President Md Abdul Hamid has asked people to measure how much Bangladesh has achieved in half a century against its dreams sown in the 1971 Liberation War.
“We’ve passed 50 years since independence, and it’s not a short stretch of time for a nation,” Hamid said at a key event marking the golden jubilee of victory over Pakistan in the war, in the South Plaza of Parliament on Thursday.
“It’s time to see how much we have achieved against the dreams, with which we became independent under the leadership of Bangabandhu,” he said, reports bdnews24.com
Joined by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind, Hamid said the responsibilities for the development of a country and its people do not fall solely on political leadership. “It is the duty of every one of us as an independent citizen of an independent country.”
“Freedom is people’s right. If we can use this right properly instead of keeping it only as an achievement, independence will be meaningful.”
“But the abuse of the right will diminish independence. Do not mistake arbitrariness for independence.”
Hamid urged all to work with honesty and sincerity at all levels to make independence meaningful.
The event also focused on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary. Hamid, who was a young acquaintance of the Father of the Nation, said Bangabandhu learnt political lessons from the people, not from books or academies.
“He knew the language of the people, their demands and needs, and he always stood by them.”
“Bangabandhu was such a great leader that under his leadership the Bengali nation was freed from subjugation and got an independent country.”
The president urged all to take vows on 50 years of victory and build a prosperous Bangladesh as dreamt of by Bangabandhu.