Father of the Nation
Modi lauds Bangladesh’s remarkable growth under Hasina's leadership
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his Bangladesh visit will be an occasion to convey appreciation for Bangladesh’s remarkable economic and developmental strides under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visionary leadership.
His visit will also be an occasion to commit India’s abiding support for these achievements.
"My visit will not only be an occasion to convey appreciation for Bangladesh’s remarkable economic and developmental strides under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visionary leadership, but also to commit India’s abiding support for these achievements," Modi said adding that he will also express India’s support and solidarity for Bangladesh's fight against Covid-19.
In a pre-departure statement, Modi said he will be having "substantive discussions" with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, following their very productive virtual meeting in December last year.
Also read: India committed to deepening ties with Bangladesh: Modi
Modi is scheduled to arrive here on Friday morning on a two-day state visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"I am happy that my first foreign visit after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic will be to our friendly neighbouring country, with which India shares deep cultural, linguistic and people-to-people ties," he said.
The Indian Prime Minister said he looks forward to his participation at the National Day celebrations on Friday, which will also commemorate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
"Bangabandhu was one of the tallest leaders of the last century, whose life and ideals continue to inspire millions," he said.
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Modi said he looks forward to visiting Bangabandhu’s Samadhi in Tungipara to pay my respects to his memory.
He will be offering prayers to Goddess Kali at the ancient Jashoreshwari Kali Temple, one of the 51 Shaktipeeths in the Puranic tradition, according to the Press Information Bureau of India.
"I am particularly looking forward to my interaction with representatives of the Matua community at Orakandi, from where Sri Sri Harichandra Thakur ji disseminated his pious message," Modi said.
He will meet President Abdul Hamid, and will have interactions with other Bangladeshi dignitaries.
The Indian Prime Minister said Bangabandhu's vision continues to light the Bangladesh-India friendship. "I had the privilege of honouring his memory during my previous Bangladesh visit," he said.
Also read: Delhi to bolster defence ties with Dhaka during Modi's visit
Modi said he will again pay homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, alongside Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during the ongoing Mujib Borsho celebrations.
Earlier, he said Bangabandhu was a champion of human rights and freedom, and is a hero to Indians as well.
He also said the legacy and inspiration of Bangabandhu has made the heritage of both countries more comprehensive and deep-rooted, and that the path shown by Bangabandhu has laid a strong foundation for the partnership, progress and prosperity of both countries over the last decade.
Don’t allow development and democratic progress to be disrupted: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged people to take a vow afresh not to allow anyone to hinder Bangladesh’s democratic and development progress by playing ducks and drakes with their fate.
“On this auspicious occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Independence, we’ve to vow afresh that no one can play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people of Bangladesh. No one can hinder the country’s democratic and development progress,” she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing the nation on the eve of Independence Day 2021.
State-owned Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar simultaneously broadcast the Prime Minister’s speech at 7:30 pm on Thursday. Private television channels and radio stations also aired the speech.
The Prime Minister called upon people to work for building Bangladesh as a developed, prosperous and non-communal Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.
“Let’s build Bangladesh as a developed, prosperous and non-communal Sonar Bangla by forgetting all the differences and being imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War,” she said.
Noting that the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Independence just should not be a formality, she said, “On the occasion of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation and the Golden Jubilee of Independence, we’ve to take vow afresh to take our country to a new height.”
Also read: Make a vow to implement Bangabandhu’s dreams: PM
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has achieved an unimaginable success in the socio-economic index as a result of her government’s tireless works over the past 12 years.
Last month, she said, Bangladesh received the final recommendation to graduate from the least developed country (LDC) group.
“Bangladesh has not only surpassed its neighbours in various indexes like life expectancy, gender equality, universal primary education, women education, women's political rights, women and child mortality, sanitation and food availability, but also exceeded many developed countries in many cases,” she said.
But the path of this development has not been smooth at all as the anti-liberation forces inside and outside the country carried out various ill-motivated activities to hinder the progress of Bangladesh. “This process still continues. So, we all will have to resist all the anti-state attempts by playing the role of vigilant watchdogs.”
Sheikh Hasina said passing half a century of independence is a significant milestone for the life of a nation.
“For us, this Golden Jubilee celebration has become more colorful as Bangladesh Awami League, forming the government, started running the government with the ideology of Liberation War. Today, Bangladesh has stood raising its head in the world as a proud country proving all the negative and pessimistic predictions against Bangladesh wrong, she said.
Even a decade ago, Sheikh Hasina said, Bangladesh was presented as an example of poverty. “But today development experts are presenting Bangladesh as a role model for poverty alleviation and development.”
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Presenting the current picture of several socio-economic indicators compared to the 2005-06 fiscal year, she said the per capita income increased to US$ 2,064 now from just US$ 543, while the poverty rate dropped to 20.5 percent from 41.5 percent, the GDP size rose to Tk 2800,000 crore from only Tk 482,337 crore, and the foreign currency reserve to US$ 44 billion from only US$ 0.744 billion during the period.
She said the budget size has increased to Tk 568,000 crore in the current fiscal year from only Tk 61,000 crore in 2005-06 fiscal year, while the average life expectancy to 72.6 years in 2019-20 fiscal from 59 years in 2005-06 fiscal, the infant mortality rate has come down to 28 from 84 per thousand, the maternal mortality rate to 165 from 370 per lakh and the power generation capacity has increased to 24,421 megawatt from 4,900 megawatt. “Today's achievement is, in fact, the achievement of the common people of this country,” she added.
