Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Eid day, urged people of the country to remain vigilant so that anti-liberation forces, war criminals, killers, grenade attackers, and corrupt persons cannot come to power again.

“If they come to power, they will devastate this country again, and all our achievements will be gone,” she said.

The Prime Minister said this while exchanging greetings with a cross-section of people, including Awami League leaders and activists, judges and diplomats, at her official residence Ganobhaban on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. The PM exchanged Eid greetings in person after three years.

The in-person event was not held in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said that the development spree that the Awami League government had initiated can ensure Bangladesh’s journey forward. “We will start our journey as a developing country from 2026… We have taken all preparations.”

She said that AL has and will continue to serve the people.

“I am the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman… It is my duty to realise his dreams,” she said.

Referring to arson attacks and terrorism by BNP-Jamaat in 2013-14 and 2015, Sheikh Hasina brought up the issue of recent fire incidents at some markets. She said that BNP-Jamaat may have been involved in the fire incidents in Bangabazar and New Supermarket.

“In view of one fire incident after another, it should be investigated whether BNP-Jamaat terrorists are involved,” the PM said.

She also said that barring fire service personnel from extinguishing fire and attacking them are unforgivable offence.

She said that because of these incidents, he suspects that BNP-Jamaat are involved in the recent fire incidents at markets.

Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh has made the desired progress since AL came to power through election in 2008 and it has continued the democratic process and stability.

She said that in just 14 years, her government has been able to elevate Bangladesh from a least developed country to a developing one.

The Prime Minister referred to the war in Ukraine and said that despite the war and global instability and inflation, the economy of Bangladesh has remained strong and the government has been able to reduce poverty rate.

She thanked and congratulated the public representatives, businessmen, government officials and party leaders for helping people in their respective areas during the pandemic.

In this context, she mentioned that currently the number of extreme poor has decreased to 5.6 percent and the poverty rate has decreased to 18.7 percent.

“In the future, there will be no extreme poverty in Bangladesh and the country will be declared completely poverty-free,” said Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina, also the Awami League chief, first exchanged Eid greetings with people from all backgrounds and professions, including party leaders and workers, poets, litterateurs, writers, journalists, teachers and intellectuals.

Later, she exchanged greetings with judges, cabinet secretary, chiefs of Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force, foreign diplomats, senior secretaries, secretaries and other civil and military officials with rank equivalent to secretaries.