Honour those working in silence for people’s welfare: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday asked all concerned to find out those who are working for the welfare of the people in silence to honour them with an award.

“I urge you to find out those who have been working in silence with devotion in different areas, not for own-self, but for the people’s welfare... The biggest thing is to honour them with the awards,” she said.

The prime minister was handing over “Swadhinata Purashkar-2024” (Independence Award-2024), the highest national civil award of the country, to 10 distinguished persons in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their respective fields at the national level.

The award ceremony was held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital city.

Sheikh Hasina said, “A section of people work for the welfare of the country in silence. They never come to the forefront or are not intended to be exposed. They have been making contributions to the welfare of the people selflessly with self motivation”.

She said her government wants to honour these persons with an award by finding them.

The prime minister also greeted all who got the award for their contributions to the different fields.

“I believe that many people will be inspired to work for the welfare of the country and its people (after seeing recognition of good deeds) with distribution of the award,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina came down heavily on the “Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami clique and their accomplices”, saying they had distorted the Liberation War’s history after assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members on 15 August, 1975.

“After 1975, we have seen distortion of the Liberation War history, banning of the historic 7 March speech and Joy Bangla Slogan,” she said.

She further said that several post-75 generations were exposed to destruction through teaching them the distorted history of the country’s independence.

After assuming power, the prime minister said, the Awami League (AL) let people, particularly the new generation, know the true history of the Liberation War of 1971.

And the historic 7 March speech of Bangabandhu had been made an international heritage document while the Joy Bangla Slogan was made the country’s national slogan, she said.

The prime minister recalled that once the freedom fighters and their family members were afraid of expressing their identity due to having such a horrific situation in the country.

But, after coming to power, she said they have revived the dignity of the freedom fighters by providing them state honour after their death irrespective of their political affiliation.

Apart from this, monthly honorarium is being given to each freedom fighter alongside providing a house, “Bir Nibas” to insolvent ones, she continued.

The prime minister said Bangabandhu had started the trial of the war criminals after the country’s independence and many of the culprits were sent to jail. “But, the post-1975 governments rehabilitated the war criminals after releasing them from prisons.”

Sheikh Hasina said she returned to the country from forced exile in 1981 overcoming all the barriers mainly to run the country towards prosperity and development maintaining the spirit of the Liberation War.

“I returned to the country with a promise to build the nation with the spirit of the Liberation War and to change the fate of the people alongside developing the country,” she said.

She went on saying that Bangladesh was recognised as a developing country due to massive development by the Awami League government while the nation celebrated the golden jubilee of the country’s independence in 2021.

Bangladesh will start its journey as a developing country in 2026, she said. “We have been able to take Bangladesh forward at least one step.”

She said they have made Bangladesh digital in accordance with the electoral pledge of 2008.

Now, Sheikh Hasina said her government has been working to transform the country into a developed, prosperous and Smart Sonar Bangladesh by 2041 in line with the 2024 election manifesto.

Referring to arson terrorism by the “BNP and Jamaat clique” for hampering the country’s journey towards prosperity, she hoped that they would come back to their senses.

“The Awami League has proved that a country can prosper if peace and democratic trends continue,” she said.

The prime minister said she wants the continuation of the journey towards advancement and the people of Bangladesh to move around the world keeping their heads high.

Referring to Bangladesh’s foreign policy “Friendship to all, malice to none,” adopted by the Father of the Nation, she said, “We are following the policy properly.”

The prime minister also condemned in strongest terms the Israeli attack on Gaza of Palestine, saying her government always supports Palestinians.

She reiterated Bangladesh’s resolute stance against any war. “We never want war, we want peace.”

The prime minister said they even try to solve the Rohingya repatriation issue through holding talks with Myanmar.

Valiant freedom fighters Kazi Abdur Sattar, Bir Pratik, Flight Sergeant Md Fazlul Haque (posthumously) and Shaheed Abu Nayeem Md Najib Uddin Khan (Khurram) (posthumously) got the award in the ‘Independence and Liberation War’ category.

Mubarak Ahmad Khan was awarded in the science and technology category, while Harishankar Dash in medical category, Mohammad Rafiquzzaman in cultural category, Firoza Khatun in sports, and Aronno Chiran, valiant freedom fighter professor Mollah Obayedullah Baki and SM Abraham Lincoln in social services category.

On behalf of the award recipients, Mohammad Rafiquzzaman addressed the event.

The Cabinet Division earlier on 15 March announced the names of the Independence Award recipients. Each award recipient received a gold medal, a certificate and a cheque of honorarium.

Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain moderated the function and read out the citations with a brief life sketch of the award winners.