Democracy now stands on solid ground, says PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said democracy in Bangladesh now stands on a solid ground with the economy being strong enough.

“Bangladesh is marching forward. Our democracy now stands on a solid base while the economy is strong enough,” she said while delivering her brief speech at an iftar party hosted in honour of the leaders of different political parties at her official residence Ganobhaban.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh entered the era of a developing country and its continuation has to be maintained.

Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of the ruling Awami League, said the government will ensure people’s improved lifestyle through implementing Vision-2021. “We’ll ensure education in all houses,” she said.

About the launching of satellite Bangabandhu-1 into the orbit, she said Bangladesh has set its footprint in the areas of sea, air, space and nuclear.

Mentioning that there was scarcity of everything in the country once upon a time, the Prime Minister said the Awami League government through its pragmatic steps banished this scarcity.

She said the government will build the country imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War. “We’ll make the country free from hunger and poverty as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.”

Earlier, the Prime Minister went round different tables set for the guests, exchanged pleasantries with them and enquired about their wellbeing.

Before the iftar, a munajat was offered seeking continued peace, progress and prosperity of the nation.

Prayers were also offered seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other martyrs of the August 15 carnage and the martyrs of the Liberation War as well as long life and good health of Sheikh Hasina.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushon Ershad, Jatiya Party Chairman and Prime Minister’s Special Envoy HM Ershad, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Engineer Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Bangladesh Nationalist Alliance leader Nazmul Huda and Samyabadi Dal leader Dilip Barua attended the iftar party.

Besides, other ministers, advisers to the Prime Minister, MPs, senior leaders of Awami League, Jatiya Party, Jatiya Party (Manju), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Workers Party and other political parties were present.