Shawdesh Desk:

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday called upon the nation to remain alert against 1975-like killings, coups and conspiracies that could hinder the country’s prosperity.

“I urge the nation to be alert against killings (like 1975), coups and conspiracies in Bangladesh that can impede country’s progress and also against assignation of children,” she said.

The prime minister said this while formally opened the “Sheikh Russel Day” and distributed “Sheikh Russel Gold Medal” among the winners on the 58th birthday of Sheikh Russel, the youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, through video conferencing from her official Ganabhaban residence, reports BSS.

Sheikh Russel Jatiya Shishu-Kishore Parishad organised the function under direct supervision of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) here.

The prime minister mentioned that the Father of the Nation had enacted a law in 1974 to ensure security for the children, saying, “How much unfortunate it was that his children had to die by the hand of killers.”

Sheikh Hasina, the eldest sister of Sheikh Russel, said with an emotion charged voice that the killers brutally assassinated Russel on August 15 in 1975 after killing his father, mother, brothers, and uncle (chacha) as he wanted to go to his mother.

She questioned: “Why was the baby killed? What was his guilt? What was the guilt of others? Was it a crime to liberate the country?”  The premier said that her government has been trying to ensure that no such incidents would take place in the future.

Describing the children as “future of the coming days” she said, “I want everyone to perform their duties accordingly to give the children security, love and a beautiful and meaningful life.”

Sheikh Hasina called upon the children to pay attention in study as nothing is as worthy as education.

“I just want to say to the children that do your study with attention because education is the most valuable asset which will never be lost, stolen or snatched away,” she said.

The prime minister urged the guardians to encourage their children to study and take part in sports, cultural programmes and other extracurricular activities.

She said that the schools, colleges and universities across the country are gradually reopening after a long hiatus due to the Covid-19, urging all concerned to maintain health protocols to remain protected from the deadly virus.

Greeting the winners of various competitions, she said that giving a reward is a recognition which creates fresh spirit among the winners to do better in the future and create love and dutifulness towards the country.

The prime minister distributed “Sheikh Russel Gold Medal” among 10 children in five categories—education, sports, science and technology, fine arts-literature-culture, and children with special needs — for their outstanding contribution to the respective fields.

The awards include a medal weighing one tola of gold, a laptop and a certificate while prizes were also distributed among the winners of on-line quiz competition.

Besides, laptops are being distributed among 4000 freelancers out of 40,000 participants under the Learning and earning Development Projects (LEDPP) for their outstanding performance.

The prime minister also distributed prizes among the winners of the sports and cultural competitions across the country arranged by Sheikh Russel Jatiya Shishu-Kishore Parishad.

She also handed over prizes among the winners of roller skating competitions organised by Roller Skating Federation.

The prime minister also unveiled the cover of two books—one titled “Sheikh Russell Jhore Jawa Phul (Sheikh Russel, a fallen flower) and another on “Sheikh Russel Deepta Joyullas, Adommo Attabishaws (Sheikh Russel radiant joy, indomitable confidence).

An Audio-visual presentation on the life of Sheikh Russel was screened and the theme song of the “Sheikh Russel Day” was also played at the function.

The nation, for the first time, is observing the day in a befitting manner, as the government had earlier announced October 18, the birthday of Sheikh Russel, as “Sheikh Russel Day” under the category “Ka”.

The day is also being observed at Bangladesh missions abroad while different dailies published special supplements today highlighting the significance of the Day.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina unveils the cover of a book titled “Sheikh Russel Shoishobe Jhore Jawa Phul (Sheikh Russel a fallen flower) joining a programme at Sheikh Russel Roller Skating Stadium marking Sheikh Russel Day through videoconferencing from her official residence Ganabhaban on Monday.    —PID photo