Saturday, April 20, 2024
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said it was because of the Awami League, Bangladesh could attain over five per cent GDP (gross domestic product) growth during the pandemic when many developed countries saw negative growth.
“We have given a budget for FY2022-23, when many developed countries are having negative GDP growth, Bangladesh maintained its growth over five per cent,” she said.
She said this while leaders of Awami League and its associated bodies greeted her at Ganabhaban in Dhaka, marking the 14th anniversary of Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s release from prison.
On this day in 2008, Sheikh Hasina was released from the special sub-jail set up on the premises of the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) Bhaban after remaining captive there for nearly 11 months.
The Awami League president was arrested from her Sudha Sadan residence at Dhanmondi on July 16, 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government, which assumed power in the political changeover of 1/11 in 2007.
Sheikh Hasina said that Awami League always has to step forward defying all odds and hurdles.
She said that whenever she was arrested she sent letters to the people, and leaders and activists of Awami League for giving them directives.
She said that in 1983 she was arrested after her return to the country. At that time she was taken to the DGFI office.
“I never bow down to anyone and never begged from anyone. I got the lesson from my father and family not to bow to anything unjust.”
She said that leaders and activists of Awami League always choose the right path and she also saw it during the time of Bangabandhu.
She recalled that the caretaker government was compelled to free her due to the movement and pressure from her party. They became surprised when they saw that Awami League collected 25 lakh signatures in just 15 days.
“This is Awami League, people are our strength,” she said.
In this connection, she mentioned that people are not the strength for the BNP as their birth happened through an illegal system.
ALSO READ: Sheikh Hasina's release day from prison being observed
Recalling her jail days during the army-backed caretaker government, she said that she noted down how the country will be governed and how the party will be run.
“I noted down how we will develop the country, and as a result there is electricity connection now in every house,” she said.
Slamming the critics of Bangladesh’s achievements, she said this section of people can't accept the country's development.
“I do not know why they are so mean minded and why they have such a poor mentality,” she said.
She said that the government has provided Covid-19 vaccines free of cost to the people.
“We know how to do the welfare of the people,” she said.
In this regard, she said that defying heavy international obstacles the government constructed the Padma Bridge with its own resources.
“The Father of the Nation liberated the country, this independence cannot go in vain, we will do our job, we will change the fate of the masses, no matter who says what,” she said.
She also said that the government has formulated Delta Plan 2100 for the future generations so that they could get a prosperous life.
