Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has extended her sincere greetings and congratulations to all Bangladeshis living in the country and abroad.
“I remember with the most profound respect the greatest Bengalee of all time, the great architect of Bangladesh, the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, under whose firm and far-sighted leadership we got an independent country,” she said.
“I remember the four national leaders, including the war organisers, who steered the liberation war with their able guidance.
“I pay my deep respects to all the fearless freedom fighters, including the war-wounded.
“I am grateful to all the friendly countries, organisations, institutions and individuals, particularly the then Prime Minister of India, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, for their generous support during the war.
“Bangladesh Awami League, after a long 21 years, in 1996, won the people’s mandate and got the responsibility of running the government.
“We took on the mission of transforming the lives of the poor and marginalised people by introducing social security programmes, making the country self-sufficient in food production, setting up community clinics to provide primary health care to marginalised people and building houses for homeless people.
“We strengthened the local government system; and made mobile phones and computer technology readily available.
“Our government signed a 30-year Ganges water-sharing agreement with India in 1996.
“To establish peace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, we signed the historic peace agreement in 1997 and repatriated the Chakma refugees who had taken refuge in India to Bangladesh.
“On March 8, 1997, we announced the women’s development policy.
“Bangladesh Awami League has been running the government since 2009 with the people’s unwavering support in all national elections.
“We transformed Bangladesh into a developing country by implementing Vision 2021, creating a digital Bangladesh, and bringing 100 per cent of people under electricity coverage.
“We constructed the Padma Bridge with our own funds and inaugurated Metrorail.
“Mega-projects like the Matarbari Power project, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, Sonadia Deep Sea Port, Dhaka Elevated Expressway, and so on, are progressing faster.
“We launched the Bangabandhu-1 satellite into space; and inaugurated 100 bridges and 100 roads and highways in a single day.
“Currently, our per capita income has risen to $2,824. We formulated the Second Perspective Plan, Vision-2041, for the next 20 years and have started implementing it.
“Bangladesh in 2041 will be a ‘Smart Bangladesh’ and we are also implementing the ‘Bangladesh Delta Plan-2100’ for our future generation.
“We established the rule of law in the country by enforcing the verdict on trial against the killers of the Father of the Nation and the war crimes against humanity.
“We are running our government through immediate, short, medium and long-term plans to make life easier for ordinary people and develop the country.
“Moreover, we regularly monitor the implementation progress of our election manifesto. Due to these reasons, people’s trust and strong support for Awami League continues.
“On this auspicious occasion of Independence Day and National Day, I call upon all Bangladeshis to nurture the spirit and ideals of the Great Liberation War and participate in building the hunger-poverty-free, self-confident, and self-respecting ‘Golden Bangladesh’ of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahrnan’s dream.”
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