In a message on the 65th founding anniversary of Bangladesh Awami League (AL), Prime Minster (PM) Sheikh Hasina recalled the days of adversity and triumph, reports BSS.
She said: "I recall with respect father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."
She also paid respect to the innumerable workers, leaders and sympathisers whose unflinching dedication had brought the party to its current standing.
The PM also recalled the role of the founding president Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and general secretary Shamsul Huq. She also paid glowing tributes to Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy. She recalled that the party was established on June 23, 1949 at "Rose Garden" in KM Das Lane in Dhaka.
'From its very inception, the party was always involved with every movement for the rights of the people. In 1952, during the Language Movement, the party played a significant role.
In 1954, it was crucial in forging an alliance with other opposition parties and won the East Bengal elections on a platform of autonomy.
In 1962, it was once again at the forefront of the anti-Ayub movement.
In 1964, it spearheaded the movement to restore peace after the communal riots.
In 1966, it proposed the 'six-points' programme and later in 1969 overthrew Ayub in a mass upsurge.
In the general elections of 1970, the people of Bangladesh gave an absolute majority to the AL and in continuation Bangabandhu on March 7, 1971 told the people "the struggle now was for freedom, for independence."
Despite the Dark Night of March 25, 1971 the people of this country under the leadership of AL succeeded in freeing the country from the clutches of the occupiers within a short span of nine months.
After independence when father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was busy rebuilding the nation, the anti-national forces struck again. On August 15, 1975 they killed Bangabandhu and his family.
A few months later, on November 3, 1975 the four national leaders were killed in prison to make AL leaderless.
But the leaders and workers of AL regrouped and in 1996 AL again returned to power.
