The 75th birthday of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the Bangladesh Awami League, was celebrated across the country on Tuesday amid a special mass vaccination campaign and different programmes.
Hasina, the eldest among the five children of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, was born at Tungipara in Gopalganj on September 28, 1947.
The ruling Awami League and its affiliated organisations celebrated the day by holding various programmes, highlighting her life and achievements, reports UNB.
Various programmes like discussions, doa and milad-mahfil, special prayers and photo exhibitions were organised in the capital and elsewhere across the country marking her birthday.
More importantly, a nationwide mass vaccination campaign was conducted on the day targeting to inoculate 8.0 million people on the occasion of Hasina's birthday.
As part of the AL central programmes, a discussion was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital in the morning.
Besides, doa and milad-mahfil were arranged at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque and all other mosques throughout the country after Zahr prayers.
Special prayers were also offered at International Buddhist Monastery (Bihar) in Merul Badda, Christian Association Bangladesh (CAB) Mirpur Baptist Church, Jakmala Rani Church in Tejgaon and Dhakeshwari Temple on the day. AL central leaders were present at the events.
Alongside all AL units up to the ward level, the AL’s associate bodies, social and cultural organisations and their leaders and activists at all levels celebrated the day through various programmes.
Hasina assumed office on January 7, 2019, for the fourth time after her party-led grand alliance won the eleventh parliamentary election held on December 30, 2018.
She served as Prime Minister for the first time in 1996-2001, the second term in 2009-2013, and the third term in 2014-2018. Hasina served as the Leader of Opposition thrice.
Hasina spent much of her childhood in her ancestral small hamlet in Tungipara. When Bangabandhu was elected a legislator, his family moved to Dhaka in 1954. She graduated from the University of Dhaka in 1973.
Hasina was elected vice-president of the Students Union of the Government Intermediate Girls College when she contested as a candidate from the Students League.
Later, she served as secretary and then as president of the college unit of the Student League. She was also a member of the Students League at Dhaka University and became the secretary of the Rokeya Hall unit. She actively participated in all mass movements from her student life.
Bangabandhu, along with the members of his family, was brutally assassinated on the fateful night of August 15, 1975. Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana were the only survivors as they were in West Germany at that time.
Hasina was unanimously elected president of the Bangladesh Awami League in 1981 in her absence as she was in forced exile. She finally returned home on May 17, 1981, ending six years in exile.
She faced the wrath of the then rulers on her return as she launched a movement to restore democracy in the country. Hasina was detained time and again, and at least 22 bids were made on her life.