Our aim to ensure that people don’t suffer: PM 

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has said that the leaders and workers of Awami League have stood beside the people, avoiding iftar parties, and our aim to ensure that the people do not suffer in any way.

The Prime Minister said this at the handing over ceremony of ‘Swadhinata Purashkar-2024’ (Independence Award-2024), the highest national civil award of the country, at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital city on Monday. 

The award was handed over to 10 distinguished persons in recognition of their outstanding contribution to their respective fields at national level.

The Prime Minister asked all concerned to find out those who are working for the welfare of the people in silence to honour them with award.

Sheikh Hasina said, “A section of people work for the welfare of the country in silence. They never come to the fore front or are not intended to be exposed. They have been making contribution to the welfare of the people selflessly with self motivation”.

She said her government wants to honour these persons with award by finding out them.

The premier also greeted all who got the award for their contribution to the different fields.

Sheikh Hasina came down heavily on the BNP-Jamaat clique and their accomplices, saying they had distorted the Liberation War's history after assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975.

“After 1975, we have seen distortion of the Liberation War history, banning of the historic March 7speech and Joy Bangla Slogan,” she said.

She added several post-75 generations were exposed to destruction through teaching them the distorted history of the country's independence.

After assuming power, the premier said the Awami League (AL) let people particularly the new generation know the true history of the Liberation War of 1971.

And the historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu had been made international heritage document while the Joy Bangla Slogan have made the country's national slogan, she said.

The prime minister said once the freedom fighters and their family members were afraid of giving their identity due to having such horrific situation in the country.

The prime minister said Bangabandhu had started the trial of the war criminals after the country's independence and many of the culprits were sent to jail.

Sheikh Hasina said she returned to the country from forced exile in 1981 overcoming all the barriers mainly to run the country towards prosperity and development maintaining the spirit of the Liberation War.

She went on saying that Bangladesh was recognized as a developing country due to massive development by the Awami League government while the nation celebrated the golden jubilee of the country's independence in 2021.

Bangladesh will start its journey as the developing country in 2026, she said.

Now, Sheikh Hasina said her government has been working to transform the country into a developed, prosperous and Smart Sonar Bangladesh by 2041 in line with the 2024 election manifesto.

Refereeing to arson terrorism by the BNP-Jamaat clique for hampering country's journey towards prosperity, she hoped that they will come back to their sense.

The prime minister said they even try to solve the Rohingya repatriation issue through holding talks with Myanmar.

Valiant freedom fighters Kazi Abdur Sattar, Bir Pratik, Flight Sergeant Md Fazlul Haque (posthumous) and Shaheed Abu Nayeem Md Najib Uddin Khan (Khurram) (posthumous) got the award in the 'Independence and Liberation War' category.

Dr. Mubarak Ahmad Khan was awarded in the science and technology category, while Dr Harishankar Dash in medical category, Mohammad Rafiquzzaman in cultural category, Firoza Khatun in sports, and Aronno Chiran, valiant freedom fighter Prof. Dr. Mollah Obayedullah Baki and SM Abraham Lincoln in social services category.

Of the award recipients, Mohammad Rafiquzzaman expressed feeling on the occasion.

The Cabinet Division earlier on March 15 announced the names of the Independence Award recipients.

Each award recipient received a gold medal, a certificate and a cheque of honorarium.

Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain moderated the function and read out the citations with brief life sketch of the awardees.