Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said Awami League (AL) never forgets the contribution of the freedom fighters, adding her government is building the country with the spirit and ideology of the War of Liberation.

"We never forget the contribution of the freedom fighters (FFs). And that is why we've taken initiative to build Bangladesh with the spirit and ideology of the War of Liberation," she said.

The premier said this while addressing a reception accorded to the gallantry award winning freedom fighters of the armed forces and their heirs, marking the Armed Forces Day-2022 at Dhaka Cantonment.

She said they are searching out the FFs who are in negligence and are taking all out measures to ensure their facilities such as FF allowance.

"It's our duty to work for those who had taken arms in their hands in reply to the clarion call of my father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to make the country independent," she added.

She continued that there might be different ideologies among the FFs, "but we didn't look down on their contribution and didn't show any negligence to them".

The head of government said, "We will remember your (FFs) contribution forever. We are working to preserve the memories of the War of Liberation".

She added that if the young generation knows the history of victory by seeing the memories of the War of Liberation, they will be inspired and will try to know how to work for the nation.

She also said the government is establishing Muktijoddha Complex in each Upazila and has also taken measures to preserve the historic Suhrawardy Udyan where the Father of the Nation had given historic March 7 speech, delivered directives to govern the country after the independence and where Pakistani occupation forces surrendered.

"So, any one will never disrespect the FFs. None will see the FFs and their families in the eyes of negligence in future," the premier added.

She also mentioned that her government has increased the allowance for FFs and it will continue from generation to generation.

The prime minister said Bangladesh has witnessed huge development and prosperity as the AL has been in power for the last 14 years in a row.

"We have to advance more as a developing country and take the country forward into a developed one. And I've formulated that plan. We've formulated Vision-2041 and Delta Plan-2100 for the future generations," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that as the victorious nation people of the country will roam around the world with their heads ever high. "And we have achieved that. But, we have to advance more in the coming days," she said.

She also said the government is constructing houses for the homeless people to give them scope for changing their lives and fate.

"We are trying tirelessly. Now at least we can say that the people of the world will not see Bangladeshis in a neglected way," she added.

The premier said as a party the AL and the government never forget the contributions of the freedom fighters.

She added, "And that is why we have taken steps to build Bangladesh in line with the spirit of the Liberation War."

She said the country has to move further, creating its solid base so that it could step into the developed country from the developing one. "We are working for that aim," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said COVID-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, sanction and counter sanction has put Bangladesh in deep trouble along with the world and the prices of essentials have increased.

In this connection, she said that Bangladesh has to procure items like edible oil, fuel oil, wheat, corn, lentil etc. from abroad.

She mentioned that, "The transportation cost has increased, so we are facing problems. But we are not sitting idle. I've already urged all not to leave one inch of land uncultivated to ease the sufferings of the people and avert the economic recession."

The prime minister said the government is taking appropriate steps to overcome the problems arisen from the war, for which, the whole world is suffering a lot.

Briefly describing various measures for the freedom fighters and their families, she said that no one will never ever look at them with an attitude of dishonor and negligence.

- BSS

Bashundhara Group stands by 10,000 cold-hit people in Faridpur

Bashundhara Group, the country’s largest business conglomerate, distributed blankets among 10,000 cold-hit people of Sadar, Nagarkanda, Saltha and Sadarpur upazilas of Faridpur.

The blankets were distributed with the all out support from Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir.

Bashundhara Group's executive director and Faridpur district Awami League’s industries and commerce affairs secretary Advocate Jamal Hossain Miah distributed the blankets at Talma Union Parishad chairman’s residence on Friday morning.

Speaking on the occasion, Jamal Hossain Miah said, “Bashundhara Group always stands by the people of the country. With the help of Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir, blankets are being distributed among the cold-hit people across the country, including Faridpur. Bashundhara Group will continue effort to serve people in the future.”

After getting blankets, the poor people expressed their gratitude to Bashundhara Group for giving them worm cloth during this bone-chilling cold.

Bashundhara Group general manager Md Yunus Khan, Chief Operating Officer (Banking Sector) Md Razib Samad, Faridpur Press Club general secretary and Bangladesh Pratidin correspondent Kamruzzaman Sohel and Talma Union Parishad Chairman Kamal Hossain Mia were present among others in the event.

