Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked businessmen to place Bangladesh and countrymen above profits.

"There's no Hawa Bhaban and Development Wing at PMO to share your profits with," she said while speaking at a meeting with importers and exporters of consumer goods.

She said that in the last 14 years, during the Awami League government, businessmen of the country ran their businesses and made profits without hindrance.

She said that at present, businessmen of the country are free from the "pain" of Hawa Bhaban and the Development Wing of the PMO.

"You are not suffering that now. You have to admit that," she said.

Sheikh Hasina observed that in the past, the lion's share of profits went to Hawa Bhaban and PMO's Development Wing.

"…Keep that in mind, and consider the country and its people," she said.

The prime minister also said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the government provided stimulus packages to businessmen to run their businesses smoothly, even though they did not ask for that.

She said that a team was formed through her initiative, and it operated well in running the wheels of the economy.

Sheikh Hasina recalled that during the pandemic, many factories and industries in developed countries closed down.

"We said that we will not allow our factories and industries to close down, we have to continue… I ensured workers' wages, gave stimulus packages," she said.