Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has issued the following message on the occasion of her nation’s Independence Day.
“I convey my heartiest greetings and congratulations to my countrymen as well as all expatriate Bangalees on the occasion of the great Independence and National Day of Bangladesh.
“March 26 is the day that our nation earned its own identity. It is the day of breaking the shackles of subjugation.
“I recall with deep gratitude the greatest Bangalee of all times, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, under whose undisputed leadership we earned our coveted independence.
“I pay my deep homage to the three million martyrs and 200,000 women who lost their honour in the war of liberation.
“I also pay my tributes to four national leaders who steered the war in the absence of Bangabandhu.
“My homage goes to the valiant freedom fighters, including the wounded ones. I extend my sympathies to those who lost their near and dear ones, and were subjected to brutal torture during the war.
“I recall with gratitude our foreign friends who extended their whole-hearted support and co-operation for the cause of our liberation.
“The Bangalee nation fought against Pakistani rulers’ oppression and deprivation for 23 long years under the leadership of Bangabandhu. They were compelled to hold general elections in 1970.
“Bangladesh Awami League led by Bangabandhu won overwhelming majority in the elections.
“But Pakistani rulers instead of handing over the power to the majority party in a democratic way launched repressive measures against them.
“Bangabandhu in his March 7 historic address at the then Ramna Race Course Maidan declared, ‘The struggle of this time is for emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence, Joi Bangla’.
“The occupation forces unleashed a sudden attack and started killing innocent and unarmed Bangalees on the black night of March 25, 1971. They killed thousands of people in cities and towns, including Dhaka.
“The father of the nation formally proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh at the first hour of March 26, 1971.
“Bangabandhu’s proclamation was spread all over the country through telegrams, teleprinters and EPR wireless.
“Under his brave and dauntless leadership, we earned the ultimate victory on December 16, 1971 after a ninth-month war.
“The independence earned through the supreme sacrifices of millions of people is our greatest achievement. To ensure that this remains meaningful, all generations have to know the history of our great liberation war and retain the spirit of independence.
“Being imbued with the spirit of the freedom struggle, the Awami League government has relentlessly been working to develop the country. We have been accomplishing the unfinished work of the Father of the Nation. We have achieved expected developments in every sector in the last 10 years.
“Bangladesh has become a role model of socio-economic development in the world. Our government is maintaining a zero-tolerance policy to tackle militancy, terrorism and drug menace.
“For the first time in the world, we have formulated a 100-year plan called ‘Delta Plan 2100’. Bangladesh is one of the top five countries in the world for economic development. Ninety per cent of the development work is financed by our own resources.
“We have executed the verdict of the killers of Bangabandhu and the verdicts on war criminals are also being executed.
“Due to the continuation of the Awami League government, grassroots people are now getting the dividend of development. Bangladesh is moving forward and it will continue. The next generation will get a prosperous country.
“The people made Bangladesh Awami League victorious in the recent 11th parliamentary elections. We will fully honour the huge mandate that has been given to us. We will turn Bangladesh into a middle income country by 2021 and a developed-prosperous one by 2041, Inshallah.
“Let us come and uphold the development and democratic spree being imbued with the spirit of the freedom struggle. Let us engage ourselves for the welfare of the country and nation.
“Let us build a hunger, poverty-free and prosperous Sonar Bangladesh as dreamt by Father of the Nation.
“On this historic day, let it be our commitment.”