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader pays a courtesy visit to Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, Chairman of country’s leading industrial conglomerate Bashundhara Group.

Obaidul Quader was greeted with flowers by the Bashundhara family during the meeting at the Bashundhara Group chairman's residence in the capital on Monday.

Bashundhara Group Managing Director, Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited Chairman and Bangladesh Jeweller’s Association President Sayem Sobhan Anvir, Rongdhanu Group Chairman Alhaz M Rafiqul Islam, Awami League Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naem Nizam and Badda thana Awami League General Secretary AM Jahangir Alam were also present during the meeting.

Leaders of Narayanganj district and Rupganj upazila units of Awami League held a view-exchange meeting with Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan on the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Rupganj.

MP from Narayanganj-4 constituency AKM Shamim Osman, Rongdhanu Group Chairman Alhaz Rafiqul Islam, Rupganj upazila AL General Secretary Alhaz Shahjahan Bhuiyan, Vice-President Barrister Khan Mohammad Shamim Aziz, Bashundhara Group Director Liakat Hossain, Kanchan municipality Mayor Alhaz Rafiqul Islam Rafiq, former upazila AL Vice-President Khandaker Abul Bashar Tuku, Daudpur Union Parishad Chairman Alhaz Nurul Islam Jahangir, Rupganj Union Parishad Chairman Alhaz Saladuddin Bhuiyan, upazila AL Information and Research Secretary Kamal Hossain Kamal, Health and Population Secretary Dr Faisal Ahmed and Kanchan municipality AL leader Tariqul Islam Mughal were present at the meeting held at the Bashundhara Group Chairman’s residence in Bashundhara Residential Area in the capital on Monday.

The Awami League retains a “significant level of support” and there is still a lot for the government in Bangladesh to point to as a success story amid current challenges, says Michael Kugelman, director of the newly created South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C.

“We have to keep in mind that the ruling party Awami League has been in power since 2009 and it retains a significant level of support,” he said, noting that the party has been able to bring success stories on the economic front and in countering terrorism.

Kugelman said that even if someone talks about all the bad things happening in Bangladesh, the bottom line is that there is still a lot for the government in Bangladesh which helps it sustain a significant level of success and there are people who see reasons to support it.

Mark Goldberg recently sat down with Kugelman to discuss the recent protests in Bangladesh. The Foreign Policy magazine published the podcast recently.

Responding to a question, Kugelman said Bangladesh has been a regional success story for its economic growth. “It's a global success story.”

He described what had happened over the last few months, including consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war, high level of inflation, rising fuel cost and responses from the government like rationing electricity amid power shortages.

Kugelman said disruption in electricity supply was a major strain on the economy and sudden fall in economic productivity was an opportunity for the opposition to take to the street.

Corruption, one of the realities in Bangladesh, scandals in the financial sector could be another trigger for the opposition, he said, adding that economic problems and corruption gave the opposition opportunity to draw more attention.

Kugelman, however, said the protests launched by the opposition parties “was not a mass protest” but a partisan protest.

The foreign affairs expert said the government had the opportunity to explain the “temporary consequences” of external factors.

Kugelman said Bangladesh has demonstrated success in the area of counterterrorism and noted that there was a period when it was a significant problem in the country which had experienced series of deadly attacks.

He said the Awami League government took initiatives to crackdown really hard on the militants, and terrorism has not been a problem in Bangladesh over the last few years. “That’s another success story.”

Bangladesh has become a much bigger player on the global stage, including its role in peacekeeping operations and with its non-aligned and balanced foreign policy, he observed.

Responding to a question on “democratic backsliding” he said it is important to look back at the broader history of Bangladesh.

In the past, he said, BNP (when it was in power) was resorting to similar types of tactics and there were crackdowns as well as reports of enforced disappearances.

Kugelman said many things that are happening today were also happening when BNP was in power.

He said “undemocratic tactics” happen in many countries, including Bangladesh and elsewhere in South Asia, and described them as “hybrid democracy”.

Responding to another question, he said he does not think that there will be a Sri Lanka-like situation in Bangladesh as there are safety measures in the latter.

Kugelman said Bangladesh's economy is much more resilient than Sri Lanka’s has been. 

He also responded to questions on Bangladesh’s next national election which he hoped will be held as per the constitution. 

-      UNB