President for sustainable development to attain goal of independence

Staff Correspondent: President Md Abdul Hamid yesterday said people-oriented and sustainable development, good governance, social justice, transparency and accountability must be ensured in the country in order to achieve the desired goal of Independence.
“In order to achieve the desired goal of Independence, we must ensure people-oriented and sustainable development, good governance, social justice, transparency and accountability,” he said in a message on the eve of the Great Independence and National Day to be observed today.
President Abdul Hamid said forbearance, human rights and rule of law have to be consolidated for institutionalizing democracy.
“It is our sacred duty to ensure a safe, happy, beautiful and prosperous Bangladesh for the new generation,” he said.
He extended his heartfelt greetings and warm felicitations to the fellow countrymen living at home and abroad.
“On this day, I remember with profound respect the architect of our independent Bangladesh, the greatest Bangalee of all time Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On the fateful night of March 25, 1971, the invading forces of Pakistan suddenly attacked the unarmed Bangalees,” he said.
The President said in the early hours of March 26, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman officially declared the Independence of Bangladesh.
“We achieved an independent and sovereign Bangladesh through a nine-month long Liberation War under the able leadership of Bangabandhu,” he said.
He recalled with deep respect the millions of martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the War of Liberation.
“I recall with deep reverence our Four National Leaders, heroic freedom-fighters, organizers, supporters. foreign friends and people from all walks of life who made contributions to attain our right to self-determination and freedom movement,” he said.
He said Bangabandhu always cherished a dream of building a happy and prosperous country along with attaining political emancipation.
The present government has been rendering untiring efforts in materializing the dream of Bangabandhu, he said, adding that today, Bangladesh is moving towards the highway of development at an inexorable pace.
“We have achieved enormous success in various areas of socio-economic development including poverty alleviation, education, health, human resource development, women empowerment, reduction of child and maternal mortality rates, elimination of gender discrimination and increase in average life expectancy,” he said.
The President said poverty rate has dropped whereas per capita income has increased. A huge number of landless and homeless people are being rehabilitated, he added.
“The Padma Bridge, constructed with our own resources and the Metrorail has already been opened for traffic. Works of Payra Deep Sea Port, Karnafuli Tunnel, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s Third Terminal and Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant are also progressing uninterruptedly,” he said.
The President said Bangladesh has already elevated from a least developed country to a developing country.
He hoped Bangladesh will turn into a developed, smart and prosperous country in the world by 2041 with the continuation of development process.
The government has been able to maintain the economic growth for timely and courageous steps taken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina though the world economy is facing negative impact due to Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, he mentioned.
Abdul Hamid said the economy has turned around as a result of various socio-economic and investment projects, programs and initiatives taken by the government to ensure sustainable and inclusive development.
Huge amount of remittances sent by expatriate Bangladeshis has made an important contribution to keep the wheel of the economy rolling during this time, he said.
“To deal with this crisis, we also have to be frugal in the use of resources and follow austerity in luxury,” he said.
Based on the unprecedented achievements of the government in the country’s overall development activities and socio-economic indicators in the past years, Bangladesh will be able to face these challenges in the days to come, he hoped.
“The government has been consistent in upholding our foreign policy “Friendship to all, malice towards none” as enunciated by the Father of the Nation. Our achievement in the international arena, including the establishment of world peace, is also commendable,” he said.
Despite being a densely populated country, Bangladesh has set a unique example of humanity in the world by sheltering millions of Rohingyas who have been tortured and forcibly deported from Myanmar, he said.
In Bhasanchar, accommodation has been provided with all kinds of facilities for the Rohingyas, he said, adding that Bangladesh believes in a peaceful solution to this problem.
He called upon the United Nations and the international community, including Myanmar, to take early and effective measures for permanent solution to this problem.
President Abdul Hamid said by assassinating Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975, anti-liberation forces tried to erase his policy, ideology as well as to stop the trend of development and progress of the country forever.
“But the Bengali is a nation of heroes. Nothing could suppress the Bangalees. Bangabandhu has become the conqueror of death. Death has not dissipated him but has made him brighter and more glorious in the minds of Bangalees,” he said.
“It is our obligation to make the new and future generation understand that the way they are treading forward today is paved by our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The path shown by him will be the step of development and progress in the future as well,” he said.
“To speed up the progress of the country, let the nation embrace the spirit of the liberation war and the ideals of the Father of the Nation and move forward on the path of building ‘Golden Bangla’ dreamt by Bangabandhu – this is my expectation on the great Independence Day,” the president said.