Stay united for country's development: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday called upon all to remain united to expedite the development of the country to materialise the dreams of the Father of the Nation, reports UNB.

"InshAllah, we'll build this country as hunger- and poverty-free Bangladesh as dreamt by the Father of the Nation...this is our vow today. We'll build the country... I urge the people of Bangladesh to stay united to expedite the development activities of the country," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a discussion programme organised by Bangladesh Awami League at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) marking Bangabandhu's Homecoming Day.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned to independent Bangladesh following his release from Pakistani jail in 1972.

She said it is the prime task of her government to improve the lifestyle of the people of this country.

"The Father of the Nation is no more with us, but his ideals are with us. We're are trying to materialise and fulfill the vision that he had spelt out in his speech in January 10, 1972 after returning home and the plans he laid out to run the country," she said.

Criticising those who always say Ziaur Rahman introduced multiparty democracy in the country, Hasina military dictator Ziaur Rahman did a mockery in the name of democracy.

"He [Zia] had tried to confuse the nation. Accepting that, some people appreciated him, but they never think anything deeply for a moment," she said.

Hasina, also the chief of Awami League, said Zia, in the name of multiparty democracy, had rehabilitated war criminals, given the anti-independence force the chance to do politics and returned the voting rights to war criminals. "This is not the democracy of people...this was the renaming of rehabilitating war criminals."

The Prime Minister mentioned that that is why Bangladesh could not move forward after the assassination of the Father of the Nation and destroyed the dignity Bangladesh achieved through the Liberation War.

Describing the significance of the day in the nation's history, Hasina said the people of Bangladesh on this got back their leader who inspired them for liberation. "Yahiya Khan hatched all the conspiracies to hang him but was forced to set him free."

On his return home, Hasina said, Bangabandhu revealed his vision to build Bangladesh as per his dream and devoted himself to rebuilding war-ravaged Bangladesh.

Under Bangabandhu's leadership, she said, Bangladesh for the first time achieved a 7.5 per cent growth rate and the people of the country started dreaming of a bright future.

"But, the anti-liberation forces did not allow this to happen." Hasina said the anti-liberation forces grabbed state power after killing Bangabandhu who had initiated the trial of many war criminals.

But, Ziaur Rahman freed them after taking over power, she said.