Devote yourself to the welfare of the nation

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged her party leaders and activists to work with devotion for the welfare of the nation and strengthen it with the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Hasina, also the chief of the ruling Awami League, was addressing a discussion marking the 67th founding anniversary of the AL held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.

She said it was only the AL which has taken the country ahead through bringing economic emancipation of people. "In sha Allah, we'll bring much more economic emancipation."

She said it is also the AL which has been working relentlessly to ensure the basic rights of the people of Bangladesh.

Hasina called upon her party leaders and workers to work tirelessly rising above personal interests.

She said, "If a political leader can work with honesty, then it is his or her biggest strength through which he or she could face any disaster or calamity."

Reiterating her vow to turn Bangladesh into a mid-income country by 2021 and a prosperous developed country by 2041, the PM said to attain these goals, each and every leader and worker of the AL would have to work with honesty imbued with the ideals of Bangabandhu.

Hasina claimed that her party has elevated Bangladesh to a dignified position in the global arena as the AL has given everything -- from achieving the dignity for mother language to the country's independence -- to the nation.

"We're pledge-bound to fulfill the expectations of the country's people," she added.

Taking a swipe at her archrival Khaleda Zia, she alleged that nowadays, the BNP chief has been telling blatant lies in iftar parties.