 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday pledged to turn the country into a modern welfare state by 2021, coinciding the golden jubilee of independence by implementing her election manifesto "a charter of change" so that the next generation could reap the maximum benefit.
Sheikh Hasina urged all to put united efforts imbued with the sprit of War of Liberation for establishing healthy and prosperous Sonar Bangla, dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, free from poverty and hunger.
"Our government is totally committed to translate into reality the hopes and aspiration of the people who fought for independence of the country", the prime minister said while distributing "Swadhinata Purashkar (Independence Award)' 2009 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium here.
Laying importance to build the nation's self confidence and belief in achieving progress, development and prosperity, the Prime Minister said, no nation could achieve expected target of development with "fear and panic".
The function, began with national anthem and recitation from of holy books of different faith, while Bangladesh Television and Betar broadcast the award-giving ceremony live.
Earlier, Cabinet Secretary M Abdul Aziz read out the brief life sketch of the noted personalities who won independence award this year. Four illuminated personalities of the country received Independence Award-2009 in recognition of their outstanding and extra-ordinary contribution to and achievements in their respect fields. The award carries Taka 1,00,000 in cash, a gold medal and a citation.
The award winners included Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury (Literature), Abdul Matin (Culture), Prof AM Harun-or-Rashid (Science and Technology) and Ivy Rahman (Posthumously, Social Welfare).
Ministers, MPs, members of the diplomatic crops, educationists, intellectuals, senior journalists and high officials and elite attended the function.
Sheikh Hasina recalled the tragic BDR carnage and said, those who were involved in this mass killings did it to disrupt democracy and trial of the war criminals, and embarrass and weaken the newly elected government within 50 days of its assumption to the power.
She said that exemplary punishment would be handed down to those who were involved in the carnage killing brilliant army officers, jawans and commonman.
She said that government took the most quick and prudent decision in overcoming the BDR incident.
The Prime Minister said, development is an ongoing process. In the democracy, Sheikh Hasina said, government is changes but the development processes are continuing.
After the general election in 2001, she said, the nation has witnessed how the trend of the country's development, that we started, had foiled.
We left per kg rice price at Taka 10 but they compelled the people to buy per kg rice at Taka 30-35, the Prime Minister said adding that Bangladesh has been reduced as the country of militancy and grenade attacks while it became two term champions in corruption. She said, all the administration, police and armed forces were politicised.
Sheikh Hasina said, "We want to give people relief from such painful situation by materialising our Vision-2021', a charter of change to ensure massive social movement involving all segments of the society to establish a healthy and prosperous Bangladesh".
In the election manifesto, she said, her party had given priority to take effective measures against corruption, ensure economic stability, maintain price of essentials at tolerable level, take long term coordinated policy in power and energy sector, poverty alleviation, trial of war criminals and ensure good governance.
While listing chronological events of the long independence struggle, the prime minister mentioned that the movements for self-determination in fact had begun from the Language Movement.
Referring to the conspiracies of the then Pakistani rulers since the very inception of Pakistan, the prime minister said that Bangabandhu could well read their pulse and was sure that they would never accept our legitimate rights and shares. And from that realisation the father of the nation took all out preparation long before for achieving independence of the country.
Quoting from the historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu at the Suhrawardhy Uddyan, the prime minister said that the entire nation was guided by the dictations of Bangabandhu since he had announced the Non-cooperation Movement.
She regretted that the country could not achieve desired goal after 38 years of the country's independence.
The prime minister while highlighting the achievements of Bangabandhu in post-liberated Bangladesh during three-and half years tenure, noted that no nation in the world could ever build its country within such a short period as Bangabandhu did.
She said, Bangabandhu made the army, navy and air forces from zero while reorganised the BDR, ansar and police force while administration, judiciary and economy all others affairs started a new beginning.
Bangabanadhu was committed to democracy as he had realised that the real development of the people and transparency of the government could not be ensured without democracy.
"By the grace of almighty we shall build a poverty and exploitation free Bangladesh by 2021 to enable it to stand with its head high in the world community", a determined Prime minister said. Speaking on behalf of the award winners, Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury said, "The pain of losing freedom after winning it would be insurmountable."
"We've earned our freedom. But the curses of fundamentalism and militancy have not left us. Further battles lie ahead before attaining real freedom." ; |