Sheikh Hasina, the four-time Prime Minister of Bangladesh, was born on September 28, 1947 at Tungipara in Gopalganj. She is the first child of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujib. She has been at the helm of Awami League, one of the oldest political parties in the country, since 1981. Sheikh Hasina is also the successful and respected statesman who has created a new image of Bangladesh.
When the name of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina comes up for discussion, the name of Bangladesh comes to mind. As soon as Sheikh Hasina's name comes to the fore, the story of a state comes to mind. It is the story of the economic progress that has become a marvel all around the world and the reawakening of a nation. It is the story of the leader who is fulfilling the dream of 16 crore people.
The first child of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the story of Sheikh Hasina's emergence as a national hero was not an easy one. Her struggle is to fulfill the unfulfilled dreams of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was killed by an assassin. This is her fight to make the country self-reliant, to raise its head high in the world and take it to the rank of developed states and creative nations.
To implement this goal, Sheikh Hasina became the Prime Minister for the first time in the 1996-2001 period after overcoming many obstacles in the long political struggle. She served as the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh for the second time during the period of 2009-2013 and for the third time during the period of 2014-2018. Sheikh Hasina also served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Fourth, Fifth and Eighth National Parliaments.
Sheikh Hasina started her education at Tungipara. In 1965, she passed the secondary examination from Azimpur Girls School. In 1967, she passed her higher secondary education from the former Intermediate Government Girls College at Bakshibazar, Dhaka and the current Badrunnesa Government Women's College. While studying in the college, she was elected as the VP of the college student council. She was admitted to Dhaka University in the same year. She was active, vocal and a pioneer in the historic 6-point demand and student movement.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was in power for only four years and four months after the birth of Bangladesh. But the most brutal and fiendish political murder in the country's political history took place on August 15, 1975. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed in his family home by the anti-independence faction. On August 15, 1975, besides Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife Begum Fazilatunnessa, Mujib’s sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell, his daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosi Jamal, his brother Sheikh Abu Nasser, his sister-in-law Abdur Rab Serniabat, his nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni & his pregnant wife Arju Mani were killed by the assassin's bullets totalling a fatality count of 26 people.
Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, two members of the family, survived because they were out of the country at the time of one of the world's most brutal assassinations. Their survival keeps the dream of Bangladesh alive.
Sheikh Hasina is the one who brought the flag back for the people of Bangladesh, and made relentless efforts for the Bengali nation to raise its head in the world. She spent six years in exile after the brutal assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Sheikh Hasina returned home on May 17, 1981 as the newly elected president of the Awami League.
After returning to the country from exile, she embarked on the movement to restore democracy. At that time, she raised a strong resistance against the dictatorship with the promise of restoring democracy in the country with the help of the people. Awami League, the oldest and most successful political party of the country, has made a renaissance in every region of the country with the promise of nation building. Sitting in the same journey, in the hull of this boat, she heard about the ordinary people, about the suffering of marginalized people.
The people's leader Sheikh Hasina became the Prime Minister in 1996 after a long struggle in the tumultuous political scene of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh Awami League, the pro-independence force of the country under her leadership, moved forward with the promise of building the country anew by shaking off the dust that had accumulated for a long time in the country's democracy, economy, and culture.
After the change of power, she came to the Rajpath again. On August 21, the fundamentalist forces of the country launched another barbaric attack on her for raising her voice in favour of the country's independence, speaking of soil and people. Like Bangabandhu, the anti-independence and pro-Pakistan forces of Bangladesh wanted to kill her.
She came back from the door of death again. The brave leaders of Bangladesh and Awami League saved patriot Sheikh Hasina at the cost of their own lives.
The military junta, the anti-independence force, came to power one by one to push the country back again and again. The current Prime Minister has returned from imprisonment, repeated grenade, bomb attacks, and the courage to truly move the country forward aiming to bring smiles to the faces of the people of the country.
The 9th national election of 2008 was one of the factors that made Bangladesh stand tall in the world. Bangladesh Awami League came to power under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina during this period and took the country to a unique height.
Electrification of the entire Bangladesh, formation of a digital Bangladesh, formulation and implementation of sustainable economy plan, long-term business plan, good governance, good international relations, positive branding of the country and timely planned development of the financial position of Bangladesh are changing in a short period of time.
The country's per capita income rose to $2,824, with GDP growth reaching 8 percent for the first time. Only the average GDP growth in the last 13 years was 6.6 percent, exceeding 8 percent in FY 2018-2019. GDP growth was an enviable 6.94 percent in the Financial Year 2020-2021 even during the Covid-19 pandemic period. Even compared to neighboring countries, the rise of Bangladesh's per capita income has been described by world economic analysts as unprecedented.
According to the index of 2020, currently the 41st largest economy in the world, Bangladesh will become the 25th largest economy in the world by 2035. The main contribution behind which is Bangladesh's most successful prime minister and stateswoman Sheikh Hasina.
Since the birth of Bangladesh, a saying was often heard that Bangladesh is a bottomless basket. People's leader Sheikh Hasina turned that bottomless basket into the economic role model of the world.
Sheikh Hasina, who leads a state to the highest level of success, is a successful state hero. Trusting in her words, the people of all professions of the country moved forward with one goal. Bangladesh gained independence after a 9-month war when 30 lakh people sacrificed their lives. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a successful statesman, leader of soil and people.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s congratulations to you on your brave journey and greetings to you.
