Delivering the vision of reshaping Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday promised to bring smiles to the faces of the distressed people as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“The Father of the Nation wanted to bring smiles to the faces of the unhappy people. That’s our goal, too,” she said while chairing the celebration of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation and the Golden Jubilee of the Victory at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad.

President Md Abdul Hamid also spoke at the function as the chief guest, while Indian President Ram Nath Kovind as the guest of honour.

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The National Implementation Committee for Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Birth Centenary Celebration arranged the event with the title of “The Greatest Hero of the Great Victory.”

Sheikh Hasina said, “This celebration is not merely a festival, rather it’s our conviction in our future journey that we must build Bangladesh as hunger-poverty-free, developed and prosperous Sonar Bangla as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.”   

She said her government has been taking the country forward since 2009 and now Bangladesh has earned the status of a developing country.

“Our goal is to fulfil the dreams of the Father of the Nation and we’ve been working towards that goal,” she said.

The Prime Minister said her government reduced the poverty rate to 20 percent from 40 percent, ensured electricity for every house, raised the per capita income at US$ 2,554 and is now providing free homes to the homeless and landless families.

“Though the Covid-19 slowed down our progress largely, we’d been able to keep the wheels of economy moving by controlling coronavirus and,” she said, adding that the government also took measures to develop the rural economy simultaneously.

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She said the government keeps the wheels of development running by maintaining good relations with all the country in line with foreign policy’s cornerstone --‘Friendship with all and malice to none,’-- which was given by the Father of the Nation.

Noting that Bangladesh is a non-communal country, Hasina said the people of all faiths can perform their respective religious rituals equally. “We ensure it (this environment),” she added.

She said Bangladesh has already become a middle-income country and now the goal is to turn it into a developed country by 2041. “We’ve been working towards this goal,” she said.  

Hasina said her government announced ‘zero tolerance policy’ against militancy, terrorism, repression against women and drugs. “We want to ensure peace and security for the people of the country and build a developed and prosperous Sonar Bangla,” she said.   

At the outset of her speech, the Prime Minister showed profound respect to the Father of the Nation, four national leaders, three million martyrs and 200 thousand oppressed women during the Liberation War.     

Hasina also expressed her gratitude to the friendly countries, organisations and persons who extended support and help by giving food, money, arms, humanitarian assistance during the 1971 Liberation War.

She particularly recalled the contribution of neighbouring India as it had set an example for the world to give shelter to 10 million Bangladeshi refugees alongside giving training to freedom fighters and fought for Bangladesh’s liberation against the Pakistani occupation forces during the Great Liberation War in 1971.

“I recall with due respect the members of Indian armed forces who sacrificed their lives in Bangladesh’s Liberation War against Pakistan as the members of allied forces,” she said.      

At the arrival of the Indian President as the guest of honour at the venue, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received him.

Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana handed over ‘Eternal Mujib Memorabilia’ to the Indian President.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and Chief Coordinator of the National Implementation Committee for the Birth Centenary Celebration Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury spoke on the occasion.

At the function, the cover of a memorial book titled ‘Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Volume’ was unveiled.  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina edited the book which was published in Bengali and English on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu.