Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she dedicated her political career to the deprived people of the country.
"My politics is for the exploited and deprived people....I will be successful when we can change their fate through improving their lives," she said.
The Prime Minister came up with the statement while addressing a reception rally at historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the city on Saturday, reports UNB.
Ruling Awami League arranged the rally to accord a mass reception to her in recognition of her role in achieving remarkable development and achievements in different fields of the country.
The Prime Minister said her government is working to ensure food, accommodation and improved lifestyle for the country's people, particularly the rural people, as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.
"We have no desire to gain anything ... our only goal is to ensure food, clothes and improved lifestyle for people," she added.
The Prime Minister said those who had come to power in the past were busy making their own fortunes after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.
"The voting right of people was also snatched after the 15th August 1975," she said.
"I had to pass a bumpy path upholding my ideology with the only goal that I must fulfil my father's dream. I won't regret if I lose my life in doing so," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said she had to pass days enduring odds and obstacles after 1975.
"I fell victim to many conspiracies, but I never compromised with my own principles and ideology," she said.
Earlier, the Prime Minister reached the reception venue around 3:30 pm amid cheers and slogans of support from the crowd.
The cultural programme began after Sheikh Hasina took her seat. Singer and MP Momtaz Begum began the event with a song.
Awami League Presidium member and Deputy Leader on the Parliament Syeda Sazeda Chowdhury presided over the event.
Though the event was to start at 3pm, the ruling party’s activists and supporters, many in red and green caps and shirts, began to gather at the Suhrawardy Udyan early in the afternoon.
Party leaders have said that a 30-minute documentary film on the history and culture of Bangladesh was scheduled to be displayed at the event.
A cultural function was arranged with the participation of noted singers at12 noon before the formal beginning of the function.
The venue, Suhrawardy Udyan, was decorated with great fanfare. A huge L-shaped podium was set at the venue. The entire area was illuminated.
A total of 20,000 seats were arranged in front of the L-shaped stage, but many others are standing outside the premises.
At least 40 archways decked with photographs of the Prime Minister and her various achievements were also erected from the Matsya Bhaban to Ramna VIP gate.
The western side of the stage is also exhibiting drawings depicting the Prime Minister’s various achievements.
City streets from Prime Minister's official residence Ganabhaban to the reception venue Suhrawardy Udyan also have been decorated with banners and festoons.
According to bdnews24.com, the ruling party is celebrating a number of the Prime Minister’s achievements, including the launch of the Bangabandhu-1 satellite, Bangladesh’s graduation from ‘least developed’ to ‘developing’ country status, her reception of the Global Women’s Leadership Award in Australia and the PhD in Literature she received from the Kazi Nazrul Islam University in India.