The nation will celebrate the great Independence and National Day on Sunday taking a fresh vow to advance the country’s development and democracy building a happy prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ free from poverty.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on Saturday on the occasion of day.
“Being imbued with the spirit of our great Liberation War, let’s take a fresh vow to advance our country’s development and democracy,” she said in a message.
The Prime Minister urged all to join hands to build a non-communal, hunger-poverty-free and happy prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.
On this auspicious day of independence, President Abdul Hamid urged all, living at home and abroad, to work together imbued with the spirit of Liberation War and democratic norms to expedite the country’s progress and democratic advancement further.
“On the occasion of our great Independence and National Day, I extend my heartfelt greetings and warm felicitations to my fellow countrymen living at home and abroad,” he said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the 26th March is the day of earning self-identity of the nation.
“It’s the day of breaking the shackles of subjugation. On the eve of the Independence Day, I recall with deep gratitude the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, under whose undisputed leadership we earned our beloved independence,” she said.
She paid her deep homage to the 3 million martyrs and 200 thousand women who lost their innocence in the War of Liberation.
The Prime Minister also paid her tributes to four national leaders who led the War of Liberation.
“My homage goes to the valiant freedom fighters, including the wounded ones. I extend my sympathies to those who had lost their near and dear ones and were subjected to brutal torture during the war. I recall with gratitude our foreign friends who had extended their whole-hearted support and cooperation for the cause of our liberation,” she said.
The occupation forces unleashed a sudden attack and started killing innocent and unarmed Bangalees on the black night of 25th March 1971, the Prime Minister mentioned.
They killed thousands of people in cities and towns, including Dhaka. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman officially proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh at the first hour of the 26th March 1971.
Bangabandhu’s proclamation was spread all over the country through telegrams, tele-printers and EPR wireless.
The international media also had circulated Bangabandhu’s proclamation of independence.
Under the brave and dauntless leadership of Bangabandhu, the country earned the ultimate victory on the 16th December, 1971 after a 9-month bloody war.
The independence earned through supreme sacrifices of millions of people is the greatest achievement of Bangalee nation.
To ensure that this achievement remains meaningful, all have to know the history of our great liberation war and retain the spirit of independence. The history has to be passed on to generation to generations.
“Being imbued with the spirit of the freedom struggle, the Awami League government has been working relentlessly to develop the country,” said the Prime Minister.
She said, “We’ll turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041, Insha Allah.”
The Prime Minister said they have executed the verdict of the killing case of Bangabandhu and most of his family members.
“The verdicts of cases against those who committed crimes against humanity are also being executed. Our government is maintaining ‘zero tolerance’ policy to tackle militancy and terrorism,” she said.
The Prime Minister mentioned that they have stopped to take over power in an undemocratic way through the 15th amendment of constitution.
“On this auspicious day, I urge the country’s people to foil any plot of the anti-liberation, communal forces and anti-development and anti-democracy forces together,” she said.
The President, in his message said, the people of Bangladesh have a great love for democracy, development and peace. “They do not support any sorts of violence, including militancy and terrorism. We should keep in mind that the vibrancy of democracy and its institutionalisation are very important for attaining overall development,” he said.
Therefore, the President said, all have to maintain patience, self-restraint and forbearance in the national life along with showing respect to other’s opinion in a democratic pluralism.
“I hope people from all strata would play their due role from their respective positions to attain the objectives of independence and fulfill the hopes and aspirations of our people,” he said adding that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamt of transforming Bangladesh into ‘Sonar Bangla’.
The present government has set ‘Vision 2021’ and ‘Vision 2041’ to materialise Bangabandhu’s dream into reality, said the President.
“It’s my expectation that people from all walks of life would contribute towards building an IT-based happy and prosperous Bangladesh through implementing the Vision by the golden jubilee celebration of our independence,” he said.
source:UNB
