No more looking back, only marching forward: PM says

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said there was no chance for Bangladesh to look back as it was the time to march forward.

"Overcoming all obstacles, we shall establish this country as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's exploitation-, deprivation-free; hunger-, poverty-, illiteracy-free, non-communal Golden Bangladesh," she said.

The prime minister was delivering her speech as the chair of the inauguration ceremony of the 10-day long Mujib Year and Golden Jubilee of Independence at the National Parade Square in the capital.

It is not so easy to lower the position that Bangladesh has reached, Hasina said, adding that an excellent example of this is that the country has been able to successfully tame the destructive waves of the coronavirus pandemic. "But we have to be very careful."

The PM cautioned that anti-Bangladesh forces are still active at home and abroad and they want to disparage this achievement through various malpractices.

"On the birthday of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, let's unitedly resist all evil and take the beloved motherland towards the path of development and progress," she said.

Hasina said the wait for economic emancipation of the people of Bangladesh is coming to an end.

The country is going to celebrate the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation and the Golden Jubilee of Independence at a time when Bangladesh has received the final recommendation to join the dignified group of Developing Nations from the list of the Least Developed Countries in the world, she said.

She mentioned that the per capita income in Bangladesh has exceeded the respectable limit of US$2000, while the poverty rate has fallen below 20.5 percent, and the country has become self-sufficient in food grain production. The average life expectancy has increased to 73 years, she added.

"Bangladesh has made tremendous strides in the socio-economic indices. Today's achievement is the result of the relentless efforts of the last 12 years of the Bangladesh Awami League in government and the tireless labour of the people," she said.

Recalling the long struggle of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the country's independence, the PM said, "Our freedom is the fruit of the success of the continuous struggle for the status of the mother language started by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib on March 11, 1948 with the ultimate target of political-economic and cultural emancipation of the Bangali."

She said it was a war-ravaged country, which was under hundreds of years of subjugation. In just three-and-a-half years, he carried out the mammoth task of building a full-fledged sovereign state where people had been suffering from exploitation, deprivation, hunger, and poverty.

She expressed her gratitude to all the friendly countries and leaders who extended necessary help during the great liberation war, the struggles for freedom, and the post-war reconstruction of the country.

She said, "March 26 is our Independence Day. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of our independence. We're celebrating Mujib Year and the Golden Jubilee of independence simultaneously."

With the theme 'Mujib Chirantan' in mind, Hasina said, "We've undertaken special programmes at home and abroad from March 17 to March 26 this year.

"Today is its inauguration. However, we'll continue to celebrate the festival till December 16, 2021 as it is our Great Victory Day. Colourful arrangements have been made for various programmes."