Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy said the dream of Sonar Bangla is to make development of the people and the country so that every citizen can lead a happy and prosperous life.   "Our Awami League government has been continuing its relentless efforts to materialize the dream of building 'Sonar Bangla'. Along with the government, youths are also coming forward to translate the dream into reality," he said.    Joy added: "Those who are spending their time, money and labour for the development of our country are examples of changemakers of Sonar Bangla. Their efforts are to resolve different problems of people. They are serving people with their own initiatives by establishing voluntary organizations."    He said this in a video speech played at the Joy Bangla Youth Award giving ceremony at Sheikh Hasina National Institute for Youth Development at Savar.    Recorded speech of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was also played during the event. Bangabandhu's grandson Radwan Mujib Siddiq, also a trustee of Awami League's research wing Centre for Research and Information (CRI), handed over the Joy Bangla Youth Awards to 15 youth organisations.    Joy said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had brought independence for the nation 50 years back.    "But then we had to cross very tough paths (after the assassination of Bangabandhu). But after 50 years of independence, now we can say with pride that Bangabandhu's Sonar Bangla is being materialized under the leadership of his daughter Sheikh Hasina," he said.    He urged all specially the youths to make their efforts from respective positions for betterment of the nation. Source: BSS AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday asked Awami League leaders and activists to follow Bangabandhu's ideology properly to build a developed and prosperous Bangladesh free of hunger and poverty. "We're working tirelessly so that the grassroots and rural people get the benefits of our achievements," she said. Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League chief, said this while addressing a joint meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee and the Advisory Council at her residence at Tungipara in Gopalganj. The Prime Minister said the main goal of the government is to change the luck of the countrymen. "Every leader and worker of the party will have to move with the ideology of the Father of the Nation. We'll build a hunger and poverty free Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Bangabandhu," she said. In this connection, she mentioned that Bangladesh has already attained high growth rate and has a strong economy. "...We'll continue our drives against terrorism, militancy and corruption," she said. Sheikh Hasina said the party has been in power for three consecutive terms after the 2008 election. It was in office from 1996 to 2001. "As a result, the country's progress is visible and the people's fate is being changed," she said. The Prime Minister said the government has drawn up elaborate programs to celebrate 'Mujib Barsho' nationally. "Besides, other organizations and institutions will celebrate Bangabandhu's birth centenary in a befitting manner," she said. Sheikh Hasina said the name of the Father of the Nation was once wiped out by assassinating him on August 15, 1975. "But today none could erase his name because he struggled and suffered throughout his life for the people of the country," she said. She said Bangladesh won independence through 24 years of struggle and earned its victory in the Liberation War under the leadership of the Father of the Nation. The Prime Minister said over 82 percent people lived under the poverty level when Bangabandhu liberated the country. "But our Awami League government has been able to bring down the (poverty) rate to 20.5 percent," she said. She said the Father of the Nation liberated the country to change the lot of the exploited and deprived people and he also started the work to this end. "But we're unfortunate that Bangladesh was deviated from that ideology and spirit after the brutal killing of Bangabandhu," she said. The Prime Minister said the country started its journey towards development again when the Awami League government assumed office after 21 years. "It has been possible as we're following the ideology of the Father of the Nation," she said. Source: UNB AH