Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged children and juveniles to be imbued with patriotism and the spirit of the Liberation War, and to contribute to the country's advancement.
“You are the future leaders of the country. So you will have to take the country forward by loving it deeply and being imbued with patriotism and the spirit of the Liberation War,” she said.
The prime minister remarked this while addressing the press at the Independence Day 2019 rally of children and juveniles—jointly arranged by the War Affairs and Dhaka District Administration—at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Tuesday.
Extending her heartfelt greetings to her countrymen—including to children as well as expatriate Bangladeshis—on the occasion of Independence Day, Sheikh Hasina reiterated her determination to materialize Bangabandhu’s dream by establishing Bangladesh as the most peaceful, developed, and prosperous country in South Asia.
“We want you [children] to build Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous country…we will fulfil Bangabandhu’s dream by establishing Bangladesh as the most peaceful, developed, and prosperous country in South Asia, Insha Allah,” she added.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haq and Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Md Abu Saleh Mohammad Ferdous Khan were present at the occasion.
Hasina renewed her call to parents, guardians, teachers, and religious leaders to remain careful about keeping children away from the influences of militancy, terrorism, and drug addiction.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reviews the parade at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on March 26, 2019 | PIDshe said the government wants to free the country from terrorism, militancy, and drug abuse. “So I would like to urge the parents, guardians, teachers, and religious leaders to inform children and juveniles about the bad impact of militancy, terrorism, and drug abuse; and protect them from those menaces,” she said.
Furthermore the premier said parents and guardians must remain alert about
where their children go and with whom they develop relationships.
On the occasion, Hasina presented prizes to the winners of nationwide school competitions for singing the national anthem with the correct melody and rhyme.
The prime minister asked the children and juveniles to attentively listen to the words of their parents and teachers and obey discipline. “We expect that you will lead a beautiful life,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina also urged them to grow their merit and thinking by practicing sports, games, and culture alongside pursuing their studies.
“Practicing sports, games, and culture is essential—along with education—to build a healthy nation,” she said.
The prime minister said the aim of her government is to groom children and juveniles to be healthy and grow their talent and thinking.
“So, we are arranging various sport and cultural competitions for them to achieve the goal,” she said.
Highlighting various steps for the welfare of the children, the prime minister said her government is taking different initiatives so that they [children] can advance, keeping pace with the world.
“We have launched a satellite [into space] and built a Digital Bangladesh…we are providing computer education to the children,” she said.
Spelling out her government’s steps for developing education, the prime minister said her government has introduced pre-primary education and framed an education policy.
“We are distributing books free of cost—up to the secondary level—and providing scholarships and stipends to the students up to the higher education level…we want to build Bangladesh through education,” she said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presents prizes to the winners of nationwide school competitions for singing the national anthem with the correct melody and rhyme, at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on March 26, 2019 | PID Sheikh Hasina said the government also constituted the Education Assistance Trust Fund so that the poor but meritorious students have the possibility of studying.
She also recited Poet Sukanta Bhattacharya’s Chharpatra in communicating her desire to turn the country into a suitable abode for the posterity reciting, “Choley jabo, tobu aaj jatakkhan dehe achey pran, pranponey prithivir sorabo janjal……..E bishwake e shishur basjoggya kore jabo ami”.
A translation of this is: “I will leave, but I will clear the odds with all my efforts so long a I am alive. I will make the earth liveable for the children; it is my firm commitment to a newborn”.
Sheikh Hasina paid glowing tributes to: Bangabandhu, four national leaders, martyrs of the War of Liberation, all Freedom Fighters, and the mothers and sisters who had lost their chastity and suffered immense torture at the hands of the occupation forces during the war.
On the occasion, the galleries of Bangabandhu National Stadium was tastefully decorated with portraits of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders, Bir Shresthas, photographs of the prime minister, and photos of the natural beauty of Bangladesh.
Earlier, the national anthem was performed when the prime minister arrived at the reception dais of Bangabandhu National Stadium around 8am.
Sheikh Hasina later reviewed the parade, by walking, and took salute.
She also witnessed the march past of smartly turned out units of school students and enjoyed their spectacular displays on different themes of the War of Liberation.
After the parade, the theme song of today’s rally ‘Nongar tola tola somoy je holo holo’ was performed.
A decorated boat, built for the occasion, crossed the stadium grounds as the song played; it was followed by a motorcade projecting the development and progress of the Awami League government.
Different Ministers, PM’s advisers, parliament members, dignitaries and high civil and military officials were present on the occasion.