Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that the achievement of Awami League was the liberation of Bangladesh through its sacrifice and endurance.

‘The achievement that came through sacrifices and endurance of Awami League is the liberation of Bangladesh… today we have got a country of our own, we have got our dignity as a nation… this is the biggest achievement,’ she said.

The PM was speaking at the Jatiya Sangsad on an unscheduled discussion on the 71st founding anniversary of AL.

‘The political party, since its founding, has served humanity and people… it always speaks for the deprived people, struggles for establishing their rights,’ she said.

But, she regretted, ‘When Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman got the steering to drive the republic ahead then the Mostaque-Ziaur Rahman clique brutally assassinated him. As a result, the forward march of the country was blocked.’

Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of the ruling Awami League, said once there were hectic efforts to erase the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of Bangladesh, from history.

‘The truth cannot be erased… the Father of the Nation is not with us physically, but his existence remains in the hearts of Bangalees...we have to fulfil his desire, we will build hunger and poverty-free Golden Bengal,’ she said.

The PM also recalled with respect the greatest Bengali of all times Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Awami League’s founding president Mawlana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, general secretary Shamsul Haque and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy.

Sheikh Hasina recalled the contributions of the Awami League leaders and activists in all the democratic and progressive movements, and expressed her gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives and prayed for salvation of the departed souls.