Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday expressed firm conviction to build the country as developed, prosperous and smart Bangladesh by 2041 to repay the blood debt of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“He had paid the debt (of people’s love towards him) by his blood. Now it’s our turn to repay his blood debt. And we’ll be able to repay the blood debt when every homeless person gets home and we can make the country a developed and prosperous one by ensuring food, cloth, home, healthcare and education for the people of Bangladesh,” she said.
The premier came up with the statement while participating in the discussion on a resolution brought in the House to pay tribute to Bangabandhu and take a vow for building his dream ‘Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal), marking his historic Homecoming Day after the 1971 Liberation War, according to UNB.
Awami League lawmaker Mostafizur Rahman (Dinajpur-5) placed the resolution under the section 147 of the Rules of Procedure, which was adopted unanimously by a voice vote following the discussion over the proposal.
Hasina said the people of Bangladesh had taken up arms in their hands responding to the call of the Father of the Nation and shed their blood and made the country an independent one.
So, the Father of the Nation in his historic speech delivered in then Race Course maidan returning home on January 10, 1972 promised to repay the debt of this Bengali nation’s love toward him anyhow even with his blood, she said adding that he repaid the debt with his blood.
The PM said her government has successfully implemented its Vision-2021 and turned the country into a developing country in 2021 during the golden jubilee of the country’s independence and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation.
She said her government has implemented the pledges whatever her party Awami League made in the 2008, 2014 and 2018 election manifestos.
“We’ll build a develop-prosperous-golden Bangladesh by 2041 after completing Bangladesh's graduation into a developing country by 2026,” she said.
Noting that her government turned the country into a Digital Bangladesh, the premier said, “We’ll build the country as a hunger-poverty-free Sonar Bangla as dreamt by the Father of the Nation, which would be smart Bangladesh having the population equipped with modern technological knowledge. Then it would be repayment of the blood debt of the Father of the Nation,” she added.
Hasina elaborated the lifelong struggles and sacrifices of the Father of the Nation for establishing an independent Bangladesh and bringing smiles on the faces of the people.
AL lawmakers Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, advocate Qamrul Islam and Nurul Islam Nahid, Jatiya Party MPs Kazi Firoz Rashid, Sayed Abu Hossain and Rowshan Ara Mannan, Jasod lawmaker Hasanul Haq Inu and Workers Party lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon joined the discussion.
In the resolution, Mostafizur Rahman said, "Parliament is in the opinion that the historic homecoming of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 10 is a special glorious day in the national life of Bengalis. Sheikh Mujib, the undisputed leader of Bengalis, returned home on January 10, 1972 after being freed from Pakistan's captivity 24 days after the victory in the Liberation War……. On this day, let us remember the greatest Bengali of all time and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and take a firm oath for building the golden Bengal as dreamt by him in line with the spirit of the Liberation War by bearing his ideology in hearts.”
The proposal also reads that the Pakistanis had taken various plans to kill Bangabandhu during his incarceration at that time. Bangabandhu was not only tortured, but also taken to the gallows. But the Pakistani rulers had to bow down ultimately to the popularity of Bangabandhu at home and abroad, and his indomitable courage. In the absence of Bangabandhu, the Bengali nation continued the bloody war following the path and ideology of Bangabandhu. On December 16, 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces were forced to surrender, it said.
Bangabandhu returned to the country on January 10, 1972 via London and New Delhi after being freed from Pakistan prison. On that day, he returned to an independent and sovereign country. 10th January is a special day in the life of the Bengali nation, it added.