She said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had declared the Independence of Bangladesh in the early hours of March 26, 1971 just before he was arrested by Pakistani army. His announcement spread across the country through the wireless of the then EPR, she said.
The independence of Bangladesh had come as the result of the 24-year continuous political struggle. And Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had led from the front in this struggle from the beginning to the end, said Sheikh Hasina, also the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu.
Also read: PM Hasina leads from front in battle against pandemic: Envoy
“Today, we’re proud citizens of independent and sovereign Bangladesh thanks to the birth of that great man named Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. Today, we’re proud of our own country, language and culture because he was born,” said the PM.
Sheikh Mujib is the creator of a country and a state. “So, we’re celebrating his birth centenary and the golden jubilee of independence simultaneously,” she said.
On the eve of the Independence Day, the PM extended her sincere greetings to all the citizens of Bangladesh living at home and abroad.
Sheikh Hasina thanked the people of Bangladesh for keeping Bangladesh Awami League, the political party that led the Liberation War, in power while celebrating these two important milestones in the national life.
Genocide Day Thursday
Bangladesh will observe ‘Genocide Day’, marking the commencement of the Pakistan army's brutal, cowardly and indeed genocidal Operation Searchlight in 1971, as a last resort to try and suppress the will of the people of what would become, in less than nine months, the newly independent state of Bangladesh.
Organisers have called for a nationwide minute's silence on Thursday, to pay respect to those who paid the supreme penlty will be observed in the across the country on Thursday commemorating the brutalities and cowardly attacks carried out by the Pakistani occupation forces on the unarmed civilian population on the black night of March 25 in 1971.
On the black night of March 25 in 1971, the Pakistani military junta resorted to mass killings in Dhaka to implement their blueprint to thwart the Awami League's assumption of office following the election mandate of 1970.
In the attack dubbed 'Operation Searchlight', the Pakistani forces mercilessly killed the Bangalee members of the East Pakistan Rifles and police, students, teachers and common people.
Also read: One-minute ‘blackout’ to mark Genocide Day on March 25: Minister
They killed people indiscriminately, set fire to the houses and properties, and looted business establishments, leaving a trail of destruction.
The day is being observed officially for the fifth time in the country as Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution on March 11, 2017 to observe March 25 as the Genocide Day.
This year, however, there will be no outdoor programme in observing the day due to the emerging situation of the coronavrius outbreak's second wave.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President Abdul Hamid issued separate massages marking the day.
In her massage, the Prime Minister said “On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Day of Genocide, we pledge to uphold the freedom that we have earned in exchange for the three million martyrs and the respect of two hundred thousand tortured mothers and sisters, if necessary, in exchange for our supreme sacrifices.”
Also read: Nation observes one-minute 'blackout' marking 'Genocide Day'
“Resisting all immediate conspiracies and be inspired by the spirit of the Great Liberation War, we shall play a concerted role in the realization of the dream of the Father of the Nation for building a non-communal, hunger-free and prosperous Bangladesh, Insha Allah.she said.
“I wish all-out success to the programs taken on the occasion of 'Genocide Day'.”, PM said.
Besides, President Abdul Hamid said “On the eve of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation and the Golden Jubilee of Independence, I call upon all, irrespective of party affiliation, to contribute from their respective positions in the implementation of these programs.”
“We can pay our eternal respect to every soul who gave his life in 1971 genocide, by turning the country into the ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Bangabandhu,” he said.
German President lauds Bangladesh’s impressive growth
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday said Bangladesh has undergone an “impressive development and is today a vibrant democracy” with high economic growth rates.
“At the same time, Bangladesh has succeeded in clearly reducing poverty in the country using innovative development policy strategies,” he said in a message sent to President Abdul Hamid.
Also read: French senator lauds Bangladesh’s progress; recalls Bangabandhu
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen read out the message at a programme held at the National Parade Ground on Tuesday, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence.
The German President said the world very much values Bangladesh’s peaceful foreign policy and its generous humanitarian engagement, particularly when it comes to taking in hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who have fled their homes.
Also read: India praises Hasina's statesmanship, Bangladesh’s "miraculous” progress
“The global challenges of our time, particularly the current pandemic situation and climate change, can only be tackled if we work together. Our many years of friendly relations provide a very firm basis for such cooperation,” the message reads.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Independence, he conveyed to his Bangladesh counterpart and the people of Bangladesh his sincere congratulations. “I wish you strength and every success for the tasks that lie ahead.”
Also read: Bangladesh’s importance in S Asia growing: US
Bhutanese PM pays tributes to Bangabandhu, Liberation War martyrs
Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering on Tuesday paid tributes to the Liberation War martyrs and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Upon arrival, he visited the N
Bhutanese PM Dr Tshering due Tuesday as King’s special envoy
Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering arrives here on Tuesday on a state visit as a special representative of the Bhutanese King to participate in the celebrations of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence.
Bangabandhu a charismatic leader and person of determination: Nepalese President
Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Monday said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a charismatic leader, well organizer, person of determination and courage and stout freedom fighter.
India honours Bangabandhu with Gandhi Peace Prize
The Government of India on Monday conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize 2020 on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
French senator lauds Bangladesh’s progress; recalls Bangabandhu
French Senator and President of the Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group for South East Asia Jacqueline Deromedi has lauded Bangladesh’s progress saying that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ‘today would be proud of the country he had built’.
Go boldly into future, but don’t forget past: Radwan Mujib
Radwan Mujib Siddiq, grandson of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has encouraged all to go boldly into the future without forgetting the past as Bangladesh celebrates 50 years of its Independence.