PM wants no hindrance to country’s advancement

PM wants no hindrance to country’s advancement

 

DHAKA, Nov 21, 2021 (BSS) –

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said she did

not want to see any impediment towards Bangladesh’s advancement, calling upon
all to march the country forward by maintaining the ability it has achieved
to keep pace with the international standard.

“I just want on this Armed Forces Day (AFD) that the advancement of our
country will not be allowed to be hindered in any way and Bangladesh can move
ahead on the world stage with dignity and honour,” she said.

She was addressing a reception accorded to the gallantry award
winning freedom fighters of the armed forces and their heirs marking the AFD-2021

joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban here.

The prime minister also presented peacetime awards to the selected members
of the armed forces for their outstanding contribution to their respective
fields during 2020-21.

Sheikh Hasina, also in-charge of the defence ministry, said that the
independence achieved by efforts of all people and blood of hundreds of
thousands of martyrs cannot be failed, adding, “We cannot even let it
happen.”

“Bangladesh will move ahead with keeping the dignity we have achieved so
far. InshaAllah, we will build a prosperous “Sonar Bangladesh” as envisioned
by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she also said.

On behalf of the prime minister, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM
Mozammel Haque handed over the peacetime award to the recipients at the Army
Multipurpose Hall in Dhaka Cantonment here.

Chief of Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Air Staff Air
Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan, former Chief of Army Staff General Aziz
Ahmed and five more officers from the armed forces received the peacetime
award this year.

Marking the day, Sheikh Hasina also presented gifts to the families of the
successors of Birshreshthos and other gallantry award-recipient freedom
fighters of the armed forces.

PM’s Security Adviser Major General (rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Chief of
Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M
Shaheen Iqbal and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan
were present.

Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant
General Waker-Uz-Zaman gave the welcome address at the function.

The prime minister spelled out various measures taken by her government for
the advancement of the armed forces and other institutions.

She said, “We have been implementing huge programmes for the training of
the members of the armed forces and other institutes. So, we can now claim
that Bangladesh has achieved the ability to keep pace with any international
standard organization.”

Sheikh Hasina recalled the contribution of the armed forces to the
Liberation War, saying that the armed forces personnel and the freedom
fighters planned to attack collectively the Pakistani occupation forces on
November 21 in 1971 while the allied force of India joined the plan.

She continued that the Pakistani occupation forces had been defeated and
surrendered on December 16 in 1971.

She also said, “Once, the most regretful thing was to dishonor the freedom
fighters, who fought for their country’s liberation, leaving everything
behind. Such a time had come after August 15, 1975 (assassination of the
Father of the Nation) that the freedom fighters feared to give their
identities as freedom fighters.”

After Bangabandhu’s assassination along with most of his family members,
Sheikh Hasina said that the history of the Liberation had been destroyed to
erase the name of the Father of the Nation from the history, she said.

The prime minister added: “I don’t know whether any country of the world
tries to distort the history of their “Bijoygatha” (victory). But, such
heinous act happened in this country.”

Despite the BNP-Jamaat clique tried to remove the name of Bangabandhu from
the history, the UNESCO has recognised the historic March 7 Speech of the
Father of the Nation as part of the world’s documentary heritage while it has
also started giving award titled “UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman International Award on Creative Economy.”

After assuming power in 1996, the premier said they have reinstated the
honour and dignity which was achieved by the Liberation War and but was later
destroyed by killing the architect of the country’s independence on August 15
in 1975.

She added: “We are running the country imbued with the spirit of the
Liberation War and ideal of Bangabandhu.”

The prime minister said they have turned Bangladesh into a developed one
following the footprints of the Father of the Nation and vowed to bring
smiles on the faces of the countrymen by giving them an improved life.

সর্বশেষ