PM vows to build smart Bangladesh on Independence Day

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has greeted the countrymen vowing to build a poverty and hunger-free smart sonar Bangladesh marking the 53rd Independence and National Day.

"Bangladesh is marching ahead on the highway of development. Let us build a poverty and hunger-free "sonar Bangladesh" being inspired by the Father of the Nation's ideal. Bangladesh will be a smart country," she said in an Independence Day message on Sunday.

In the 51-second message of greetings, the premier said:

"Assalamualaikum, I am extending my heartiest greetings to all Bangladeshi citizens staying at home and abroad marking Independence Day."

She recalled with due honour all the martyrs including the great Liberation War ones on the occasion of Independence Day.

She said, "We achieved the victory through a 23-year political struggle and a Liberation War of nine months and got an independent and sovereign country under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."

The premier concluded the message by saying: "Stay well, stay healthy".

The audio-visual message was sent to each of the mobile phone users of the country and aired on different media including online platforms.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina released a commemorative postage stamp marking this auspicious day.

The PM unveiled the commemorative postage stamp of Tk 10, the opening day cover of Tk 10 and a data card of Tk 5 at a ceremony at her official residence Ganabhaban.

Later, Sheikh Hasina also unveiled a book, titled “Mujib’s Bangladesh”, published by the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry. 

Post and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali were present on the occasion, among others.

Before that, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid homage to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She placed a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka.

After laying the wreath, the PM stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu, also the great architect of independent Bangladesh and the greatest Bangalee of all times.

Later, she entered the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum and spent some time there, PM's Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Moon told BSS.