Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said no one can stop Bangladesh’s march towards development if the country is run in accordance with the plans formulated by the ruling Awami League.
“If the country goes with these plans no one will be able to restrict the forward march of the country. This is my firm belief,” she told parliament, speaking at an unscheduled discussion on the occasion of the 73rd founding anniversary of the Awami League.
The leader of the House said the government has formulated the plans to transform Bangladesh into an advanced country.
She mentioned that her government has adopted Delta Plan 2100 and formulated plans to make the country a prosperous and developed one by 2041.
“If the Awami League stays in power to serve the people, Bangladesh will surely be a developed and prosperous country in future,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Awami League means Bangladesh’s independence, attainment of the right to speak in mother tongue, developed and Golden Bangladesh.
“The birth of Awami League was for a special reason,” she recalled.
She mentioned that just seven months into the independence of Pakistan, the Pakistani rulers adopted a hostile attitude towards then-East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and its people.
She said then-Pakistani rulers prevented Bangalis from speaking in their mother tongue, exploited them socioeconomically and tortured them.
“To protest that, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman forged the Language Movement, established Chhatra League, and from the very beginning of the Awami League he was with it,” she said.
She also mentioned that the Awami League since its inception in 1949 engaged in establishing the rights of the people of this country.
“The Awami League is the organization of the people of Bangladesh. The Awami League always waged movement for the oppressed and neglected people of the country. For this, many Awami League leaders and activists laid their lives,” she added.
The prime minister said the leaders and activists of the Awami League are always beside the people of the country in any calamity.
“To serve the people is our duty and responsibility. This is our ideology,” she said.
She said the Awami League restored democracy in the country after it was snatched by the military rulers following the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975.
Bangladesh is developing as democracy prevails, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the Padma Bridge has been built with the country’s own resources.
“Like this way, Bangladesh will be advancing and it will never be dependent on others and never to beg to anyone. With its own dignity, Bangladesh will raise its head in the world arena,” she said.
Awami League lawmakers Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed also took part in the discussion.
