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PM-BIRTH-CENTENARY-CELEBRATION
It’s time to move forward overcoming all hurdles: PM
DHAKA, March 17, 2021 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today vowed to advance the country further by overcoming all hurdles, calling upon all to join the efforts to build a developed Bangladesh by 2041.
“Now it’s time to move forward. There is no scope to look behind … overcoming all obstacles, we shall establish this country as Bangabandhu’s exploitation-deprivation-free, hunger-poverty-illiteracy-free, non-communal ‘Sonar Bangladesh’ (Golden Bangladesh) Insha Allah,” she said.
The Prime Minister was speaking at the grand opening ceremony of 10-day nationwide celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Birth Centenary coinciding with the Golden Jubilee of 1971 Independence at the National Parade Square here.
Sheikh Hasina simultaneously cautioned the countrymen about anti-liberation forces, saying they are still out to foil the country’s achievements.
“… but we’ve to be very careful. Anti-Bangladesh forces are still active at home and abroad. They want to disparage this achievement through various malpractices,” she said.
On the happy birthday of Father of the Nation, she urged all to resist unitedly all evil-sprouts and take the beloved motherland forward towards the path of development and progress.
President Abdul Hamid and his wife Rashida Khanam joined the ceremony along with visiting Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his spouse Fazna Ahmed.
The programme began with the national anthem sung collectively by 100 young children marking the grand opening of the celebrations at the Parade Square.
The children then sang in chorus several songs of Biswa Kabi Rabindranath Tagore, National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and several others at the function, joined by, among others, Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana and chaired by Sheikh Hasina, the elder daughter of the country’s founder. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and famous British journalist Mark Talley sent congratulatory messages on the first day of the function at the Parade Square where verses from the holy Quran and the scriptures of the followers of other faiths were recited.
Presentation of video footages of Bangabandhu’s historic addresses and comments along with title graphic of ‘Mujib Chirantan’, eye-catching flying past by Bangladesh Air Force and presentation of a vast of Bangabandhu by Chinese President were displayed at the function where national-level singers along with young artistes sang the Mujib Year’s theme song titled “Tumi Banglar Dhrubo Tara and Banglar Batighar” authored by poet Kamal Chowdhury and composed by Nakib Khan.
Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana also joined the chorus.
The theme of the 10-day event is “Mujib Chirantan” but separate theme for each day has been taken and opening day’s theme is “Vengechho Duar Esechho Jotirmoy”.
President of the National Implementation Committee for Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Centenary Celebration National Professor Dr Rafiqul Islam delivered welcome address.
MORE/AHJ/MAK/GA/SH/1956 hrs