Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked her partymen to work for a well-organised party and achieve people's confidence and trust so that no attack or conspiracy can destroy the party as it is like a phoenix bird which rises from the ashes of the burnt.
No attack or conspiracy can ruin the Awami League if the party can be strengthened and it gets the full support of the masses, she said.
She made the remarks while presiding over a mammoth public rally held at the historic Suhrawardi Udyan in Dhaka marking the 75th founding anniversary of the AL.
The Prime Minister reminded her partymen that attempts were made time and again to destroy the AL.
"Despite repeated attacks to destroy the Awami League, none can harm the party as it is the organisation of mass people," she said.
Referring to the attempt to ruin the AL in 2007 by forming the king's party, she said: "They failed in doing such acts as the grassroots people and dedicated leaders and activists are the main strength of the Awami League."
AL is like a phoenix bird which rises from the ashes of the burnt, the premier added.
Sheikh Hasina reminded all that the AL is the party to establish rights of the people and carry out socio-economic advancement of the country.
She said all the achievements of the nation, including the country's independence and current socio-economic development, have been earned under the leadership of the Awami League.
"So, no attacks could harm the Awami League," she added.
The AL President recalled the contribution of its numerous leaders and activists to take the party to such a strong position after going through inhuman torture.
"Yet, they remained in the Awami League and got organised to make it stronger," she said.
She asked her party men to realise that the party is the main component of their power.
The AL chief said several senior leaders deserted her party thinking them bigger than the party.
But, they had forgotten that star glitter in the sky with the light of the sun, she said.
The AL leaders who left the party are now almost lost or completely lost as they used to glitter with the light of the party, she said.
She continued they have taken back some of them in the party as they realized their mistakes while some of them have been engaging in plot to thwart the AL from the power.
The Prime Minister said the party elected her as its president through the 1981 council.
"After being elected as the president of the Awami League, I returned to the country by depriving my children of mother's love and affection mainly to implement the dream of my father to give the countrymen a beautiful and developed life by changing their fate," she said.
Since then, she said, she has been tirelessly working to accomplish the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Briefly describing various measures taken by her government to ensure education, health, accommodation, food, clothing and electricity for all, she said," Bangladesh has made the tremendous development due to the steps taken by the Awami League.
Bangladesh has been recognized as the role model on the global stage for the development and its citizens are now roaming across the globe keeping heads high, she said.
The Prime Minister said Bangladesh got recognition of a developing nation in 2021 when the country was celebrating the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation and Golden Jubilee of the country's independence.
The formal journey of Bangladesh as a developing country will start in 2026, she said.
"We have to march ahead keeping the continuation of the country's development," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her government is now working to transform the country into a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty by 2041.
"On this day of celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Awami League, we pledge that Bangladesh will march ahead keeping its head high by turning it into a smart country by making its population, economy and society smart by 2041," she said.
The Prime Minister said the people voted her party to power time and again as they have achieved the confidence and trust of the masses through their work for the betterment of the country and its people.
The Prime Minister said that the AL considers the people's trust and confidence as the main driving force to stay in power while the BNP believed in the power of money and arms to hang on to power.
So, the BNP tried to stay in power by giving money and arms to the meritorious students, she said.
They (BNP) could not change the fate of the people rather earned some quick bucks, indulged in corruption, money laundering and militancy, she said.
As the Prime Minister reached the rally venue at 3:37 in the afternoon, she was received by the senior party leaders and welcomed through various slogans.
At the outset of the rally, the AL President along with her party's General Secretary hoisted the national flag and party flag and formally opened the programme by releasing pigeons and balloons.
The Prime Minister later witnessed a colourful cultural programme.
The theme song marking the AL's platinum jubilee was also sung by a group of artistes.
Leaders and activists of the AL and its front and associate bodies in colourful attires s and caps converged in small processions in the rally venue since the morning, carrying placards, posters and chanting party slogans.
They also carried national and party flags, placards of various development schemes that include the Padma Bridge, Metrorail and Bangabandhu Tunnel.
As the day progressed, the number of activists increased and the rally venue turned into a human sea.
The Suhrawardi Udyan and its surrounding areas were full to the brim with hundreds of thousands of the party activists and people from all strata to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of one of the oldest and largest political parties in the sub-continent.
AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, MP, spoke at the rally while AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap moderated it.
Leaders of different political parties including Jatiya Party Chairman and Leader of the Opposition GM Quader, President of Workers' Party of Bangladesh Rashed Khan Menon and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSoD-Inu) President Hasanul Haq Inu, were present.
Diplomats of various countries working in Bangladesh were also present.
Bangladesh Awami League was formed on this day (June 23) in 1949 at "Rose Garden" on K M Das Lane in Dhaka.
The party later transformed into the biggest political party in the country to lead struggles for freedom, the War of Liberation and all democratic movements.
Earlier in the morning, Sheikh Hasina paid glowing tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing separate wreaths at Bangabandhu's portrait at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 as Prime Minister and President of the party marking the Platinum Jubilee of the Awami League.
Source: BSS