Continuity of govt made Bangladesh’s uplift visible: PM Hasina

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said continuity of her ruling Awami League (AL) in state power made visible the country’s uplift and urged the party leaders and workers to supplement the government efforts to change the people’s lot.

“Since Awami League’s landslide victory in 2008 (general) elections, we remain in the government for three consecutive terms,” she said addressing a joint meeting of the AL Central Working Committee and Advisory Council in Tungipara, Gopalganj in the afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina, who is also the ruling Awami League’s president, said, “The country’s development is being visible and the people’s lot is being changed due to the continuation of our government”.

“Every leader and worker of the party will have to move with the ideology of Father of the Nation. We’ll build a hunger-and-poverty-free Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Bangabandhu Insha Allah,” she said.

The prime minister said her government was working tirelessly so the people in grassroots and those who lived in rural areas get the benefits of all the achievements.

Mentioning that the main aim of the Awami League government is to change the luck of the countrymen, she said "We’re working and will continue to do it to achieve the goal."

“We’ve attained high growth rate and we’re in strong position economically... we’ll continue our drives against terrorism, militancy and corruption,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the government has drawn up elaborate programmes to celebrate the ‘Mujib Borsho’ nationally.

“Besides, other organisations and institutions will celebrate Bangabandhu’s birth centenary in a befitting manner,” she said.

“We’ll celebrate Mujib Borsho from 17 March 2020 to 17 March 2021 and we’ve already started its countdown… we’ll also celebrate the golden jubilee of independence in 2021 with a huge enthusiasm,” she said.

“A huge enthusiasm prevails among all on the occasion of Mujib Borsho,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina said the name of Father of the Nation was once wiped out by assassinating him on 15 August in 1975. “But today none could erase his name because he made struggle and suffered pain throughout his life for the people of the country,” she said.

The prime minister said Bangladesh earned independence through 24 years struggle and triumphing victory in the liberation war under the leadership of the Father of the Nation.

Paying tributes to Bangabandhu, the four national leaders, three million martyrs and 200,000 mothers and sisters, Sheikh Hasina said: “Our aim is to make meaningful the independence which was earned due to their sacrifice.”

The prime minister said over 82 per cent people lived under the poverty level when Bangabandhu liberated the country. “But our Awami League government has been able to bring down the (poverty) rate to 20.5 per cent,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Father of the Nation liberated the country to change the lot of the exploited and deprived people and he also started the work to this end.

“But we’re unfortunate that Bangladesh was deviated from that ideology and spirit after the brutal killing of Bangabandhu,” she said.

The prime minister said the country started its journey towards development again when the Awami League government assumed office after long 21 years. “It has been possible as we’re following the ideology of the Father of the Nation,” she said.

Earlier, the newly-elected AL Central Working Committee and Advisory Council led by party president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

They paid the homage by placing wreaths at the grave of the Father of the Nation in Tungipara in the afternoon.

Prime minister and AL president Sheikh Hasina first laid a wreath at the grave of Bangabandhu.

After placing the wreath, she stood there in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of the country’s independence.

Later, Sheikh Hasina along with members of the AL Central Working Committee and Advisory Council of the party placed another wreath at the grave of Bangabandhu, the greatest Bangalee of all times.

They offered Fateha and joined a munajat seeking eternal peace of the departed soul of Bangabandhu. They also attended a milad mahfil there.

Prayers were also offered seeking continued peace, progress and prosperity of the nation as well good health and long life of the prime minister.

Secretaries concerned and special assistants to the prime minister were present on the occasion.

Earlier, the prime minister reached around 11:00am in Tungipara, the ancestral home of the Father of the Nation, by an Air Force helicopter.

After the arrival at Tungipara Upazila Complex ground, she straight went to the grave of Bangabandhu and recited from holy Quran and offered Fateha there.

It was Sheikh Hasina’s first visit to Tungipara after being re-elected as the president of Bangladesh Awami League, one of the oldest political parties in the subcontinent.

Sheikh Hasina was re-elected as the AL president for the ninth consecutive term, while Obaidul Quader was re-elected as the general secretary for the second straight time in the party’s 21st National Council held on 20-21 December least year.