“You find out how many people remain homeless or landless in your own villages and areas. We’ll arrange homes for them. If you can’t spend money, I’ll. But we want to give them homes. This is our only desire (in this Mujib Borsho),” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while addressing a discussion arranged by Bangladesh Awami League at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city on the occasion of the historic 7th March.
She said the government wants no one to remain homeless in this Mujib Borsho (Mujib Year), which will be celebrated from March 2020 to March 2021.
“It can’t happen that one will remain homeless in this Mujib Borsho. We want to fulfill his (Bangabandhu) desire,” said Hasina adding that the Father of the Nation had repeatedly said it was his desire that the people of Bangladesh would get food, cloth and an improved life.
She said the government has ensured food security making Bangladesh as self-sufficient in food production, taken the healthcare services to the doorsteps of people and created a scope for education.
She said her government has taken various projects like Ashrayan and housing projects for the homeless people and continues its efforts with such measures for them by following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation.
Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, said AL's every leader and activist, as a follower of Mujib ideology, has a responsibility towards the country and the nation. “If you can carry it out, it’ll be fruitful.”
The Prime Minister said she will provide money anyhow to arrange houses for the homeless families if any leader and activist cannot spend money after finding out such people.
She asked her audience to spread her call to every leader and activist of Awami League across the country.
The Prime Minister presided over the discussion while AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader delivered the introductory speech.
AL advisory council member Amir Hossain Amu and AL presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammad Nasim and Muhammad Faruk Khan, AL joint general secretaries Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and Mahbubul Alam Hanif, AL Dhaka South City unit president Abu Ahammad Mannafi and AL Dhaka North City unit general secretary SM Mannan Kochi, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Former Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof Abdul Mannan addressed the discussion, while noted poet Shimul Mustafa recited a poem on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
‘7th March speech to inspire generations’
Talking about the historic 7th March speech, the Prime Minister said this historic address of Father of the Nation will continue to energise not only the countrymen but also the people of the world for ages.
“It’s the only speech which has been keeping up its appeal in the entire world for the last 49 years. It will energise not only the countrymen, but also the people around the world for ages,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina, also eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said though many people gave suggestions over the content of his 7th March speech and some student leaders insisted him to declare independence in his speech at that moment arguing that otherwise, the people will be frustrated. But the Father of the Nation had known better what step he needed to take.
She said her mother played an important role for taking decision by the Father of the Nation over his historic speech. “My mother could give right decision at the right time during any crisis,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the Father of the Nation had given guidelines through his speech and the biggest word of it was that all will have to take preparation for war. “He clearly gave directives that what will have to be done for guerrilla war and who will do what.”
“Every line of the speech is a quotation and was effective for that time. He gave all sorts of guideline in the speech,” said the Prime Minister, adding that he had strong power to make right predictions and take proper and timely actions.
Sheikh Hasina said the historic 7th March speech remained banned after the martyrdom of Father of the Nation in 1975. Many people were deprived of knowing the significance of this speech for 21 years, she said.
She thanked the soldiers of Mujib ideology as well as leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies for playing the record of this speech defying many obstacles in the country at that time.
The Prime Minister said the 7th March speech, which was once banned in the country, got recognition in the world stage. It has been selected as the greatest speech among all speeches of the 2,500 years and also placed in the World Documentary Heritage of the Unesco, she said.
“I don’t know whether those who wanted to erase this speech feel shame for banning it. But I think that they’ve no shame,” the Prime Minister said.