Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that Bangladesh is moving forward with the ideals taught by the great Language Movement of 1952.
“No country can progress without ideals. And the Great Ekush (February 21) has taught us this ideology . . . Bangladesh today is moving forward with the ideals, resulting in the change of fate of the people of the country,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said this while addressing as the chair at a discussion meeting organised by Bangladesh Awami League (AL) on the occasion of Mohan Shaheed Dibosh and International Mother Language Day at the AL office in city’s Tejgaon area.
“The Great Ekush (February 21) taught us not to bow down, it also taught us to walk with our heads high, and to go forward with ideals,” she said. Paying respect to all the martyrs of the Language Movement (February 21, 1952), the premier urged all to walk worldwide with their heads high.
“Today, we have got our independence only through the spirit that emerged from the Language Movement,” she said, adding, “We have to make this independence meaningful, and it must be carried forward.”
Sheikh Hasina noted that those who wanted to erase the history of the country’s independence distorting the truth will gradually go to hell.
“And the Bangalees will continue to hold their heads high in the world arena with their independent belief and this is the reality,” she added.
AL Presidium Members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Dr Abdur Razzaque, Advisory Council Member and Cultural Affairs Sub-Committee Chairman Ataur Rahman, Dhaka South City AL President Abu Ahmed Mannafi, Dhaka North City AL President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman, Dhaka District AL President Benzir Ahmed and Bangla Academy Director General Poet Mohammad Nurul Huda also spoke.
AL publicity and publication secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap and his deputy Syed Abdul Awal Shameem moderated the discussion.
At the outset, one minute silence was also observed to pay deep tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement.
Mentioning that the government is doing every work in a planned way and properly, the Prime Minister said, “We want to give a better life to the people of this country, and Awami League works with the plan to change the fate of the people further.”
She said that Awami League has earned people's trust, love and confidence because it works for the people, adding, “as a result of which people have elected us again and again through vote”.
Sheikh Hasina said people of Bangladesh witnessed the uplifting of their socio-economic situation in the last 15 years. “All people up to the village-level have seen improvement. The development of any country can’t be possible without following an ideology. And this ideology we learnt from February 21,” she said.
She said the sacrifice in the 1952 Language Movement had taught the nation to move with an ideology without bowing down to anyone.
The premier firmly said none can pull Bangladesh back anymore, adding, “We’ve to go forward with this conviction.”
Pointing at BNP, Sheikh Hasina said now they wanted to remove AL from the power through waging movement and resist the election, but failed.
She said the most fair, free and impartial election was held on January 7, 2024 after 1975.
“Despite making thousands of attempts, spreading false accusation, and carrying out various lobbying at home and abroad, they could not resist the people as they spontaneously cast votes,” she said.
The Prime Minister said larger numbers of young and female voters cast their votes this time.
She said now again they (BNP) are making very big (hollow) remarks that they would topple the government through movement. “Jamaat and BNP are there. Okay, fine. But some leftist parties are also there who would wage movement and make revolution,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina said that there have been many conspiracies to prevent her from assuming power, “but, I have come to power for fifth time”.
Referring to her announcement to build smart Bangladesh, she said that her government had framed Perspective Plan for 2010 to 2021, and formulated another Perspective Plan for 2021 to 2041 to determine how Bangladesh will move forward in the coming days.
“Our young people have to prepare themselves accordingly,” she added.
The Prime Minister said that the greatest joy and achievement prevail not in enjoyment but in sacrifice. “This should be remembered as millions of martyrs have taught us that.”
Mentioning that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also taught it, she said, “So, Bangladesh will move forward with his ideals. No one can pull Bangladesh back. We have to move forward with this motto.”