Govt working tirelessly to realize Bangabandhu's dream: Bangladeshi State FM

Today, March 26, is the glorious Independence and National Day of Bangladesh.
On this very day in 1971, our great leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence of our beloved motherland.
On this auspicious occasion, I recall with deep reverence the greatest Bengali of all time, our father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by whose clarion call the Bengali started the War of Liberation against the Pakistani occupation forces.
I pay my profound homage to the 3 million martyrs and 200,000 mothers and sisters whose supreme sacrifice and dishonour ushered us an independent and sovereign Bangladesh colored in red and green.
My respectful salute goes to all freedom fighters including the wounded war heroes.
On this memorable moment of Independence Day, I express sincere gratitude to all foreign friends, expatriate Bangladeshis, members of diplomatic front who accelerated our victory by extending all possible support during the liberation war of Bangladesh.
March 26 is the day of breaking the shackles of subjugation when the Bengalis protested against misrule, exploitation and oppression by the then Pakistani rulers.
Our war heroes took arms at the call of the father of the nation. Before that, on March 7 in 1971, Bangabandhu in his historic speech declared: “The struggle this time is the struggle for our emancipation; the struggle this time is the struggle for liberation."
It is matter of great joy indeed that the UNESCO has included this historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu in the Memory of the World International register, a list of world’s important documentary heritage. Being started on March 26, the bloody war ended fruitfully through the emergence of an independent and sovereign Bangladesh on Dec. 16, 1971.
Our father of the nation, the great architect of our libration war dreamt for a happy, prosperous, exploitation free and equitable “Sonar Bangla” (Bengal of gold).
His able successor, the leader of mass people Sheikh Hasina, has been working tirelessly to realize this dream.
Formation of an equitable state mentioned in “The charter for change” presented by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina consists of a number of specific and integrated programs for accomplishment.
Following that roadmap, goals have been agreed on for transforming the country into a “middle income” one by 2021 and a “developed” one by 2041. At the same time it has taken firm measures toward achieving these goals.
Currently, Bangladesh is marching forward with $1,610 per capita income and more than 7.28 percent growth rate.
After successful completion of the “millennium development goals” (MDGs) in which Bangladesh has been acclaimed as a ‘role model’; we are now committed to the objectives and realisation of the “sustainable development goals” (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. As a sequence of all these tremendous achievements the UN has announced Bangladesh’s eligibility for graduation to the “developing country” status from the “least developed country” category in this month of rebellious March.
On this day, I congratulate Bangladesh diaspora in every corner of the world which has been immensely contributing to our economic development and in brightening the image of Bangladesh.
I also thank all the members of our missions abroad who have been working with sustained dedication and commitment in achieving our foreign policy objectives and promote national interest of Bangladesh on the world stage.
I appeal to all expatriate Bangladeshis and mission officials to work in unity with the government and people of your respective host countries to strengthen the relationship for greater benefit of all concerned.
On this 48th day of the declaration of our independence, let us make a renewed pledge to devote ourselves to work from our respective positions imbued with the spirit of liberation war to build a “Sonar Bangla” and also a better world for our future generations.

Mohammed Shahriar Alam, M.P.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs