Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday slammed those who still refuse to chant the national slogan ‘Joy Bangla’, the inspiration of the liberation war.
“Those who still don’t chant the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan actually don’t believe in the independence of the country, the spirit of Liberation War and the ideology of independence of Bangladesh,” she told at a discussion joining virtually from Ganobbaban, according to BSS and UNB.
Awami League (AL) arranged the discussion at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex in Tungipara in Gopalganj on the occasion of the 102nd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children’s Day-2022.
Chairing the discussion, the AL president said the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan was once banned in the country and many AL leaders and activists lost lives for shouting this slogan and playing the historic 7th March speech of Bangabandhu at that time.
She said the freedom fighters had earned independence and embraced martyrdom chanting this slogan. But the clique of anti-liberation elements and killers banned the slogan, she added.
Sheikh Hasina emphasised teaching children the country’s real history and urged all to be vigilant so that no vested group can snatch the Bangalee’s achievements again.
“For this, the pace of development has to be continued integrating the countrymen (with the process),” she said.
The prime minister said, “We have to work for the betterment of the mass people integrating them with this trend of development.”
Apart from this, Sheikh Hasina stressed giving a lesson to the children – generation to generation – that 21 February is Language Day and the people of Bangladesh have sacrificed their blood for Bangla Language.
“And this day (February 21) is International Mother Language Day,” she said, adding, “the Bangalees have sacrificed blood for the mother language which is now acknowledged internationally and our children can know this.”
Mentioning that 26 March is Independence Day and 16 December is Victory Day, she said, “Everyone (children) have to be informed about the history of the sacrifices behind this Independence Day and the Victory Day.”
She added: “This might evoke patriotism among them (children).”
On this Children’s Day, she urged all AL leaders and activists to take initiative so that the children, generation to generation, can know the truth.
She said all were banned for 21 years, but none could erase the truth and “it has been proven today”.
AL presidium members Shajahan Khan, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, joint secretaries Mahbubul Alam and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, religious Affairs secretary Sirajul Mostafa, agriculture and cooperatives affairs secretary Faridunnahar Laily, organising secretary Mirza Azam and AL Gopalganj district unit general secretary Mahbub Ali Khan also spoke at the discussion conducted by publicity and publication secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap.