DHAKA, Oct 18, 2021 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon
the nation to remain alert against 1975 like killings, coups and conspiracies
that could hinder the country's prosperity.

   "I urge the nation to be alert against killings (like 1975), coups and
conspiracies in Bangladesh that can impede country's progress and also
against assignation of children," she said.

   The prime minister said this while formally opened the "Sheikh Russel Day"
and distributed "Sheikh Russel Gold Medal" among the winners on the 58th
birthday of Sheikh Russel, the youngest son of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, through video conferencing from her
official Ganabhaban residence here.

  Sheikh Russel Jatiya Shishu-Kishore Parishad organized the function under
direct supervision of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Division at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) here.

  The prime minister mentioned that the Father of the Nation had enacted a
law in 1974 to ensure security for the children, saying, "How much
unfortunate it was that his children had to die by the hand of killers."

  Sheikh Hasina, the eldest sister of Sheikh Russel, said with an emotion
charged voice that the killers brutally assassinated Russel on August 15 in
1975 after killing his father, mother, brothers, and uncle (chacha) as he
wanted to go to his mother.

   She questioned: "Why was the baby killed? What was his guilt? What was the
guilt of others? Was it a crime to liberate the country?"

  The premier said that her government has been trying to ensure that no such
incidents would take place in the future.

   Describing the children as "future of the coming days" she said, "I want
everyone to perform their duties accordingly to give the children security,
love and a beautiful and meaningful life."

   Sheikh Hasina called upon the children to pay attention in study as
nothing is as worthy as education.

   "I just want to say to the children that do your study with attention
because education is the most valuable asset which will never be lost, stolen
or snatched away," she said.

  The prime minister urged the guardians to encourage their children to study
and take part in sports, cultural programmes and other extracurricular
activities.

   She said that the schools, colleges and universities across the country
are gradually reopening after a long hiatus due to the Covid-19, urging all
concerned to maintain health protocols to remain protected from the deadly
virus.

   Greeting the winners of various competitions, she said that giving a
reward is a recognition which creates fresh spirit among the winners to do
better in the future and create love and dutifulness towards the country.

  The prime minister distributed "Sheikh Russel Gold Medal" among 10 children
in five categories -- education, sports, science and technology, fine arts-
literature-culture, and children with special needs --- for their outstanding
contribution to the respective fields.

  The awards include a medal weighing one tola of gold, a laptop and a
certificate while prizes were also distributed among the winners of on-line
quiz competition.

  Besides, laptops are being distributed among 4000 freelancers out of 40,000
participants under the Learning and earning Development Projects (LEDPP) for
their outstanding performance.

  The prime minister also distributed prizes among the winners of the sports
and cultural competitions across the country arranged by Sheikh Russel Jatiya
Shishu-Kishore Parishad.

  She also handed over prizes among the winners of roller skating
competitions organised by Roller Skating Federation.

   The prime minister also unveiled the cover of two books -- one titled
"Sheikh Russell Jhore Jawa Phul (Sheikh Russel, a fallen flower) and another
on "Sheikh Russel Deepta Joyullas, Adommo Attabishaws (Sheikh Russel radiant
joy, indomitable confidence).

  An Audio-visual presentation on the life of Sheikh Russel was screened and
the theme song of the "Sheikh Russel Day" was also played at the function.

  The nation, for the first time, is observing the day in a befitting manner,
as the government had earlier announced October 18, the birthday of Sheikh
Russel, as "Sheikh Russel Day" under the category "Ka".

  The day is also being observed at Bangladesh missions abroad while
different dailies published special supplements today highlighting the
significance of the Day.

  State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid
Ahmed Palak presided over the function and it's Senior Secretary N M Zeaul
Alam, spoke on the occasion.

  Sheikh Russel Jatiya Shishu-Kishore Parishad Secretary General KM
Shahidullah gave a welcome address and Afsa Zafar Srijeeta expressed her
feelings on behalf of the children at the function while a parishad leader
Barrister Jahangir Hossain Rani moderated it.

  A doa was also held at the function, seeking eternal peace of the departed
souls of Sheikh Russel and other martyrs of August 15 in 1975.

  The premier later witnessed a colourful cultural programme performed by
artists of Sheikh Russel Jatiya Shishu-Kishore Parishad.

  Earlier, the prime minister unveiled a commemorative postage stamp and an opening day cover released by Bangladesh Post Office on the occasion of "Sheikh Russel Day-2021".

  On the occasion, she also used a special canceller.

  Minister for Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology Mustafa Jabbar and Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus were present.

  Sheikh Russel, the youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman and also the youngest brother of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,
was born on October 18 in 1964 at the historic Bangabandhu Bhaban at
Dhanmondi 32 no road in the city.

  He was brutally assassinated along with most of his family members,
including his father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on August 15, 1975
when he was a student of class four at the University Laboratory.

  To mark the day, government bodies, ruling Awami League and its associate
bodies, and different socio-cultural organizations have taken various
programmes to observe the day at national and international level.

  Recalling the mayhem after October general elections of 2001, Sheikh
Hasina, also President of the Awami League (AL), said the BNP-Jamaat alliance
committed genocide like the Pakistan occupation forces during the War of
Liberation in 1971.

  They killed and inhumanly tortured many leaders and activists of her party,
even didn't spare children like the Pakistani forces during that period, she
said.

   The BNP-Jamaat clique also burnt people including children to death by
carrying out arson attacks in the name of so called movement for ousting the
government, she added.

   The prime minister said after Bangabandhu's assassination, around 19 coups
had taken place in army and thousands of officers and soldiers of the force
were killed (in the name of trial) centering the coups by military dictator
Ziaur Rahman.

   Many family members of those army officers and soldiers even did not get
bodies of their beloved ones, she added.

   Other than army officers and soldiers, many AL leaders and workers were
also killed and tortured after the 1975 changeover, she said, adding that
bodies of many officers had disappeared.

   After assuming office, the AL government has been trying relentlessly to
give the people an improved life by ensuring every fundamental right, turning
Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country as envisioned by the
Father of the Nation.

  "I only want to ensure that there will be no injustice and repression in
the country and people will live a beautiful life," she added.

   Sheikh Hasina recalled the birth time of Russel, saying they all,
including her sister Sheikh Rehana, her brothers Sheikh Kamal and Sheikh
Jamal, were waiting eagerly to hear the cry of new baby and to take him on
their laps.

  She added Russel always stayed beside Bangabandhu after he got released
from the prison in February of 1969 in fear of losing father as Bangabandhu
was arrested in May of 1966 following the announcement of the six-point
demand.

   The prime minister said her father was arrested in May of 1966 after
announcement of the six-point demand and Russell was born on October 18 in
1964.

  "Baba (Bangabandhu) used to love children. He loved to feed Russel with his
own hand. He was again sent to jail and Russel was deprived of his love and
affection," she said.

  The premier, in an emotion choked voice, said that Sheikh Russell used to
cry after meeting their father in jail.

  "Russel used to cry on those days when they visited Bangabandhu in jail --
He (Russel) could not say anything as he was too little, but he had
suppressed his pain," she also said.

  As Russel liked to stay with his father, Bangabandhu took Russel with him
to different places after the Liberation War, Sheikh Hasina said, adding that
their mother also used to get ready Russel with the dress of prince court as
Bangabandhu would wear it.

  Noting that Sheikh Russel had a dream to be an army officer, she said, "He
(Russel) used to gather all the children together and do a parade whenever we
went to our village home."