Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the new generation will take the country to a great height as youths are the soldiers of the Vision 2041.

“The new generation imbued with the spirit of patriotism and the ideology of the Father of the Nation will steer Bangladesh towards prosperity,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said this while unveiling the covers of 11 books published in the 'Mujib Year' through a colourful function at the auditorium of the International Mother Language Institute (IMLI) in the capital. She joined it virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.

Hasina said the government has laid out the Vision 2041 to build Bangladesh as a prosperous and dignified country. “The new generation will be the soldiers of that and take forward the country. We'll gradually become a developed country from the developing one.”

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She said it will not be a difficult job to make the country a developed one by 2041. “That won’t be that much difficult. Inshallah, we’ll be able to do that.”

After the country’s independence, Hasina said, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wanted ‘Golden Human Beings’ to materialise his dream of establishing Bangladesh as the ‘Golden Bengal’. “The Golden Human Beings are getting ready and that’s the most significant matter [for us],” she said.

She said the Awami League government has been able to bring massive changes in the country from 2009 to 2022 through reducing poverty levels, improving literacy rate, and ensuring food and nutrition security. “We’ve given importance to the use of modern technologies... and we’ve been successful to that end.”

Hasina said today people are using technologies, and the whole world is now taking advantage of that. “People are availing themselves of that opportunity to know the world. Bangladesh no longer falls behind in the dark now as the brilliant students of the country can now introduce themselves with pride everywhere in the world because of their knowledge. This is the biggest contribution of knowledge.”

She said today development is no longer urban centric since the government focuses on development from the grassroots level.

The prime minister also awarded the 'Bangabandhu Scholar' scholarship and distributed prizes among the final winners of the 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Quiz' competition.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee organised the event.

On behalf of the prime minister, Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury handed over the prizes of 'Bangabandhu Scholar' scholarship among 13 meritorious students and final winners of 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Quiz' competition.

The Prime Minister said the government will continue the  'Bangabandhu Scholar' scholarship through the PM's Education Assistance Trust Fund in the coming days. “We’ll put aside an allocation in that Fund for this scholarship.”

Chief Coordinator of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury delivered the welcome speech while Convener of the International Publishing and Translation Sub-committee Prof Dr Fakrul Alam delivered speeches at the cover unveiling session.

The recorded speech of the Convener of Publication and Literature Programme Sub-committee Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was played on the occasion.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni delivered speeches at the prize distribution session.

Hasina said Bangladesh is a country of non-communal spirit and the new generations will be groomed with proper education with a focus on science to establish a prosperous country.

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Referring to the publication of books on Bangabandhu, she said the books of articles, poetries, poems and rhymes will help encourage the new generation to know about Bangabandhu and Bangladesh.

Talking about quiz competitions, the Prime Minister laid emphasis on continuation of such competitions so that today’s generation can learn more about the great leader Bangabandhu.

She said the long struggle and sacrifices of Bangabandhu cannot go in vain in any way.