Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday expressed firm conviction to make Bangladesh a developed, prosperous and smart country by 2041 to repay the blood debt of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“He paid the debt (of the people's love for him) by his blood. Now it is our turn to repay his blood debt. And we will be able to repay the blood debt when every homeless person gets home and we make the country a developed and prosperous one by ensuring food, cloth, home, healthcare and education for the people,” she said.
The was participating in the discussion on a resolution brought in the House to pay tribute to Bangabandhu and take a vow for building his dream “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bengal), marking his historic Homecoming Day after the 1971 Liberation War.
Awami League lawmaker Mostafizur Rahman placed the resolution under Section 147 of the Rules of Procedure, which was adopted unanimously by a voice vote following the discussion over the proposal.
Sheikh Hasina said the people of Bangladesh took up arms responding to the call of Bangabandhu and shed their blood and made the country independent.
Bangabandhu in his historic speech delivered at then-Race Course ground upon returning home on January 10, 1972 promised to repay the debt of the Bengali nation's love for him anyhow even with his blood, she said, adding that he repaid the debt with his blood.
The prime minister said her government has successfully implemented its Vision 2021 and turned the country into a developing country in 2021 during the golden jubilee of the country's independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu.
She said her government has implemented the pledges made in the 2008, 2014 and 2018 election manifestos.
“We will build a developed, prosperous and golden Bangladesh by 2041 after completing Bangladesh's graduation into a developing country by 2026,” she said.
Noting that her government turned the country into a digital Bangladesh, the prime minister said: “We will build the country as a hunger-poverty-free Sonar Bangla as dreamt by the Father of the Nation, which will be a smart Bangladesh, with the population equipped with modern technological knowledge. Then it will be the repayment of the blood debt of the Father of the Nation,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina elaborated on the lifelong struggles and sacrifices of Bangabandhu for establishing an independent Bangladesh and bringing smiles to the faces of the people.
Awami League lawmakers Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Advocate Qamrul Islam and Nurul Islam Nahid, Jatiya Party MPs Kazi Firoz Rashid, Sayed Abu Hossain and Rowshan Ara Mannan, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal lawmaker Hasanul Haq Inu, and Workers Party lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon joined the discussion.
In the resolution, Mostafizur Rahman said: "Parliament is of the opinion that the historic homecoming of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 10 is a special glorious day in the national life of Bengalis. Sheikh Mujib, the undisputed leader of Bengalis, returned home on January 10, 1972 after being freed from Pakistan's captivity 24 days after the victory in the Liberation War… On this day, let us remember the greatest Bengali of all time, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and take a firm oath for building the golden Bengal as dreamt by him in line with the spirit of the Liberation War by bearing his ideology in our hearts.”
The proposal also reads that the Pakistanis made various plans to kill Bangabandhu during his incarceration at that time. Bangabandhu was not only tortured but also taken to the gallows. But the Pakistani rulers had to bow down ultimately to the popularity of Bangabandhu at home and abroad as well as his indomitable courage. In the absence of Bangabandhu, the Bengali nation continued the war following the path and ideology of Bangabandhu. On December 16, 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces were forced to surrender.
Bangabandhu returned to the country on January 10, 1972 via London and New Delhi after being freed from Pakistan prison. On that day, he returned to an independent and sovereign country. January 10 is a special day in the life of the Bengali nation, the resolution added.