AL to uphold dignity of people's trust: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Awami League will uphold the dignity of trust and confidence that the people showed through the 11th parliamentary elections.

"We've attained the confidence and trust of people. We've to repay the dignity of that trust. The development spree that has started has to be continued. We've to advance Bangladesh," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a discussion at the Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh auditorium in the city on Friday, report UNB and BSS.

Awami League organised the discussion on the occasion of Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day.

The prime minister said mother tongue is a birth-right of a human being. But, unfortunately the rulers of Pakistan aiming at exploiting the nation, hit the language of Bengalis who were in the forefront to create Pakistan, she said.

Focusing on the history of the Language Movement, Sheikh Hasina said although the 21st February in 1952 witnessed the tragic incident, the movement for mother language began much earlier.

She said Bangabandhu was sent to jail time and gain for his role in the language movement. Bangabandhu was kept behind the bar at a stretch from 1949 to 1952, she said.

At the proposal of Bangabandhu, she said, the State Language Action Council was formed comprising Chhatra League, Tamuddin Majlish and other student organizations in 1948.

This Action Council had called for a general strike on 11th March in 1948 across the country. On that day, Bangabandhu was arrested while he was picketing in front of the Secretariat, she said.

“In the subsequent days, Bangabandhu was at the center of all movements and struggles. For his involvement Bangabandhu had to endure huge torture and persecution of the rulers,” Sheikh Hasina said.

Sheikh Hasina said it was the Awami League which included the provision of making Bangla as a state language after its win in the general election in 1956. The Awami League government had declared 21 February as the Language Martyrs Day and allocated fund form construction of Shahid Minar, she said.

After the 2008 election, the Prime Minister said, the country, which plunged into an era of darkness after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, started its journey towards the path of light.

"No one can put any barricade to that journey, no one will be able to stop that. We'll build the country as Golden Bangladesh as dreamt by the Father of Nation. All have to step forward after taking preparations," she said.

Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of the ruling party, said Bangladesh will be free from hunger which was the dream of Bangabandhu. "And that's our aim."

As the Awami League government in power for over 10 years consecutively, the development of the country is now visible, she said, adding that Bangladesh has achieved a dignified position among the people of the world.

"Bangladesh is now termed the role model of development. We've eradicated hunger from the country. We're uprooting poverty from the country and it'll be uprooted completely.

AL advisory council members Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed, AL presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and eminent novelist and Kaler Kantho editor Imdadul Huq Milon took part in the discussion.

AL joint secretaries Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, AL Central Working Committee member Akhtaruzzaman, Dhaka City North unit of Awami League president AKM Rahmat Ullah, AL Central Working Committee member Marina Jahan Kabita and Dhaka City North unit of Awami League general secretary Sadeq Khan also spoke.

AL Publicity and Publication Secretary and Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud conducted the function.

Earlier, a one-minute silence was observed as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the language heroes who laid down their lives on February 21 in 1952 for establishing Bangla as the state language, made the supreme sacrifice for independent Bangladesh, martyrs of the August 15, 1975 carnage and the victims of the devastating Chawkbazar fire.