Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed the hope that country's children will fulfill the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to build Bangladesh as 'Sonar Bangla', reports UNB.

"Today's children will materialise the dream of the Father of the Nation to make the country 'Sonar Bangla as they're the country's future," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a function at Ganobhaban marking the distribution of prizes among the winners of drawing and essay writing competitions organised on the occasion of Bangabandhu's birthday.

She said the government is putting immense importance to the education sector to make children worthy citizens. "Our country is marching forward. Being well-educated, today's children will run the country tomorrow."

Hasina briefly described various programmes taken by the government to upgrade the country's education system.

Jatir Janak Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust organised the competition on 96th, 97th and 98th birthdays of the Father of the Nation.

President of Bangabandhu Jadughar Artist Hashem Khan, member secretary of Bangabandhu Memorial Trust Sheikh Hafizur Rahman and chief executive officer of the memorial trust Mashura Hossain, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the memorial trust, said the government is working for people's welfare and building Bangladesh as a prosperous country.

She said the government wants every child to pursue education and that is why it is distributing free textbooks from pre-primary level to secondary one and providing stipend and scholarship to them.

The Prime Minister said the government has nationalised some 26,000 primary schools following Bangabandhu's footsteps.

"We're establishing government a college and a school in every upazila for the development of education" she said.

She said they has turned the Dhanmondi house of Bangabandhu into Bangabandhu Museum and formed a trust in the name of the Father of the Nation. "We're giving stipend to 1,700 distressed but meritorious children from the fund as well as providing assistance to the August 21 grenade attack victims."

Hasina said her government is encouraging children in sports and cultural activities like songs and painting so that their talent and thoughts flourish properly.

She reiterated her determination to build Bangladesh as a middle-income country by 2021 and a prosperous and developed one by 2041. "We've also adopted Delta Plan-2100 to build Bangladesh as the most developed country in the next century and present a prosperous and beautiful life to the future generation."

Hasina extended her sincere thanks to the participants of the drawing and essay writing competitions and their guardians, hoping that more children will take part in the competition in coming years.

Earlier, the Prime Minister distributed prizes among the winners of the competitions organised by Bangabandhu Memorial Trust between 2016 and 2018.