PM urges BCL leaders to earn people’s trust

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday asked leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League to live up to its political ideals and have good manners to make it a dignified organisation alongside earning confidence and trust of the countrymen.

‘All the Chhatra League leaders should bear in mind its contribution in all the democratic movements including the language movement, six-point demand and Liberation War,’ she said.

The prime minister simultaneously asked the BCL leaders and activists to behave, talk and do politics in a way that would make the organisation a dignified one. She was addressing as the chief guest a reunion of incumbent and former leaders of the BCL marking its 72nd founding anniversary at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon.

Noting that Chhatra League had always played a significant role in any critical juncture of the nation, she said the BCL should work to win confidence and trust of the nation.

The prime minister declared Al Nahiyan Khan Joy and Lekhak Bhattacharya as president and general secretary of BCL. Earlier, they were made acting president and general secretary of the organisation.

Sheikh Hasina earlier witnessed a cultural function organised by the Chhatra League.

AL advisory council member Tofail Ahmed, road transport and bridges minister and AL general secretary Obaidul Quader spoke as former presidents and Khaled Mohammad Ali as an ex-general secretary of the BCL.

AL presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanok introduced former BCL presidents and general secretaries to the gathering.

A documentary on the role of Bangladesh Chhatra League in all the democratic and progressive movements including the War of Independence of 1971 was screened on the occasion.

At the outset of the function, a minute’s silence was observed as a mark of respect to the memory of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and late BCL leaders.

Recalling the role of the Bangladesh Chhatra League in the country’s all past movements, Sheikh Hasina said the organisation, founded by Sheikh Mujib, made important contributions to help reach all struggles to their logical ends.

‘If we prepare any list of the martyrs, then we will see names of Chhatra League leaders and activists who established the rights of the people by sacrificing their lives,’ she said.

She paid tribute to the BCL leaders who sacrificed their lives for the cause of people’s welfare.

The prime minister said, ‘Banganbandhu had established the Chhatra League on January 4, 1948, a period when the Pakistanis tried to snatch our mother tongue. The Chhatra League was organised to psyche up for the Language Movement.’

In this context, attempt was made to erase Sheikh Mujib’s name from the history of the Language Movement, she said, adding that, ‘Many used to ask what Bangabandhu did for the Language Movement as he was in jail at that time.’

Rebutting their opinion in this regard, she posed a question, ‘Why Bangabandhu was in jail at that time.’

He was in jail for organising the Language Movement, Sheikh Hasina said.

The historic March 7, 1971 speech of Sheikh Mujib was now internationally recognised while UNESCO was set to jointly celebrate the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with the Bangladesh government.

The prime minister said Sheikh Mujib entrusted the Chhatra League leaders and workers with the task of taking to the people the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan, the 6-point and the 11-point demand and idea of the proposed flag of an independent Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina said the Chhatra League first protested the assassination of Sheikh Mujib along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975 and first demanded the return of herself and Sheikh Rehana, who were not allowed to enter the country for six years after Sheikh Mujib’s murder.

Quoting Sheikh Mujib, she said that the history of the Bengali nation embodied the history of Chhatra League.

The prime minister asked the BCL leaders and workers to follow the ideal and philosophy of Sheikh Mujib, saying, ‘The Father of the Nation never thought of his wellbeing, rather welfare of the people and the country as well.’

In this context, she recalled that Sheikh Mujib’s studentship at Dhaka University was stripped off as he denied to give muchleka (affidavit) for his involvement in establishing the rights of fourth class employees of Dhaka University.

Noting that honesty and ideal were the strength of Sheikh Mujib, she said, ‘Bangabandhu did everything for establishing what he believed true.’

The prime minister asked the BCL leaders and activists to read the two books written by Sheikh Mujib ‘Asamapta Atmajiboni’ and ‘Karagarer Rojnamcha‘, saying, ‘If you want to be leaders, you should read these books to learn good politics.’

She also asked the BCL leaders to read the Pakistani intelligence report on Sheikh Mujib from which they could know the true history of Bangladesh and works of Sheikh Mujib.

The prime minister criticised late president Ziaur Rahman for giving arms and money to the students to use them as lathials (cadres) to continue the illegally grabbed state power following the footsteps of Ayub Khan. Later, Ershad and Khaleda Zia followed Ziaur Rahman, she added.

The prime minister described the year 2020 as very important for Bangladesh as the country is set to celebrate the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujib from March 2020 and March 2021, which was declared as the ‘Mujib Borsha’. The countdown of the celebration would start from January 10 as Sheikh Mujib returned to the country on that day in 1971.

She said, ‘My only aim is to build Bangladesh a developed and prosperous country as dreamt by Bangabandhu.’ she said.

Referring to the interview of Sheikh Mujib with David Frost, Sheikh Hasina said, ‘In the interview, Bangabandhu said that he loved the countrymen most.’

‘So I am working for the betterment of the people following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation’ she added.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net