Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday asked the Bangladesh Chhatra League’s (BCL) members to remain alert to thwart any conspiracy to obstruct the progress of Bangladesh.

 “My Chhatra League boys and girls will be leaders of the 2041 Smart Bangladesh. I expect it from you. Bangladesh won’t stand still in 2041. I have formulated the Delta Plan-2100. So, none could obstruct the progress of Bangladesh anymore.  Chhatra League will have to stay awake like sentinels,” she said.

The premier was addressing a student rally arranged by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in the city’s historic Suhrawardy Udyan on the occasion of the national mourning day.

She asked the BCL activists to carry out their study and follow the Chhatra League's main principle – education, peace and progress.

Coming down heavily on BNP, Sheikh Hasina said BNP wants to play foul with the voting rights of the people as they want to destroy this country and never want the welfare of this country.

“Election is not their (BNP’s) concern. They want to play ducks and drakes with the voting rights of the people. Because, they were born in the hands of an illegal power grabber. They don't believe in democracy,” she said, adding how come they now would rescue democracy.

Terming the BNP killers, looters, corrupts, terrorists, militants, grenade attackers, firearms smugglers, embezzlers of orphan’s money, the prime ninister said, “They never want welfare of the country and its people. Rather they want to destroy the country.”

Referring to the 2008 general election, she mentioned the BNP-led 20 party alliance secured only 30 seats (out of 300) in that election and then they didn’t truly participate in the elections and nor sought and got votes. “You (BCL men) will have to make the people understand the matter,” she said.

PM Hasina, also the president of ruling Awami League, Bangladesh is moving speedily on its development journey.

She blasted the persons who don’t see the development of Bangladesh saying that they should receive eye treatment in the national institute of Ophthalmology as modern equipment are there.

“I’ve set up a modern eye institute. There is a very good eye institute in Bangladesh now, where all the modern machines and equipment are there. I would like tell those who are now blind and see nothing that they can receive their eye treatment collecting a ticket at Tk 10 in the institute,” she said.

The PM asked the BCL men to read books -- Bangabandhu's autobiography "Asamapta Atmajibani" (The Unfinished Memoirs), Karagarer Rojnamcha (Jail Dairies) and Amar Dekha Naya China, and Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation to know Bangabandhu and his ideology and develop them with his ideology.

She also asked the Chhatra League members to groom them paying proper attention to the study, stand by the people, promote the people not to leave a single piece of land uncultivated, work against the negative campaign of recently introduced universal pension scheme, plant trees to protect environment, equip them with leadership quality and keep their premises of their educational institutes clean.

AL general secretary and former BCL president Obaidul Quader also spoke at the grand rally, while BCL former presidents and general secretaries were present on the dais.

BCL President Saddam Hussain chaired the rally moderated by its general secretary Sheikh Wali Ashif Inan.

On her arrival at the venue at around 3.40pm, the Prime Minister was received by the Awami League General Secretary and the BCL President and General Secretary.

The BCL president administered an oath to hundreds of thousands of students to dedicate them to the welfare of the country and its people, following the ideal of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina and to help her win the next national election through ballot revolution in favour of “boat,” the AL electoral symbol.

At the beginning of the rally, the national anthem, the BCL theme song and a song dedicated to Father of the Nation were sung, while another song dedicated to the Father of the Nation was also screened on the LED monitor.   One-minute silence was observed to pay tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his family members and others who were martyred on August 15, 1975.

In the function, the premier unveiled the cover of the BCL publication “Matribhumi.”

The Suhrawardy Udyan and its adjoining areas turned into a human sea as tens of thousands of leaders and activists of the BCL started assembling at the venue from different corners of the country since the morning carrying festoons, banners, placards, national flag and BCL flags by wearing T-shirts and caps with BCL logo.