#thenewscompany– Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today urged Awami League leaders and workers to take oaths to stamp out poverty from Bangladesh asking them to make lists of poor in their respective areas for their rehabilitation so they could live with dignity.
“Make lists of the poor, age-old, disable people of your area who are living without any shelter and livelihood. We will give them home without cost and take measures so that they can live with the dignity of human beings,” she told the inaugural session of the 20th Council of Bangladesh Awami League at Suharawardi Uddyan here.
Sheikh Hasina expressed her firm determination to free the country from poverty to materialise the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“Awami League is the platform of masses. So it’s the responsibility of the party leaders and workers to dedicate them for the welfare of the people . . . no poor people will be there in Bangladesh if we can do this job properly,” she said.
Amidst rapturous applause of thousands of delegates the Prime Minister announced that “Bangladesh would not go behind. Bangladesh would not remain stagnant here. We will go ahead for which we liberated the country”.
In presence of a huge number of leaders of different political parties from abroad, Sheikh Hasina reiterated her stance against terrorism saying none would be allowed to use the soil of Bangladesh against any country.
She said Bangladesh will be the most pacifist nation in south Asia and act as a conduit between the East and West for economic prosperity.
The two-day council of Bangladesh Awami League, one of the oldest political parties in the subcontinent, began here this morning with attended of about 6,000 delegates and several thousands of local and foreign guests at historic Siharaward Uddya, which was decorated blissfully on the occasion.
Sheikh Hasina recalled the glorifying long history of the party founded in 1949 saying Awami League was the main political platform through which people of Bangladesh achieved everything what they have earned so far.
Ahead of the party’s president’s speech Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam presented his report while convenor of the council preparatory committee and Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim delivered his address welcoming the delegates and guests.
Party’s office secretary M A Mannan read out an obituary reference in the memories of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangamata Fazilatun Nesa Mujib and martyrs of August 15, 1975, four national leaders, war heroes, languages movement martyrs, late leaders of the party, intellectuals, poets, writers, distinguished citizens and local and foreign nationals who were killed in recent terror attacks in the country. The council observed one minute silence in memories of the deceased.
Publicity Secretary of the party Dr Hasan Mahmud and Deputy Publicity Secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil conducted the programme.
Leaders of different political parties including those of the ruling 14-party coalition former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Huq Inu, Dilip Barua, Barrister Nazmul Huda, Anisul Islam Mahmud, Ziauddin Bablu and Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari joined as guests at the opening session of the council.
Leaders of professional bodies, writers, litterateurs, poets, artistes and academic were present.
Around 60 delegates from different political parties of Australia, Austria, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Russia, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Italy and Canada joined the council.
President of Asam Gono Parishad and former Chief Minister of Indian State of Asam Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, leader of Nationalist Congress Party of India Adv. Majeed Menon, MP, leader of Mizo National Front Mr. Zoramthanga, General Secretary of All India Trinamul Congress and Education Minister of Indian State of West Bengal Partha Chaterjee, Polit Bureau member of Communist party of India Biman Basu, Information and Communication and senior leader of Peoples Democratic Party of Bhutan Dina Nath Dungyel, General Secretary of National Congress of India and former Chief Minister of Indian State of Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad, vice minister of International Department of China Communist Party Zheng Xiaosong, leader of United National Party and Minister of Religious Affairs of Sri Lanka Mohamed Hashim Abdul Haleem, vice president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Deputy Secretary General of the United Russia Sergey Zheleznyak, senior leader of Nepali Congress Dr Ram Sharma Mahat, State Minster of Parliament of Australia Hugh McDermott, Conservative Party leader of Canada Deepak Obhrai, leader of Social Democratic party of Austria Mrs Fuchs, assembly member of Welsh, UK Jenney Rathbone and member of Italian Chamber of Deputies and Foreign Affairs Committee Khalid Chaouki spoke on the occasion.