister who attended the meeting.

“All of them are from poor families and they need help. I will take the initiative to construct houses for them,” the PM was quoted as saying by the minister, who wished to remain anonymous.

“I came to know that they [the girls] don't even have nice dresses to attend any programme... I already ordered salwar kameezes and suits for them so that they can participate in any programme,” she was also quoted.

Hasina also asked her cabinet colleagues to come forward to help the girls and some ministers assured her that they would.

Sources said that after PM's call, State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu replied that his ministry has a fund to train children of workers and he will spend a portion of the fund to train the girls.

Sources said that the prime minister was over the moon as she recalled the match between Bangladesh and Pakistan, where Bangladesh scored 17 goals.

“Our girls have scored 17 goals against Pakistan... what more can I expect from them?” the PM was further quoted by the minister.