Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said that Awami League’s stay in power for three consecutive terms had helped Bangladesh change a lot and develop towards prosperity.

‘We have to advance more as a developing country and become a developed one,’ she said.  ‘I have formulated that plan. We have formulated Vision 2041 and Delta Plan 2100 for the future generations.’

PM Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami League, was addressing a reception accorded to the gallantry award winning freedom fighters of Bangladesh Armed Forces and their heirs marking the AFD-2022 at Dhaka Cantonment.

She said that, as a victorious nation, Bangladesh was highly regarded by the world. Bangladeshis now move around the world keeping their heads high.

‘We have achieved that, but we have to advance more in the coming days,’ she said.

The PM said that the government was constructing homes for the homeless people offering them opportunities to changing their lives.

‘We are trying tirelessly. Now at least we can say that the people of the world can’t neglect Bangladeshis,’ she said.

Hasina said that the Awami League as a party and the government never forgot the contributions of the freedom fighters.

‘And that’s why we have taken plans to build Bangladesh in the spirit of the Liberation War.’

She said that the country had to advance further creating its solid base so that it graduates as a developed country from the developing one. ‘We are working towards that goal.’

She said that Covid pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, US and European sanctions had put Bangladesh in deep trouble.

She mentioned that prices of essentials had increased as Bangladesh has to buy commodities like edible oil, fuel oil, wheat, corn and lentils from abroad.

‘The transportation cost has increased too. So we are facing problems. But we are not sitting idle. I have already urged all not to leave behind one inch of land with cultivation to ease the sufferings of the people and avert the economic recession,’ she said.

The prime minister said that the government was taking appropriate steps to overcome the war related problems that had caused suffering to the whole world.

Briefly describing various measures taken for the freedom fighters and their families, she said that no one would ever look at them with disrespect and negligence.