Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that her government has long-term plans to make the future beautiful for the children.

“We want to build a beautiful future for the children. I’ve also formulated long-term plans for this,” she said.

The prime minister said this while addressing a programme titled ‘Tungipara: Hridoye Pitribhumi’at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex, Tungipara in Gopalganj marking the 102nd birth anniversary of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children’s Day-2022.

In collaboration with the Women and Children Affairs Ministry, the National Implementation Committee for Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Birth Centenary Celebration, arranged the programme, featuring discussion and cultural soiree.

Also read: Birth Anniversary: President, PM pay homage to Bangabandhu

Hasina said Bangladesh today attained the status of a developing country. “We’ll definitely make Bangladesh the developed and prosperous Sonar Bangla. It’s our commitment,” she said.

In this context, she mentioned her government’s vision 2041 and Delta Plan-2100. “I’ve prepared a plan over how this Bangladesh would develop till 2100,” she added.

She reiterated that her government’s plans focus on making the future of children bright and decent. “Our goal is that our children would remain safe and get a beautiful life.”

This year, the theme of national children’s day is “Bangabandhur Janmodiner Ongikar, Sokol Shishur Soman Odhikar” (Equal Rights for all children, Commitment of Bangbandhu’s birthday).

The event began with the National Anthem followed by the theme song of "Mujib Borsha‌‌". An audio-visual presentation titled "Tungipara: Hridoye Pitribhumi (Father's Land in Heart)" was screened.

Awami League leaders Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Muhammad Faruk Khan, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira, chief coordinator of the national implementation committee Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and Children’s representative Sheikh Munia Islam spoke at the function.

Bangabandu’s grandsons --PM’s ICT Affairs Adviser and Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Sheikh Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib Siddiq—were present.

Also read: PM for rainwater harvesting, river water conservation

Cabinet members, members of parliament and AL central leaders, Gopalganj Zila Parishad chairman and AL’s district unit president Chowdhury Emdadul Haque were present.

Sheikh Hasina, also the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said though there had been a reign of killers, war criminals, Al-Badr and Razakars (collaborators of Pakistani forces) in the country after the assassination of her family members, she returned home to fulfill dream of his father.

“(I returned home) to ensure that the children would not live with the pain of losing family members like us, rather they would have a nice and improved life,” she said.

Noting that the Father of the Nation used to love children very much, the PM said her government in 1996 declared the 17th March as the children’s day.

Bangabandhu used to like playing with children. “When he (Bangabandhu) was playing with children, he seemed like a child,” she said.

But it is unfortunate that even children were not spared in 1975 carnage. Children and women had not been killed even during Karbala tragedy, she said.

“But in the soil of Bengal, my father had to lose life in the hands of Bengalis, for whom he had sacrificed his life, faced incarceration for years and established the dignity of a nation for them. It is the biggest pain,” she said.

Following the footsteps of Bangabandhu, her government had taken various steps for the welfare of the children, including establishment of schools in every area and measures to protect them from the social menace like terrorism and militancy, she said.

“Coming in power again through the 2008 election, we’ve done a lot further for the welfare of children,” said Hasina highlighting various measures and laws taken for the children during her regime.

She said Awami League and its associate bodies will arrange programmes in Tungipara on separate days from March 18 to 25 to mark the Mujib Year.

The prime minister inaugurated the six-day Mujib Borsha Folk Fair to be held at Government Sheikh Mujibur Rahman College premises in Tungipara from March 21-26.