Dhaka,(Barta24): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared 2020-2021 year as Mujib Year on the centenary of the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
On Monday(March 18) she told this in a discussion meeting organized by Bangladesh Awami League in connection with the observance of 99th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu and National children day held at Bangabandhu International Center. As president of the party Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.
The Prime Minister told, ‘On the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation we have declared 202-2021 as Mujib Year. We have formed a committee for this purpose. I want that the preparation should begin right now from the union level across the country. The celebration will start from the date of birth next year. Because Bangabandhu gave us independence. To make the independence meaningful Bangabandhu dreamt of a hunger free , poverty free developed and prosperous Bangladesh which we shall have to be translated into reality.’
The head of the government called upon the people to take vow so that the anti-liberation forces, grenade attackers of August 21, arms smuggler, money grabber of the orphans cannot come to power. We must be cautious so that none can play with the fortunes of the people. This Bangladesh is the country of Mujib so the rights of people must be kept on high.’
Bangabandhu not only played heroic role in country’s liberation but contributed enormously in the great language movement since its beginning but unfortunately that has been ignored by the writers and others, she said. Bangabndhu embraced imprisonment in 1948 for demanding Bangla as the state language when the Pakistani rulers wanted to impose Urdu on us. But our history writers did not mention it rather highlighted the roles of other few people, she said.
In the discussion the Prime Minister said, the contributions of Bangabandhu were erased by the then government. It was revealed from Pakistani secret reports filed by the Pakistan intelligence department. In 1996 I collected those reports. I found the role of Bangabandhu in those reports. When at that time I disclosed the role of Bnagbandhu some accused me and wrote in the news papers that I ‘invented’ those facts.
Sheikh Hasina said that truth has come out when the Bangabandhu’s unfinished autobiography, diary of the prison and the secret intelligence reports were published. The secret reports have been published in two volumes. In the second volume the role of Bangabnadhu in 1952 language movement has been surfaced. How he contacted and inspired the language movement being imprisoned will be published soon.
The daughter of Bangabandhu said that the language movement was the inception of independence. After getting release from jail on February 27, 1952 he again started movement for making Bangla as state language. He then understood the West Pakistanis would not allow us to speak in Bangla. He realized more that these people(West Pakistanis)would snatch our everything and was not possible to live with them. Bangabandhu decided at that time we need a separate homeland for our survival. In 1958 after the promulgation of Martial Law by Ayub Khan, Bangabnadhu was arrested and put into jail for an indefinite period.
Regarding immediate past election Sheikh Hasina told that from 2001-2008 we had passed a black chapter but in 2008 people gave vote to Awami League but none raised any question. About 84% vote were cast. BNP got only 28 seats. Awami League got clear two third majority. Next they(BNP-Jamaat) tried to foil the election of 2014 but the people resisted their ill attempt. Awami League retained in power. Regarding election of 2018, she said that all the international survey reports have clearly pointed out that during Awami League government’s rule Bangladesh has advanced tremendously. They further mentioned in their reports that during this time we have reduced the rate of poverty, country is heading towards economic self reliance, per head income increased, militancy have been suppressed, people got back peace so they voted us, she categorically said.
But another group taking BNP, war criminal Jamaat in their fold jumped into election and faced a limbo. Even they were indecisive who would be their Prime Minister. They went to election when their leaders were in jail on charge corruption or fled abroad as a criminal. So this unprepared election mongers naturally were rejected by the people. Jamaat did not get a single seat. To make it worse they nominated 700 candidates for 300 seats. So how they will get vote, she questioned.
The meeting was jointly conducted by Awami League Publicity secretary and Information Minister Dr. Hassan Mahmud and deputy Publicity secretary Aminul Islam. While the meeting was addressed by presidium members Amir Hossain Amu MP, Begum Motia Chowdhury, Tofael Ahmed, Dhaka University History department teacher Prof Dr. Anowar Hossain, Awami League central Committee joint secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif MP, Organizing secretary Ahmed Hossain, former Food Minister Qamrul Islam, Women affairs secretary Fazilatunnessa Indira, member Azmatullah Khan, central relief & rehabilitation secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Dhaka City North Awami League secretary Sadeq Khan, Dhaka City South Awami League general secretary Shahe Alom Murud and others.