Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today reiterated her determination to build a hunger-and-poverty-free “Sonar Bangla” as dreamt by Bangabandhu as she opened the 70th founding anniversary programmes of Bangladesh Awami League, reports BSS.
“On this historic day, it’s our pledge to build a hunger-and-poverty-free developed and prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she said after inaugurating the programmes in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi in the capital this morning.
Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, said Bangladesh is marching forward towards socioeconomic development and the Bangalee nation achieved dignity in the entire world after Awami League came to power.
“The nation lost this dignity after the assassination of Bangabandhu on August 15 in 1975,” she said.
The prime minister said the Awami League was founded to bring back the lost independence of Bangla.
“Today is the founding anniversary of that Awami League,” she said, adding, “Whenever Awami League comes to power, it gives (something) to the country and people,” she said.
At the outset of her speech, the Awami League president narrated the history of establishment of the country’s oldest and biggest political party.
She also paid tributes to Bangabandhu and four national leaders as well as numerous party leaders and workers who sacrificed their lives ungrudgingly for establishing rights of the people.
Earlier, the prime minister formally inaugurated the 70th founding anniversary programmes of Bangladesh Awami League by hoisting national flag as well as releasing pigeons and balloons, while AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader raised the party flag. The national anthem was sung on the occasion.
Earlier, Sheikh Hasina placed a wreath at the portrait of the Father of the Nation in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban marking the 70th founding anniversary of Bangladesh Awami League.
After laying the wreath, the prime minister stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu, the architect of independence.
Flanked by senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Bangladesh Awami League, placed another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu on behalf of her party.
Awami League Advisory Council members Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun, Presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Dr Abdur Razzaque, Advocate Abdul Matin Khashru, Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan and Pijush Kanti Bhattacharya, General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Industries Minister Nurul Mazid Mahmud Humayun, Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman, Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim, Railways Minister Advocate Nurul Islam Sujon were present.
Besides, Joint Secretaries Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, Organizing Secretaries BM Mozammel Haque, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Enamul Haque Shamim, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Ahmed Hossain and Advocate Misbahuddin Siraj and other central leaders of the party and its front organisations were present on the occasion.
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam and South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokan as well as leaders of Dhaka North and South City AL were also present.
Bangladesh Awami League was founded on this day in 1949, which was later transformed into the biggest political party of the country by leading all the democratic-political-social-cultural movements including the long arduous struggle for freedom and the War of Liberation.