Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged her party leaders and activists to work with devotion for the welfare of the nation and thus strengthen it imbued with the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "It's my fervent call to my party leaders and workers to wholeheartedly devote yourselves to the welfare of the country and the nation and thus strengthen this party (AL) under the leadership which we've achieved our independence," she said. Sheikh Hasina, also the  chief of the ruling Awami League, said this while addressing a discussion meeting marking the 67th Founding Anniversary of Awami League held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city.
Hasina said it was only the Awami League which has taken the country ahead through bringing economic emancipation of people. "Insha Allah, we'll bring much more economic emancipation." She said it is also Awami League which has been working relentlessly to ensure the basic rights of the people of Bangladesh.
Calling upon her party leaders and workers to work tirelessly rising above personal interests, Hasina said, "If a political leader can work with honesty, then it is his or her biggest strength through which he or she could face any disaster or calamity. With honesty, a political leader could raise his voice and I've gained such strength of honesty from Bangabandhu."
Reiterating her vow to turn Bangladesh into a mid-income country by 2021 and a prosperous developed country by 2041, Hasina said to attain these goals, each and every leader and worker of Bangladesh Awami League would have to work with honesty imbued with the ideals of Bangabandhu.
Sheikh Hasina claimed that her party has elevated Bangladesh to a dignified position in the global arena as Awami League has given everything -- from achieving the dignity for mother language to the country's independence -- to the nation. "We're pledge-bound to fulfill the expectations of the country’s people," she added.
Taking a swipe at her archrival Khaleda Zia, she said nowadays, the BNP chief has been telling blatant lies in iftar parties.
Recalling the glorious history of Awami League, Sheikh Hasina, who is the chief of the ruling party since her return from abroad back in 1981, said whatever the country has achieved is only through this party.
But, she alleged that many like Iskander Mirza, Ayyub Khan, Ziaur Rahman, HM Ershad and then Khaleda Zia tried to destroy this party through hatching plots.
The Prime Minister said perhaps Bangabandhu was the lone leader in Bangladesh history who had left his ministership only to reorganise the party after its founding President Moulana Bhashani left AL to form NAP.
"Bangabandhu resigned as a minister to strengthen the party and all the leaders and workers of AL should have to perceive that when such leader could step down for the sake of his party, how strong the foundation of that party could be?"
She also opined that the AL was so strong as there had been a firm, farsighted, devoted and independent-minded leader like Bangabandhu in the party. "Attacks were made on the party time and again, and through overcoming such attacks, AL moved ahead for establishing rights of the Bengali nation," she added.
She alleged that those who have grabbed power illegally after the assassination of Bangabandhu with most of his family members in 1975 had tried to destroy the spirit of the War of Liberation and denied the huge sacrifices of millions of martyrs.
In this connection, Hasina blasted Ziaur Rahman, HM Ershad and Khaleda Zia for rehabilitating the war criminals and killers of Bangabandhu.
"Whenever attacks were unleashed against this party, whenever attempts were made to split this party, it appeared before the country's people in a more brightened, enlightened form with its own identity," she said.
The Prime Minister said she does not do politics to get something for herself. "I've lost all of my father, mother and brothers.........I've gained strength from the excruciating pain of losing the near and dear ones. So now my lone goal is to change the fate of the nation"