History of AL, independence inseparable, PM tells JS

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina said in parliament on Tuesday that the ruling Awami League was wading through all odds and obstacles towards its cherished goal. Taking part in an unscheduled discussion in the house on the AL’s founding anniversary, Hasina said that there were many attempts to destroy the decades-old political organisation of this subcontinent but all the plots went in vain. She said the history of Bangladesh’s independence struggle was inseparable from the history of Awami League. ‘Awami League came into being on 23 June 1949 to see the sun of independence rise again after it had set on this day in 1757 (after the battle of Plassey),’ she said adding, ‘The father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the founding joint general secretary of the Awami League.’ The prime minister said that as a political party AL had won trust and confidence of the people of Bangladesh through struggle and sacrifice. ‘The party has successfully led all the national democratic and social movements.’ Hasina said Bangabandhu had led the nation to its independence. She told the house that Awami League since its birth in 1949 had been working relentlessly to establish a non-communal society. She said that the construction project of the Central Shaheed Minar and the declaration of 21 February as a public holiday were all accomplished under the leadership of Awami League. When Awami League is in power, there is socio-economic development, she said. ‘Bangabandhu initiated the historic maritime boundary delimitation and land boundary agreement, and we have only implemented those,’ Hasina said. Terming the 1996-2001 tenure of Awami League ‘a golden era’ for the nation, she said that at that time her government had made tremendous progress in all sectors and the nation achieved dignity. The government has been able to reduce maternal mortality rate and set an example globally in health, education, poverty reduction, and socio-economic development, she said. She told the house that the government had developed visions to make Bangladesh a middle income country by 2021 and the country would be able to take its place in the world as a developed country by 2041. The prime minister said Bangladesh would never fall behind; rather, the country would move ahead. ‘Bangladesh is the country of the royal Bengal tiger and our cricketers have proved it,’ she said. She called upon all to give cricketers inspiration and hoped that they would achieve more and more for the nation in future. News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net