A state cannot become strong by keeping its people in poverty or silencing them; ensuring their economic capacity is essential to building a stronger country, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said today.He said the government aims to strengthen Bangladesh economically and socially while ensuring people’s political rights as well as economic opportunities.The prime minister made the remarks at a signing ceremony at the Cabinet Division meeting room at the Secretariat, where three closed state-owned jute mills were leased to two private companies.The prime minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu briefed reporters about his remarks.Tarique said the government would provide all necessary policy support to encourage local entrepreneurs to invest and create employment.“We want to build a country where everyone will be better off than they are today. This is our main goal and objective,” he said.Pledging government support for genuine entrepreneurs, the prime minister said helping them would create employment and improve people’s livelihoods while also contributing to the overall economic situation.He stressed the importance of domestic investment alongside foreign investment.“Foreign investment will certainly come, and we want that. But we also need to encourage our own investors and entrepreneurs,” he said, adding that the government would provide the necessary policy support for their businesses and investments.The government’s policies are aimed at creating opportunities for people from all walks of life, Tarique said, adding that his government was working to build a better and stronger country with everyone’s cooperation.The prime minister thanked the two business groups for taking responsibility for the three mills. He expressed hope that the new investments would be successful and contribute to the national economy by creating employment.Commerce, Industries, and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Textiles and Jute State Minister Shariful Alam, Textiles and Jute Secretary Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, PRAN-RFL Group Chairman Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, and HAMCO Group Managing Director A T M Mostafa also spoke at the event.Senior officials from the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) and the companies taking the mills on lease were present.