DHAKA, March 20, 2019 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked all
concerned to take a pragmatic approach to reach the birth centenary
celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the
grassroots so that the people can know the true history of the Liberation
War.
“We will take measures to hold the birth centenary celebration of Father
of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the grassroots so that the
people can know the true history of Liberation War,” she said while presiding
over a maiden joint meeting for celebration of birth centenary of Bangabandhu
at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) this morning.
She stressed the need for not limiting the celebration to only Dhaka and
big cities of the country so the people could be imbued with the spirit of
Liberation War and extend their hands in building Bangladesh as a respected
country in the world.
There should be a realistic strategy on how the life and works of
Bangabandhu would be projected to the next generation in a proper manner so
that they can get encouragement to engage themselves in welfare of the
nation, following Bangabandhu’s ideals, she mentioned.
The premier requested all concerned to concentrate on not making the birth
centennial celebration of Bangabandhu a mere formality.
She also suggested involving all the pro-liberation parties, social and
cultural organizations and all other bodies including educational institutes
in the birth centenary celebration of Bangabandhu instead of limiting the
event to among bureaucrats.
Joint meeting of the National Committee for the Nationwide Celebration of
the Birth Centenary of Bangabandhu and the Birth Centenary Celebration
National Implementation Committee was held at the PMO this morning.
The meeting was convened to draw up elaborate programmes to celebrate the
year-long birth centenary from March 17, 2020 to March 17, 2021.
Earlier on February 15, the government formed the 102-member National
Committee for the Nationwide Celebration of the Birth Centenary of
Bangabandhu.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been made the president of the committee,
while PM’s former principal secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury is its
member secretary.
The government also constituted the 61-member Birth Centenary Celebration
National Implementation Committee.
National Professor Mohammad Rafiqul Islam and PM’s former principal
secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury have been made president and chief
coordinator of the committee respectively.
In an apparent reference to BNP-Jamaat clique, the premier said “They have
tried to erase the contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman in Language Movement and the Liberation War as well.”
“People could not know Bangabandhu’s contribution for 21 years. But, truth
can never be suppressed by anyone. Truth must come into light and takes its
position and now we are getting the proof of it,” she mentioned.
The premier reiterated her commitment to building a ‘Sonar Bangladesh’
freeing from hunger, poverty and illiteracy as dreamt by Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bangabandhu has dedicated his whole life for the cause of the people as he
deeply loved them. He wanted to see Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous
nation where people would not be oppressed, intimidated and deprived.
Bangladesh is going ahead with the ideals of Father of the Nation to turn
Bangabandhu’s dream into a reality, she said, adding that per capita income
has already reached $1909 and the growth of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is
forecasted to cross 8 percent.
Highlighting the contribution of Father of the Nation, the prime minister
said Bangabandhu had got just only three and a half years time and by this
time, he rebuilt the war-ravaged country and shaped Bangladesh as an
independent nation.
Bangabandhu had given the political liberty and taken initiatives for
giving economic emancipation by taking all measures to turn a province into a
country with giving a constitution to run it, she continued.
She said Bangladesh would successfully celebrate the birth centenary of
Father of the Nation in 2020 and golden jubilee of the Independence in 2021.
The government has already declared 2020-2021 as ‘Mujib Barsha’, she went
on saying.
Sheikh Hasina said the committees and sub-committees will be formed as per
the recommendations of two committees formed for making Bangabandhu’s birth
centenary celebration a success.
National Professor Dr Anisuzzaman was present on the dais.
Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain,
former Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Birth Centenary Celebration National
Implementation Committee President National Professor Rafiqul Islam were also
present on the dais and spoke on the occasion as members of the committees.
Among others, AL Advisory Council Members Amir Hossain Amu, and Tofail
Ahmed, Presidium Members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Matia Chowdhury,
Workers Party of Bangladesh President Rashed Khan Menon and JaSoD President
Hasanul Haq Inu, gave their opinions as members of the committees.
Members of the Nationwide Celebration of the Birth Centenary of
Bangabandhu and also PM’s former principal secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser
Chowdhury conducted the meeting.